Sewickley Herald notebook: Panthers boys soccer team eyes playoff run

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 5, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Luca Peluso doesn’t take a break during the school year as a three-sport athlete at Sewickley Academy.

Peluso is a four-year varsity starter in boys soccer and also competes in hockey and lacrosse.

He has been one of the Panthers’ offensive mainstays on the pitch this season as a 6-foot-1 senior forward.

Sewickley began the week of Sept. 29 with a 4-2 record in Section 1-A, 8-3 overall. The Panthers started out winning six times in seven games this season.

“I feel like every game we are learning more,” Peluso said, “and getting better as the season goes on. Many of us have been playing together since we were young, so we are hoping to continue to have success as for long as we can.”

Sewickley has been battling an undefeated Beaver County Christian squad for first place in the section, but the Panthers suffered a tough 1-0 loss Sept. 25 to Eden Christian Academy to fall two games behind BCC.

Ayden Shattuck, a senior midfielder, scored the game-winner for Eden.

“My expectations are still high for this season,” Peluso said. “We hope to go deep into the playoffs.”

Sewickley Academy is ranked fifth in Trib HSSN’s WPIAL boys weekly soccer rankings behind Bentworth, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, BCC and Beth-Center.

QV duo takes title

The top two seeds in Section 5-2A girls tennis — both from Quaker Valley — advanced to the championship round of the doubles tournament.

No. 1 Jane Lenhard and Kate Miller rallied past No. 2 Livia Jobbins and Grace Jadlowiec, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1, to win this year’s section doubles title.

Lenhard, a senior, and Miller, a sophomore, defeated No. 4 Maggie McBride and Allie Swift of Aquinas Academy, 6-0, 6-3, in the semifinals while Jobbins, a senior, and Jadlowiec, a freshman, handed No. 3 Victoria Sgard and Clara Lukasiak of Sewickley Academy a 6-0, 6-2 loss.

Sgard and Lukasiak finished fourth in the section tournament.

Sewickley’s Isabela Zuluaga and Sophie Crichton earned the No. 5 seed in the section tournament and won a first-round decision against a Carlynton tandem.

All four Sewickley girls — Sgard, Lukasiak, Zuluaga and Crichton — that competed at Nichols Courts are juniors.

Quakers vanquish Valley

Logan Benedict had a pregame inkling — or possibly, it was more the case of harboring well-earned confidence.

Quaker Valley defeated Valley, 29-20, in a Week 4 nonconference football matchup.

“I wasn’t really surprised by the win,” Benedict said. “I went into the game feeling that we were going to come out on top. We just needed to stay in the game and not let what they were doing affect us.”

Benedict, a 5-9, 175-pound senior wide receiver/defensive back, scored twice against the Vikings on an 11-yard run and 50-yard reception.

“The season is going good so far,” Benedict said. “We just need to stay focused in practice and execute on game days. I’m excited to see what we can do moving into the second half of the season.”

Basketball clinics set

The Quaker Valley boys and girls basketball programs will be host hosting a youth clinic for players in fourth through eighth grade. It will be run by the coaching staffs of both programs and will focus on fundamentals, individual and team drills and games.

The clinic will take place over four weeks — on Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 — at the high school gym. A session for girls will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.; the second session for boys will follow from 7 to 8 p.m. All participants will receive a QV basketball T-shirt.

The registration fee is $100 with proceeds benefitting the QV basketball programs. Checks can be made payable to Ken Johns, and registrations will be accepted at the door. Scholarships also are available.

To register or for more information, email coach Johns at Ken.e.johns@gmail.com.

Induction ceremony

Members of the Class of 2025 will be inducted Oct. 19 into the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame, following a weekend of activities commencing Oct. 17 with a tailgate party and recognition ceremony at the Quakers’ football game at Chuck Knox Stadium.

The Class of 2025 consists of the 2012 hockey squad and four athletes — Colin South (hockey), L.J. Westwood (track and field, cross country), Derek Molitor (football, track and field) and Dorian Goosby Dean (athlete).

For information on purchasing tickets for the HOF induction banquet set for 11 a.m. Oct. 19 at Sewickley Heights Golf Club, email johnsc@qvsd.org or call the QV athletic office at 412-749-6007.

QV defense stingy

The defending WPIAL champion Quaker Valley girls soccer team played 12 games this season by the end of September.

Sparked by sophomore goalkeeper Ava Hajok, the Quakers shut out nine teams and posted eight clean sheets in their last nine games.

QV stood at 6-0 in Section 3-2A and 10-1-1 overall and had allowed just three goals while scoring 43.

Did you know?

Did you know that the last time a PIHL Penguins Cup champion went on to win the state title in Class A was Quaker Valley in 2012?

With Garnet Valley winning the PA Cup last season, the Class A drought from the west is now up to 13 years.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy