Sewickley Academy captures Trib HSSN Cup for Class A

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, July 1, 2018 | 11:00 PM

ptr-sewickley-olsh15-030318 — Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Sewickley Academy's David Groetsch (from left), Nate Ridgeway, Jared Washington and Isaiah Smith hold the trophy after beating Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball final March 2, 2018, at Petersen Events Center.

Submitted

Members of the 2018 WPIAL champion Sewickley Academy boys tennis team include, from left, Will Nocito, Arjan Bedi, Nishant Purewal, Dylan Parda, Cole Luther, Will Stevenson and Alex Billiar. Cole Rychel and Saarang Mulukutla also are part of the team.

A historic double gold on the links got the ball rolling in the fall toward another sports cup for Sewickley Academy, while the capper in the spring was another title for one of the longest championship runs in WPIAL history.

All part of another successful sports season for the Panthers at The Academy as they continue to live up to their athletic director's first name … Win.

The TribLive High School Sports Network Cup is a yearlong competition to determine the top WPIAL sports program in each classification. It awards points for section/conference wins; district/state playoff wins and district/state championships and runners-up.

Schools can earn 1 point for section/conference wins, 2 points for any postseason victory, 10 points for a WPIAL championship, 5 points for district runner-up, 20 points for a PIAA championship and 15 points for state runner-up.

“Sewickley Academy is proud to once again be the recipient of the TribLive High Sports Network Sports Cup for Class A,” athletic director Win Palmer said. “We are so fortunate to have so many dedicated and passionate students and coaches who put forth daily efforts in striving to win, bonding as teammates, learning both technical and tactical skills, displaying outstanding sportsmanship and having fun.”

The success began in the fall when as Palmer explained, the boys and girls teams each struck golfing gold.

“Wednesday, October 25 was a historical day for both Sewickley Academy and the PIAA as our girls and boys golf teams became the first school in PIAA history to capture team championships in the same year, and, in this case, on the same day.”

In all, Sewickley Academy varsity teams captured seven section championships, three WPIAL crowns and two PIAA titles.

Palmer said the icing on the golden cake for Sewickley Academy was a common scenario that has played out for a decade and a half.

“In the spring, despite graduating the most successful senior class in our boys tennis program's history, Sewickley Academy was able to capture a 15th consecutive WPIAL championship and finish as state finalists.”

It was another school year in the league's smallest classification that featured the Golden Panthers.

Here are the Top 10 finishers in Class A for the Trib HSSN Sports Cup:

1. Sewickley Academy — 287 points

2. Vincentian Academy — 169

3. Greensburg Central Catholic — 165

4. West Greene — 96

5. Winchester Thurston — 94

6. Jeannette — 87

7. Union — 70

8. Monessen — 59

9. California — 55

10. Leechburg — 51