Sewickley sports notebook: Severin Harmon, Ethan Dai shine at WPIAL 2A golf championships

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 13, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Sewickley Academy’s Severin Harmon and Quaker Valley’s Ethan Dai tied for second and fourth place, respectively, at this year’s WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championships.

Harmon shot a 6-over par (150) while Dai, the WPIAL runner-up last season, was right behind at 7-over (151).

The first round took place at Youghiogheny Country Club; the second was held at Sewickley Heights Golf Club.

Harmon carded the low score in the final round with an even-par 72, which included three birdies and 12 pars. He closed strong with seven pars and a birdie on the back nine.

The top 18 golfers at the WPIAL Class 2A finals qualified for the PIAA individual championship set for Oct. 21 at Penn State.

This will be the fourth time Harmon and Dai have competed at the PIAA boys golf finals.

QV senior Nolan Wagoner, at 13-over, and Sewickley Academy senior Karan Kad, at 14-over, also punched their tickets to the state championship.

The top nine finishers in the WPIAL Class 2A girls golf tournament qualified to compete in the PIAA championships at Penn State.

Quaker Valley junior Makenna Kamnikar advanced to states off her 92-99 score (+47) over two rounds. The finals took place Sept. 30 at Butler Country Club.

Eden Christian Academy junior Pearl Lundgren, who logged a 75-83 (+14), finished as the Class 2A runner-up for the second consecutive year.

Lundgren opened the tournament with a three-over 75 at Willowbrook, thanks to a round that included one birdie and 11 pars.

Girls soccer teams clinch

Both the Sewickley Academy and Quaker Valley girls soccer teams have clinched WPIAL playoff berths.

The Quakers defeated SA, 4-2, in a recent nonsection match at Nichols Field.

“A game against QV goes a long way in preparing a team for the WPIAL tournament,” Sewickley coach Gary Weber said. “They have very good attacking players who can cause issues for your defenders. These are the type of teams you will face in the playoffs. It’s good for us to watch the film and learn from our mistakes and make corrections when necessary.

“Quaker Valley is a very good team, and they will certainly be a favorite once the tournament begins.”

QV’s defensive corps against the Panthers consisted of Emma Currier, Anna Custer, Eliza Rahm and Maddie Gatehouse. The goaltending duties were shared by Ava Hajok and Clara Herman.

Mia Duckstein, Hope Waller, Amelia Suhayda and Lily Baker covered the midfield area; Ari Bosh, June Lukasavage, Rowan Wallace and Avery Persuit competed at the forward position.

The Quakers improved to 11-2-1 overall and 7-1 in section play with a 4-0 shutout Oct. 7 against Central Valley.

Sophomore forward Annabel Miko, senior defender Mia Modrovich, Bosh and Gatehouse were the four goal scorers in the game.

Sewickley’s starting lineup this season has included the likes of Emma Eannarino, Grace Jardini and Makenzie Dice at forward with Katherine Varghese, Quincy Sirko and Olivia Stefanik at midfield.

Defensive specialists include Marin Edmunds, Bella Ballard, Emilia Carrabba and Josephine Courtney.

Eannarino peppered in all six goals in the Panthers’ 6-0 section win Oct. 7 against South Allegheny. Bigi recorded the clean sheet.

SA boosted its record to 7-1-1 in Section 3-A and to 8-3-1 on the year.

• Sewickley Academy’s girls soccer team played four overtimes with section rival Seton LaSalle this season.

Sewickley and Seton staged a 2-2 tie Sept. 9 that lasted two overtimes; the Rebels edged the Panthers, 3-2, on Oct. 2 again in two extra periods.

Sirko and Eannarino netted the goals for Sewickley in the first game. Dice scored both goals for the Panthers in the second matchup.

QV, SA boys soccer qualify

The Quaker Valley boys soccer team has wrapped up a WPIAL playoff berth thanks to its 8-0-1 record in the month of September.

As of Oct. 7, QV was 11-1-1 in Section 2-2A and 11-3-1 overall and hadn’t lost a game since the beginning of September. The Quakers allowed just one goal in nine games last month, outscoring the opposition 52-1 and generating eight shutouts.

“The team has been playing very well while it has been finding its identity,” QV coach Sean Ryan said. “Our coaching staff has been able to mold our core of talent to fit our style of play.”

Nathan Pribik is QV’s starting goalkeeper. The defensive corps is led by Tanner Schultz and Andrew Vescio.

“Matt Henry, Elliot Thompson, Asher Muretish, Liam Miller, Will Meagher and Mike Semonik have (also) been contributing factors to our defensive success,” Ryan said.

Carter Turk is joined by Charlie Pyle, Levi Carver and Patrick Connors at midfield while Colin Benge, Sutton Hoehl and Isaac Williams pace the front-line play.

“Finn Thompson and Corben Hopkins are huge energy boosts off the bench,” Ryan said.

• Sewickley Academy’s boys soccer team also has clinched a WPIAL playoff berth.

The Panthers’ starting lineup consists of Luca Peluso and Mason Baker at the striker position with Finn Wentz, Nick Day, Andrew Colletti and Owen Brooks at midfield.

Carson D’Antonio is the starting goalie and is supported by Blake Wilmot, Max Soderstrom, Dov Kanner and Will Straka on defense.

4-year starters

Jack Diemert (RB/LB), Dominic Cox-Giles (WR/LB), Juarez-Safran (OL/DL) and Nico Cardinale (WR/DB) have been starters on the Quaker Valley football team since their freshman season.

“We have had great senior leadership from those four,” QV coach Jason Cappa said. “These guys bring 100% effort and a positive attitude to everything they do.”

Diemert led the Quakers last season in rushing (1,046 yards), rushing average (6.3 ypc), receiving yards (217), receiving average (19.7 ypc) and scoring (8 TDs).

He also has wrestled at QV for three years, compiling a 75-45 career mark.

Cox-Giles also is dual-sport athlete who plays basketball in the winter months.

Among the newcomers to the football lineup are senior linemen Stiven Delgado and Ty Kretzler, junior lineman Aris Haniotes and sophomore RB/LB Josh Odom (RB/LB).

Diemert, Cox-Giles, Juarez-Safran, Cardinale, Delgado and Kretzler are all the seniors on the 2024 squad.

“We are loaded with sophomores and juniors who played significant minutes when they were freshmen,” Cappa said.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Diemert rushed for 110 yards and three touchdowns in QV’s recent 34-14 nonconference win against Valley.

Did you know?

Did you know that Quaker Valley’s Mike Vavrek is in his 20th season as a head coach in girls volleyball?

Vavrek is in his 14th year at QV; he previously coached for six years at Sto-Rox.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy