Shaler baseball, softball, boys volleyball teams share success at WPIAL, PIAA level
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Saturday, June 14, 2025 | 11:47 PM
Shaler’s Max Saban celebrates his double next to Bethel Park’s Ryan Petras during their PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinal on June 5 at Gateway.
Shaler’s Landon Schiffhauer (3) and Max Saban (11) are greeted in the dugout by teammates after scoring during the fourth inning of their PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinal against Bethel Park on June 5 at Gateway.
Shaler pitcher Dante DeLeonibus pumps his fist after getting a strikeout during the Titans’ PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinal against Bethel Park on June 5 at Gateway.
Shaler’s Addison Aleski drives in the go-ahead run against Penn-Trafford during the11th inning of the WPIAL Class 5A championship game on May 29 at North Allegheny.
Shaler captains hoist the WPIAL championship trophy after defeating Penn-Trafford in the Class 5A final on May 29 at North Allegheny.
Shaler’s Emily Spears celebrates at third base during the WPIAL Class 5A championship game against Penn-Trafford on May 29 at North Allegheny.
Shaler’s Addison Aleski celebrates after driving in the go-ahead run against Penn-Trafford during the 11th inning of the WPIAL Class 5A championship game on May 29 at North Allegheny.
Shaler catcher Alyssa Schaffold hugs pitcher Bria Bosiljevac as they are mobbed by teammates after defeating Penn-Trafford in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game on May 29 at North Allegheny.
Shaler’s Colby McGuire celebrates his RBI triple next to head coach Brian Junker during the WPIAL Class 5A championship game against Pine-Richland on May 27 at EQT Park.
The Shaler baseball team celebrates with the WPIAL championship trophy after defeating Pine-Richland in the Class 5A final on May 27 at EQT Park.
Shaler head coach Paul Stadelman watches from the bench with his team during the WPIAL Class 2A championship match against Ambridge on May 24 at Peters Township.
Shaler’s Richard O’Brien (13) celebrates with Adam Hoffman after scoring against Ambridge during the WPIAL Class 2A championship match on May 24 at Peters Township.
Shaler’s Brandon Aryee battles Ambridge’s Carter Catalano at the net during the WPIAL Class 2A championship match on May 24 at Peters Township.
Tom Sorce is happy for the Shaler Area sports community. The Titans softball coach did wish he was worried less about the chores around the house and more about what his colleagues in other sports were.
The Shaler softball team joined the boys volleyball and baseball teams in capturing WPIAL championships this spring, but ushered out of the PIAA Class 5A playoffs in the first round following an extra-inning loss.
“I’m kind of jealous right now,” Sorce said. “They are rolling and we got bumped out in the first round. It’s exciting for the school and the community. At our games, when we were in the WPIAL playoffs, we had a lot of younger kids come out and watch games.”
The boys volleyball team won a third consecutive WPIAL crown despite graduating 12 seniors from last season’s Class 3A state championship squad. Shaler fell in the PIAA Class 2A semifinals to Meadville this year.
The baseball team played in the PIAA Class 5A championship game for the second time in four seasons.
The baseball team played District 1 runner-up Upper Dublin for the championship after deadline for this edition.
Shaler athletic director Clint Rausher said the success is a testament to everyone in the district.
It has given the Titans an opportunity to grow, while other districts have seen their numbers decline.
“What I’m most proud of is the consistency in leadership we’ve built within our programs,” Rauscher said. “While many districts across the state and country struggle with coaching turnover, with strong administrative support, we’ve been able to retain head coaches over extended periods. This stability, combined with our intentional outreach to younger grades and the community, has allowed us to not only sustain but actually grow the number of athletes in our program.”
Shaler boys volleyball coach Paul Stadelman said he appreciates the situation he is in.
“I hope the community appreciates how difficult, unique and amazing it is,” Shaler boys volleyball coach Paul Stadelman said. “With spring sports, it can be hard because the season goes past the school year and people aren’t hearing the announcements or bumping into each other. It’s nice the wonderful first responders we have in Shaler have welcomed all the teams back to the school and anyone near a major artery can think that is for the baseball, softball or volleyball team.”
Stadelman inherited the program with the least amount of success historically and slowly built it to the top. Shaler won the WPIAL championship in Class 3A in 2023 and 2024 before finding similar success when the program moved to Class 2A this season.
Stadelman said he had never really built anything from the ground up before.
“I wouldn’t say I had an opportunity to parallel the work with this program,” Stadelman said. “It took some patience at the beginning and believing in the process. We needed to find the right people in the program who were willing to go through that process.”
Brian Junker, the baseball coach, has led Shaler for 16 seasons and leads what has been the most consistent of the spring programs. The Titans have won three WPIAL crowns — 2019, 2023 and 2025 — since Junker took over.
Before Junker’s tenure, the Titans last won the district in 1999.
“It’s a reflection of how we do things. We have high standards,” Junker said. “We work hard in the classroom, and we work hard in the weight room. We’re doing things right on and off the field. We stress that, and we play hard. We don’t think sometimes we’re as talented as some of these teams, but we’ll fight you till the end. They carry that attitude with them, and then, we just focus on our process — throwing strikes, having quality at-bats and sprinting on and off the field.
“That’s how we win games.”
Sorce took over Shaler’s softball program from Skip Palmer, who had won 199 games over 12 seasons in charge, in 2018. Since Sorce has been on the bench, the Titans have won the WPIAL title and played for a state championship.
Sorce feels the pressure to keep up with Stadelman and Junker.
“They’ve built those programs to be competitive every year,” Sorce said. “I wanted to make sure we’re a part of it. This doesn’t doesn’t happen so often and consistently. Those guys are legends.”
Dave Mackall contributed to this report.
Tags: Shaler
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