George Guido: Deer Lakes softball seeks 3rd WPIAL title

By: George Guido
Saturday, May 28, 2022 | 6:41 PM

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Deer Lakes will try to become the second Alle-Kiski Valley school to win three WPIAL softball titles Wednesday when the Lancers (13-3) face Avonworth (16-4) at noon at Cal (Pa.’s) Lilley Field.

The game will be for Class 3A honors. Deer Lakes previously won WPIAL titles in 2012 and ’15.

Leechburg won WPIAL championships in 1991, ’92 and ’95.

Burrell will play in the Class 3A consolation game Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Mars Centennial Field against Montour at 1 p.m. The winner goes to the PIAA tournament.

Basketball MVPs

Further proof that the Alle-Kiski Valley experienced a stellar basketball season came from the Roundball Classic at Geneva College last weekend.

Fox Chapel’s J.P. Dockey was the MVP for Class 6A Gold in its game against Class 5A Gold.

His Foxes teammate, Russell Fenton, was the MVP for Class 6A silver. In the same games, James Pearson of Kiski Area was the MVP for 5A silver.

Fox Chapel’s Zack Skrinjar was the coach of 6A Gold.

Hall flavor

The 15th WPIAL Hall of Fame induction banquet Friday night had some distinct A-K Valley flavor.

One of the three inductees with local ties was wrestling coach Chuck Tursky, whose teams at Kiski Area and Burrell won 505 dual matches over 36 years.

Tursky recalled that, wrestling as a heavyweight, his teammates “hated me because I could eat whatever I want.”

Tursky added he had to become a student of the game since he had to wrestle heavyweights of all sizes and shapes.

Another wrestler that had a historic career was Kittanning’s Jason Nolf, who posted a 176-1 record and four WPIAL titles with the Wildcats. At Penn State, Nolf went 117-3 over four seasons, though he said he always was nervous before a match.

“I prayed to God that He would turn my nerves into energy,” Nolf said.

Micah Mason of Highlands also was a hall inductee.

Mason gained national recognition with his 64-point performance in a 2011 game against Valley. He was in the Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” segment three weeks later.

Mason said once his father bought a shooting machine and he’d put up as many as 500 shots a day. It paid off as Mason is 15th all-time in WPIAL scoring with 2,272 points, despite being passed by three players this season.

Shady Side sweeps lacrosse

Shady Side Academy swept the WPIAL lacrosse finals Wednesday with both the boys and girls teams defeating Mt. Lebanon.

The girls won their third straight title with a 15-7 victory at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium.

The boys had a tougher time at the same site, defeating the Blue Devils in overtime, 11-10.

If you like lacrosse, Shady Side’s Michael Farrell Stadium will be the place to be Tuesday when the Bulldogs host an opening-round PIAA doubleheader.

The girls will play at 5 p.m. against Hempfield – no, not that Hempfield. This Hempfield is from Landisburg, outside of Harrisburg, and finished fourth in District 3.

The boys will play Erie McDowell, the District 10 champ, at 7.