Pine-Richland notebook: Basketball standout Madison Zavasky picks IUP

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, October 22, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Pine-Richland standout basketball player Madison Zavasky has made her college decision.

Zavasky, a senior, will continue her career at IUP.

Zavasky made the announcement on social media on Oct. 12.

She also had offers from Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion.

Zavasky was one of the top players in Class 6A last season, averaging close to 20 points per game and was named first team All-Section 1-6A by the Big 56 Conference.

Under the guidance of first-year coach Gabby Baldasare last year, Zavasky led the Rams to the playoffs for the first time on merit in six years. The Rams participated in the open tournament the WPIAL held during the 2020 covid season.

Soccer teams out

Both the Pine-Richland boys and girls soccer teams missed making the WPIAL postseason by one spot in the standings.

Each finished fifth in their respective sections behind Seneca Valley, North Allegheny, Fox Chapel and Butler.

That means the Rams boys will not have the opportunity to defend their 2022 WPIAL Class 4A championship.

They did end their section season on a high note, however, winning 1-0 over Shaler on senior night. Nathan Bang, Aidan Waltenbaugh, Jack Nolin, Samuel Larsen, Mark Cashman, Henry Wojcik and Cadan Bennett are the seniors on the team.

The Rams went 6-0 in section play against Central Catholic, Shaler and North Hills, but couldn’t get a result against the top four teams in the section. The closest they came was a 2-1 loss in overtime against North Allegheny on Sept. 26.

The girls were a young team with four seniors under first-year coach Alessandro Moreira.

Their biggest win was a 3-1 upset over playoff-bound Butler on Sept. 25. Lily De Jesús, Abby Satina and Molly Baker had a goal each in the win. The victory was part of an improved second half, in which they had 1-0 defeats to North Allegheny and Fox Chapel after multi-goal losses in the first meetings.

De Jesus, Eve Barrett, Madeline Schiffer and Abigail Rosenwasser were the team’s four seniors.

Hilton at states

Will Hilton had a solid second round, shooting even-par 72 to finish tied for 37th in his first appearance at the PIAA Class 3A individual golf tournament at the Penn State Blue Course in State College.

Hilton, a junior at Pine-Richland, shot 79 in the first round Oct. 16 but rebounded well on Day 2. He had 16 pars, one bogey and birdied the par-5 18th hole.

Hasley scores first TD

Pine-Richland grad Jeremiah Hasley made the switch from linebacker to tight end at Duke in the offseason and he found the end zone for the first time in his college career Oct. 15.

Hasley caught an 8-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of Duke’s 24-3 win over NC State.

The Blue Devils have been one of the bigger surprises in NCAA football this season. They were ranked 16th in the AP poll heading into an Oct. 22 game at No. 4 Florida State.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Pine-Richland