Sewickley sports notebook: Depth key to Panthers’ success

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 30, 2025 | 11:01 AM

The Sewickley Academy boys basketball team has been described as tall and talented this season.

The Panthers’ starting five consisted of three juniors, just one senior, and 6-foot-8 freshman F/C Mamadou Kane.

Nolan Donnelly, a 6-2 forward, was the lone senior starter and was joined by 6-4 junior Lucas Grimsley and 6-2 junior Amare Spencer in the Panthers’ frontcourt. Caiden Battles, a 5-8 sophomore, manned the point guard position.

Also in the playing rotation were 6-8 sophomore F/C Adam Ikamba and two freshmen, 6-0 guard Drew Steals and 6-3 forward Rob Southall.

Ikamba is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Kane hails from Congo.

“Our strength comes in numbers,” Donnelly said. “We have a very deep bench of young talent that step up all the time. With that being said, it is more than just talent that makes us a great team. Everyone brings a fire and passion every day in practice, lifts, walkthroughs, and of course when it’s time to play.

“A big team of talented people who are passionate about a common goal is hard to stop, and I think that is exactly who we are.”

Grimsley was lauded as the Trib HSSN boys basketball player of the week following his 17-point performance against Greensburg Central Catholic in the PIAA Class 2A semifinals.

“He was playing with such confidence,” Sewickley coach Mike Iuzzolino said. “He was making great decisions both in his shot selection and play making decisions.

“He has good size. He makes it difficult on the guy he is defending to get off clean looks.”

Grimsley averaged over 16 ppg this season.

• The Sewickley Academy boys basketball team won the Section 2-2A title with a perfect 12-0 record this season.

It marked the 11th section crown in school history for the boys basketball program and came seven years after the last one.

The Panthers captured their first title in 1999 then added championships in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Sewickley has won five WPIAL boys basketball crowns starting in 2004. The Panthers added district titles in 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2018.

Next level

Quaker Valley senior swimming standout Margaret Getty plans to continue her career at West Chester and major in psychology.

In college, Getty expects to focus on middle-distance to distance swim events.

“I’ll definitely miss swimming with my high school team,” she said, “but I’m looking forward to this next chapter. I hope to get stronger, improve my times and contribute points for my team at the conference level.

“I had the opportunity to meet the team, and I feel it’s a perfect fit for me. The team is close-knit, friendly and welcoming, and I’m excited to train and compete with them over the next four years.”

Getty went through a multi-step procedure in opting for West Chester, situated in Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley about 25 miles from Philadelphia.

“First, I was impressed by the quality of education the school provides and the professors in the classes I had the chance to sit in on,” she said. “The university offers excellent internship opportunities, which really stood out to me. Additionally, the town of West Chester is absolutely beautiful and full of charm, with its boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants. Having family nearby in the Philadelphia area is an added bonus.

“As for the swimming program, I was looking for a program that would challenge me to improve, and West Chester has one of the top Division II swim programs in the country. I have met regularly with the coaching staff, and I’m very impressed by them. They’re both supportive and encouraging while pushing athletes to reach their full potential.”

Diamond notes

Two of the top players on the Quaker Valley baseball team — junior third baseman Todd Kagle and senior shortstop Oscar Roig — have had a great start to the 2025 season.

After three games, Kagle was hitting .500 (6 for 12) with three home runs, including a grand slam, and 10 RBIs.

Roig added five hits in his first nine at-bats (.667) and scored seven times.

QV rallied to an 8-7 nonsection victory against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on March 21 by scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Kagle belted a walk-off double with two outs in the seventh. Freshmen outfielder Holden Kirkham drove in the tying run and scored the winning run.

QV sophomore outfielder Kolton Johnson pitched one inning in relief, fanning three and walking one, and picked up the win.

“We had great pitching efforts by senior Nolan Wagoner, freshman Damien McClay and Kolton Johnson,” QV coach Rich Garbee said.

The Quakers’ entire starting infield is back this spring with Wagoner at first base, senior Jack Cindrich at second base, Kagle at third base, Roig at shortstop and junior Brad Semonik behind the plate. Kagle is a potential Division I prospect.

Two of last year’s starters in the outfield, senior Ryan Finamore (CF) and Johnson (LF), also are back. Finamore, who is committed to Allegheny, was the team’s leading hitter last season.

Remember when?

Here’s a quick stroll down memory lane:

Quaker Valley was a WPIAL finalist in boys tennis in 2019 and won back-to-back WPIAL championships in 2021-22.

“The success of the Quaker Valley boys tennis team the last five or six years is well documented,” QV coach Christi Hays said, “most notably the back-to-back WPIAL team championships in 2021 and 2022. That had not been accomplished at QV since the repeat championships in 2002 and 2003.”

• Chase Merkel and Joe Veeck were honorable mention selections for the Western Pennsylvania Boys Tennis Sportsmanship Award in 2023.

Quaker Valley was the only school in 2A with two award recipients.

• The seven seniors on the Quaker Valley boys tennis team in 2024 were Chase Merkel, Joe Veeck, Brahm Gianiodis, Grant Webb, Will Watson, Matteo Castellini and Jason Clark.

Merkel and Veeck held the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions last spring and were joined in the starting lineup by then-freshman Will Meagher at third singles.

Castellini added depth to the team in both singles and doubles action.

QV’s lineup also included Webb and Henry at first doubles and Watson and Gianiodis at second doubles.

“We have seen through the years how important the doubles points are in the short format used in high school matches,” Hays said.

Hot start for Eden Christian

Eden Christian baseball improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in section play with a 19-3 win March 24 against Clairton in a Section 3-A game.

Christian Watkins collected two hits and three RBIs, while Brett Feldman doubled and drove in two runs. Brady Hull picked up the win for Eden Christian.

Did you know that?

Quaker Valley baseball coach Rich Garbee attended Montclair High School in Montclair, N.J. and the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.?

Garbee’s assistants at QV are Clayton Bouchard, who oversees the outfielders and baserunning, and Garret Polka, who keeps tabs on the infielders and catchers.

• Did you also know that Sewickley Academy racked up nine consecutive MSA Sports Cup championships between 2011-19?

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy