George Guido: Burrell, Deer Lakes make PIAA softball playoff returns

By: George Guido
Saturday, June 4, 2022 | 6:42 PM

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Burrell and Deer Lakes will be heading north Monday to open the PIAA softball playoffs.

Burrell will play Villa Maria in the Class 4A opener at 3 p.m. at Penn State-Behrend, and Deer Lakes will play at Corry High School in Class 3A against the Beavers at 4.

Should Burrell win, it would be the last athletic event in Villa Maria Academy history. After 130 years, the Erie all-girls school will close at the end of June and merge with all-boys Cathedral Prep.

The Bucs last made the PIAA playoffs in 2011 when Burrell defeated Moniteau and Central Cambria before losing in the state semifinals to Philipsburg-Osceola at Hollidaysburg.

The Lancers were in the PIAA playoffs in 2017, losing to Philipsburg-Osceola at Mount Aloysius.

Armstrong earns gold

Ending its seventh year of existence, Armstrong High School won its first WPIAL title Friday with a thrilling, 6-5 victory over Penn-Trafford in the Class 5A softball finals at Cal (Pa.’s) Lilley Field.

Jenna Clontz blasted a walk-off home run over the right-field fence to win it for the River Hawks.

Armstrong earlier won a PIHL hockey title and a bowling title, but those were in club sports not sponsored by the school district.

The River Hawks will be rewarded with a home game Monday when they host Chartiers Valley, the No.4 team from the WPIAL tournament.

The motto this year at Armstrong is “turn silver into gold.”

Last year, the River Hawks finished second in the section, second in the WPIAL and second in the state.

“We used it as a motivation all year,” Armstrong coach Doug Flanders said. “It was our memo from the very first practice of the year.”

The River Hawks on Friday led Penn-Trafford early, 5-1. But the Warriors rallied with pinch hitter Alexa Forsythe singling home pinch runner Olivia Popovich in the sixth to tie the score.

Forsythe had a pinch-hit home run against Plum in the first round and a key double off the bench to ignite the winning rally against Chartiers Valley in the semifinals.

Warriors coach Denny Little seems to have the knack of when to put her in.

“It’s part of a plan, different situations, different runners, different kids who I know what they can do,” he said. “She (Alexa) is a pinch hitter deluxe,” Little said. “She’s a hitter. She knows her role. You keep doing that, your role’s going to change.”

SSA girls lacrosse rap scheduling

While celebrating its third consecutive WPIAL girls lacrosse title, Shady Side Academy was hoping the WPIAL would consider alternating doubleheader games.

Ever since girls sports were made part of the WPIAL in 1975, playoffs doubleheaders, particularly in basketball are ladies first, then the guys. Same with lacrosse.

“Ever since we were freshmen, the boys have always had the second WPIAL game,” said senior captain Dylan Green. “We reached out to the WPIAL and asked if we could make it a rotation every other year. We reached out with Mt. Lebo, Pine-Richland, North Allegheny and Peters Township. We emailed them and called them to get this rotation. Then when the schedule came out, they said the schedule allowed the fans to come ‘trickling in,’ their words, for the second half and the awards ceremony. It’s really frustrating. We put in as much work as the boys.”

Green and her fellow Bulldogs seniors still hope the WPIAL changes the policy after their upcoming graduation.