South Hills Record notebook: Abby Rexrode again leads way for Baldwin gymnasts
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Sunday, February 23, 2025 | 11:01 AM
Baldwin’s Abby Rexrode competes at the 2023 WPIAL gymnastics championships.
The Baldwin gymnastics team was led once again in 2024-25 by the talented Abby Rexrode, a senior athlete and multiple-time WPIAL titlist.
After winning the past three WPIAL all-around championships in the advanced division, Rexrode placed second at this year’s WPIAL finals with a 37.9-point total — three-tenths of a point behind Mt. Pleasant junior Olivia Kovach, last year’s runner-up who racked up a 38.2 score.
The highly touted Baldwin gymnast won the uneven bars (9.4), finished second on the vault (9.75) and balance beam (9.2) and placed third on the floor exercise (9.55).
Rexrode has earned 10 WPIAL gold medals in her four-year gymnastics career.
Baldwin finished fourth in the final WPIAL team standings behind Thomas Jefferson, North Allegheny and Central Valley.
“We were plagued with some injuries since the start of the season,” said Jodi Cummings, Baldwin’s coach. “We have been working through them and made it to the WPIAL meet. We were not at full strength at the WPIAL meet, yet the girls put up a strong performance.
“Baldwin has a strong team. We are hoping to be healthy for the state meet.”
The Highlanders, who ended up 4-3 in Section 1 and 6-3 overall, posted the top floor exercise score at the WPIAL team championships with 35.65 points.
Nine girls compete for Baldwin this season including three seniors — Rexrode, Sophia Rossa and Addie Holmes — and four juniors — Lily Rock, Vivien Skalos, Ella Scurry and Jewell Stevens.
Sophomore Charlotte Fauls and freshman Paige Giglione rounded out the squad.
Big win for Baldwin girls
Junior guard Julianne Ott poured in a career-high 30 points to lead No. 9 Baldwin to a thrilling 73-72 win against No. 8 Chartiers Valley in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball playoffs.
Sophomore guard Lynsey Bernotas chipped in with 22 points as Bernotas and Ott combined for 52 of their team’s 73-point total.
Both teams ended the game with 15-8 overall records.
Did you know?
Fun facts about the 1985 Baldwin boys basketball team:
• Led Class AAAA, the WPIAL’s largest classification at the time, in team defense.
• Won WPIAL playoff games against Chartiers Valley, Norwin and Sean Miller-led Blackhawk to improve to 25-0 before losing to Latrobe in the championship game.
• Won PIAA playoff games against Bradford and Kiski before suffering a season-ending loss to Altoona (with future NBA players Doug West and Mike Iuzzolino) in the PIAA Elite 8.
• Played their final five games of the season at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House, all in front of sellout crowds.
• Were ranked fifth in the state.
Betz hits 1,000
Brentwood’s Forrest Betz connected for 30 points — including the 1,000th of his career — in a 65-61 late-season loss Feb. 13 to Keystone Oaks.
Betz, a 5-foot-10 senior guard, was complemented by two other senior guards, Colton Rosing, with 14 points, and Aidan Barker, with 10.
Brentwood advanced to the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs where it defeated West Greene, 59-49, in the preliminary round and lost to Jeannette, 91-42, in the first round.
The Spartans dropped to 10-13 following their WPIAL playoff appearance.
More Gymnastics
• Freeport’s Allyson Turk hopes to build off medal-laden sophomore gymnastics season• ‘Almost flawless’: Mt. Pleasant’s Olivia Kovach offers picture-perfect performance at WPIAL meet
• Kiski Area’s Ellie Arnold caps freshman season with WPIAL gymnastics gold
• Thomas Jefferson gymnasts celebrate 3rd WPIAL team title
• Westmoreland H.S. athletes of the week: Mt. Pleasant’s Olivia Kovach and Jeannette’s Markus McGowan
