Penn-Trafford senior Williams looking for second WPIAL Class 3A singles title; Belle Vernon’s Dusi goes for 2A 3-peat

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, August 25, 2025 | 3:57 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Penn-Trafford senior Mia Williams recently got her recruiting out of the way by verbally committing to Skidmore, an NCAA Division III power.

She picked Skidmore over Ithaca.

Now she can focus on her season and getting another chance at winning a WPIAL Class 3A title. She won in 2022 and finished second to Shady Side Academy junior Meriweather McCargo the past two seasons.

McCargo and Belle Vernon senior Gabriella Dusi (Class 2A) are looking for their third consecutive titles.

“I am excited about my senior season,” Williams said. “Win or lose, whatever I do, it is my last year. We have a great group of seniors this year. Most of the starting lineup is back, so we are all excited.

“It is exciting for the entire team. We get to play on our new courts for the first time in two seasons, we are getting new uniforms and coach (Megan Satira) is having a baby in September.”

Williams said she picked Skidmore, which is in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., because of the facilities and coach.

“He is amazing coach,” Williams said. “He has a great program, and they compete for national titles.”

Williams said she spent the summer working to improve different aspects of her game.

“Some strategic things that occur during a match,” Williams said. “I am working on making the best strategic decisions in my head to put me in the best place for my game.”

She competed in ITA at the Naval Academy and at the West Virginia Open. She placed second in both. She lost to Oklahoma State grad Ava Catanzarite, 6-1, 6-3.

“That was a great match for me,” Williams said. “She is very good.”

Williams said she needs to play her game if she wants to finish on top this season.

“I am looking forward to the season,” Williams said. “I probably know who I am going to face in the finals.”

That is McCargo, who outdueled Williams, 7-6 (7-5) in the 3A final in a grueling match that lasted more than two hours.

Other 3A players to watch are Mt. Lebanon seniors Michelle Yang and Jackie Tang, the team’s top two singles players who were the WPIAL doubles championships, and Penn-Trafford sophomore Elle LeJeune.

Mt. Lebanon is the returning 3A team champion. The Blue Devils finished 17-1, and they have a new coach, Tim Sullivan.

Mt. Lebanon also returns seniors Allie Garcia and Sarah Stroh and junior Maggie Meehan.

Shady Side Academy returns sophomore Brooke Henderson, who lost to McCargo in the semifinals, sophomore Alexandra Merkel and senior Taylor Shanefelter.

Bethel Park has a number of players returning. The Black Hawks finished second to Mt. Lebanon is Section 4-3A. Junior Cami Fisher is their top returnee.

Penn-Trafford returns all but one player. The Warriors finished second to Franklin Regional in 2024, but Satira hopes that changed.

“We lost to Franklin Regional, 3-2, last year, so our expectation is to win the section,” Satira said. “They graduated a couple key players. We graduated one starter, Kylie Mackenzie. We have a lot of seniors, and they have been working hard since their freshman season. They are hard workers. They know what the expectations are.”

Joining Williams as singles players are LeJeune and senior Annabella Aquino.

“Elle started as a freshman, and she is an extremely hard worker,” Satira said. “She was undefeated in the section, so we are expecting the same.

“Annabelle is an all-around athlete. She also plays two other sports, lacrosse and basketball. Tennis is something she does for fun, and she loves it.”

The new faces are junior Sarah Pratkanis and senior Brianna Grills. They will play second doubles while seniors Felicity Larson and Amanda Wendler return at first doubles.

Larson played third singles against Altoona with LeJeune sidelined.

Other teams to watch include Pine-Richland, Hampton, Fox Chapel, North Allegheny and Upper St. Clair.

Class 2A

Dusi is not expected to have much of a problem winning her third 2A title.

In fact, Dusi is considered the player to beat in the state. She lost in the final to Wyoming Seminary grad Llana Rosensteel.

Dusi is committed to Duquesne.

She said she is not taking any match lightly. She wants to play to the best of her ability and have fun playing tennis with her friends. Her goal is to win the PIAA title.

Look out for North Catholic sophomore Evelyn Marche in singles competition.

The Class 2A teams to watch are North Catholic and Quaker Valley.

Three juniors — Brea Kelley, Delaney Kelley and Samantha Falcon — and sophomores Marche and Macaria Stall lead a young-but-talented North Catholic team.

Sophomore Avery Allan is Quaker Valley’s top singles player. She teamed up with Kristen Close, who graduated, to win the Class 2A doubles title last fall.

Other teams to watch include Keystone Oaks, Mt. Pleasant, Burrell, Beaver, Oakland Catholic and Sewickley Academy.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.