Sewickley Herald notebook: Seniors lead way for Sewickley Academy

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 13, 2022 | 12:01 PM

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Although the Sewickley Academy boys basketball team finished with just three wins and sat out the WPIAL 2A playoffs, it nonetheless was a memorable time for the players on the squad.

SA coach Win Palmer praised the four seniors on this year’s team — Sean Donohue and Saverio Mignella in the backcourt, Jack Wyche and Josh Chico in the frontcourt — for having displayed strong leadership skills throughout the 2021-22 season plagued by covid protocol.

“I thought we had a successful season,” Donahue said. “Obviously, our (3-13) record would state the contrary and although we got off to a rough start, I thought we finished strong. We knew going into the year we were not going to win the state championship, but we competed in every single game we played, and that’s all we could have asked for.

“We had a lot of fun, showed a lot of growth and saw a lot of potential for the future. I’m super excited to see what these guys can do after we’re gone.”

The 6-foot Donohue has been a two-sport standout at SA. He was a two-year starter in both basketball and soccer (center back position). He has a 3.97 GPA and is president of the Wall Street and Sports Media clubs at SA.

Donahue, Wyche, who stands 6-1, Chico, at 5-10, Colin Helbling, a 6-2 junior guard, and Nolan Donnelly, a 6-2 freshman forward, made up SA’s starting lineup. Magnella and sophomore guards Alex Wang and Jordan Smith were top reserves.

QV girls qualify

Quaker Valley’s girls basketball team qualified for the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs in Class 4A this season.

After defeating No. 9 Belle Vernon, 43-21, in the WPIAL first round, the No. 8 Quakers lost to top seed Blackhawk, 62-24, in the quarterfinals.

The QV hoopsters dropped a 60-21 decision March 9 to Villa Maria Academy in PIAA first-round matchup at Hagerty Events Center in Erie.

Quaker Valley ended up fourth in Section 2-4A behind Blackhawk, Beaver and Montour and finished with a 12-12 record in 2021-22.

Quakers skate by Moon

After taking first place in the Varsity A Northwest Division, the No. 3-seeded Quaker Valley hockey team skated past No. 6 Moon, 5-2, in the first round of the Penguins Cup playoffs.

Junior forward Luke Flowers scored two goals and junior forward Riley Moore and senior forward Noah Mattie had one goal and two assists apiece for the Quakers, who improved to 16-5.

“We must work hard game in and game out,” QV coach Kevin Quinn said. “There are no freebies. We need to be a hard-working team.”

Senior forward Kyle Rice added one goal for the Quakers while a pair of junior forwards, Ben Carlson and Braeden Steffey, chipped in with one assist.

QV’s freshman goalkeeper Landon Buterbaugh turned back 30 of 32 shots.

The Quakers started out 9-0 this season then lost their first three games in January.

“We got off to a great start,” Quinn said. “I was disappointed with our three straight losses. We knew the schedule would be difficult. We did not work hard enough to win.

“The key is to get back on track and fast. How will we respond to this adversity? I have a lot of faith that we will find our game. We have the team to do just that.”

After regrouping with back-to-back victories, QV won four of its final five games down the season’s home stretch.

QV’s Anderchak wins title

Quaker Valley’s Bruce Anderchak won the 89-pound title at the recent WPIAL Junior High Wrestling Tournament.

Connellsville won the team title 255 points. The Falcons had one champion, three wrestlers finish second, five finish third and one fifth.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy