Thomas Jefferson high school sports notebook: Shaw moves to mat

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, January 28, 2018 | 10:18 AM

Notebook Items from around the Thomas Jefferson sports landscape:

• Max Shaw is a two-sport standout at Thomas Jefferson, tackling football in the fall and wrestling in the winter.

A junior running back/linebacker on the WPIAL champion TJ football team last fall, Shaw placed second in the 182-pound weight class at the recent Allegheny County wrestling tournament at Fox Chapel.

Shaw, who had been recovering from a fractured thumb suffered against Belle Vernon in the WPIAL football semifinal round, won his first 10 bouts this season.

“All of my time outside of school is sports-related,” Shaw said. “Basically splitting the year in half with a lengthy football season and a grueling wrestling season brings lots of fundraising and volunteer work for the community.

“I enjoy giving back to friends and family who are constantly supportive year-round.”

Shaw has a 3.2 GPA in the classroom. His favorite subject is U.S. history.

“I'd like to thank my family, friends and coaches for all they've done for me,” he said. “I realize it's very cliche, but I would never be the person I am today in and out of sports if it wasn't for them.”

• TJ varsity hockey team, which stands tied with Indiana with an 11-3 record in the PIHL Class A division, has five regular-season games remaining on its 2017-18 schedule.

The Jaguars play at home against Greensburg Salem (Jan. 29) and Deer Lakes (Feb. 1), and on the road at Westmont HIlltop (Feb. 6), Blackhawk (Feb. 15) and West Allegheny (Feb. 19).

“We would like to finish out the regular season with as many wins as possible to keep progressing in the standings,” said junior forward Hayden Hintemeyer, one of three PIHL all-star selections for the Jaguars. “We know we cannot let up in any of these last (regular-season) games because we know the teams below us are anxious to jump ahead of us.

“We most importantly want to give ourselves the best chance to be successful in the playoffs. We can use these last games as preparation for the postseason.”

• Logan Burnsworth's birthday is on Valentine's Day.

Burnsworth, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior lineman on the TJ football team and two-time all-conference selection, recently attained Eagle Scout status as a member of Troop 1843.

Since 2013, other Troop 1843 members who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout are Matthew Lantz, Seth Robertson, Tommy Cox, Jonas Dresser, R.J. Kass, Jason Kass, Colten Fitterer, Jacob Drnach, Alex Detweiler, Zach Chuderwiez and Jake White.

• The TJ girls basketball team suffered its first section loss of the season last week in 48-47 double-overtime thriller at Gateway.

Junior point guard Jenna Clark scored 15 points and senior guard Marina Petruzzi added 10 for the Jaguars, who rebounded two days later with a 59-47 section win over Woodland Hills.

Clark finished with a game-high 22 points against WH. She was complemented by sophomore guard/forward Alyssa DeAngelo (12) and Petruzzi (10).

TJ also defeated the Wolverines, 73-53, earlier in the season. The Jaguars ended the week with a 14-3 overall record, 6-1 mark in section play, and No. 2 ranking in Class 5A.

• TJ's football team will defend its title in a tweaked Big 10 Conference next season.

Indiana will join the Class 4A conference; Albert Gallatin and Uniontown will move out.

• TJ gymnasts Natalie Galioto, Courtney Kelley, Natalie Moore and Demi Kondos compete year-round in the USAG Level 9 program.

• Eddie Pazo and Riley Holzer, freshman forwards in the TJ hockey program, also play for the Pittsburgh Penguins 15U team in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Thomas Jefferson