Sewickley Herald notebook: Quaker Valley’s Mimi Thiero earns all-state recognition

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Add another honor for Quaker Valley junior Oumou “Mimi” Thiero, as she was named recently to the 2024-25 Pennsylvania sports writers all-state girls basketball team.

Thiero was a first-team selection in Class 3A along with juniors Erica Gribble of Greensburg Central Catholic and Karis Thomas of Shady Side Academy.

Other first-team selections from the WPIAL were senior Rylee Kalocay of Upper St. Clair in 6A, senior Natalie Wetzel of Peters Township in 5A, junior Aubree Hupp of Blackhawk in 4A and senior Kylie Fruehstorfer of Union, junior Emma Larkin of Geibel Catholic and senior Iyanna Wade of Clairton in Class A.

Making history

Quaker Valley’s girls flag football team kicked off its inaugural season March 30 against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

QV coach Giuseppe Rosselli gave an inspirational pregame speech to the girls on the QV team.

“In the 69-year history of Quaker Valley High School, this group of young women will be the first to step onto a field and represent the school in the game of football,” he said. “That should give you pride, and I hope that pride stays with you for a long time. You are ready. Believe in yourself the way that I believe in you. Have some fun and go make a bit of history.”

The Quakers blanked OLSH, 6-0.

Crooked numbers

The Sewickley Academy and Quaker Valley softball teams combined for 34 runs April 22 in winning section games.

The Panthers rolled past Bishop Canevin, 15-1, in a Section 1-A contest while the Quakers defeated Beaver Falls, 19-7, in Section 2-3A.

Charlotte Andrews threw a complete game one-hitter and struck out 18 for Sewickley Academy, which improved to 6-1 in the section and 9-1 overall.

Marie Bigi went 5 for 5 with two doubles and four RBIs for the Panthers. Quincy Sirko had a double, home run and three RBIs.

Turning to QV’s slugfest, Olivia Hoose (three hits, five RBIs) and Gemma Wiegand (three hits, four RBIs) each doubled three times for the winning side.

Isabella Jarrett and Grace Carver chipped in with three hits and both tripled.

Kings of the court

Did you know that Sewickley Academy has won a league-record 13 WPIAL boys tennis doubles championships?

The Panthers captured titles in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Sewickley’s Ryan Gex is the only WPIAL athlete to win four boys tennis doubles championships, accomplishing his run from 2014 to 2017

Gex teamed up with Luke Vith in 2014, was paired with Don Gex in 2015 and 2016 then completed the four-peat with Neil Rana in 2017.

Gex’s run highlighted a streak of nine consecutive seasons in which Sewickley athletes won WPIAL doubles titles in boys tennis.

Sewickley’s Will Kleeman was a three-time WPIAL champion in boys doubles from 2011-13.

Double play

Did you also know that the Eden Christian Academy baseball team was the only club in Class A to have two WPIAL all-state players?

Eden infielders Brady Hull (first team) and Brett Feldman (second team) were honored as all-state selections in 2024 by the Pennsylvania State Baseball Coaches Association.

Decisive win

Eden Christian’s baseball team blanked Monessen, 15-0, on April 22 as Hull went 2 for 3 with a double and four RBIs, Levi DeFazio and Jacob Janicki each drove in two runs and Christian Watkins picked up the win.

The Warriors boosted their Section 3-A record to 7-2 and improved to 10-2 overall.

Panthers cruise

Billy Pietragallo singled, homered and drove in two runs to lead the Sewickley Academy baseball team to a 12-2 nonsection win April 22 against Hillel Academy.

Nolan Donnelly and Charlie Scally each contributed two hits and two RBIs for the Panthers.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy