The Almanac - April 7, 2024

It’s the first Saturday of the month, and at 9 a.m. the parking lot of St. Francis of Assisi, St. John XXIII Parish in Finleyville, is starting to fill up with cars. Inside the church social hall, a cheerful group of volunteers clad in teal T-shirts warmly welcome visitors, who have arrived to grocery shop.

Yes, grocery shop.

The church’s nearly 3,000-square-foot social hall is now the site of the St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry, a collaboration of St. John XXIII Catholic Church and churches in the Finleyville Ministerial Association that opened its doors in November.

The pantry – which provides non-perishables, meats, produce, refrigerated goods,

St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry volunteers Barb Rousis, left, and Amy Shope, right, enjoy a laugh with Finleyville resident Penny Lovelace, who attended the pantry’s food distribution on Feb. 3.

Potholes

and fine stones that allow the material to remain flexible and easier for crews to work with.

“Unfortunately, these repairs are only a temporary fix until the state’s asphalt plants open in the spring,” said Maczko, adding that warm mix – a combination of pure asphalt and fine stone heated to 250-265 degrees Fahrenheit – becomes available then to allow for more permanent repairs. Those craters in the road can be costly.

PennDOT estimates the state spends about $30 million a year to fix potholes.

And, according to AAA, potholes cost vehicle owners nearly $30 billion in car re-

pair costs each year, with an average repair cost of $600. “It can cost anywhere from $250 to as much as $1,000 to fix problems like tire punctures and bent wheels, along with more expensive issues like suspension damage,” said Mike Hoshaw, vice president of automotive services, AAA East Central.

A recent survey from AAA found that 1 out of every 10 drivers sustained vehicle damage significant enough to require repairs. North Strabane Township manager Andrew Walz said the road department has been filling potholes as they pop up. “It’s one of those rites of spring,” Walz said. “We haven’t had a ton of calls or complaints so far.”

PennDOT asks drivers to notify the department when they see potholes by calling 1-800-FIX ROAD, or visit PennDOT’s online Customer Care Center at www.penndot.gov.

household supplies and personal items – is mainly sourced through the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and supplemented with donations from the churches, their congregants, and several groups, including schools and service organizations.

“We had supported the Finleyville Food Pantry, but when it shut its doors (in April 2023) and moved to Monongahela, there was a void and a real need in the community,” said the Rev. Robert Miller, pastor of St. John XXIII Parish. “We went through the interfaith community so we could all be involved together to take care of the needs of the people of Finleyville.”

Jane Serra, director of St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry, said the pantry operates more like a supermarket than a traditional food pantry (where clients pick up pre-packed boxes), allowing people to come in and choose the food they want.

“They are excited to have the opportunity to select the food they like, both perishable and non-perishable items,” said Serra, adding she believes the grocery store model offers people dignity and choice.

The Rev. Richard Roberts, pastor of Wright’s United Methodist Church in Venetia and chairperson of the Finleyville Ministerial Association, agrees.

“Our shopping technique is different from a lot of food pantry models, where volunteers hand you a box, and that’s wonderful too, but we wanted to be a little bit different. Our experience has been that some folks get food in their box that they don’t like or won’t eat or are allergic to, and now they’re stuck with this food,” said Roberts. “We wanted folks to be good stewards of the food and pick their own. But it also adds an element of dignity. It’s more of a helping hand and a hand up instead of a handout.”

Hunger is an issue that many Pennsylvania families face, and the share of U.S. households facing hunger is rising. In 2022, about 1 in 8 U.S. households were food insecure, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The St. John XXIII food pantry serves a diverse range of families who are experiencing food insecurity in the community. It serves about 65 families two Saturdays a month, including several Latino families.

Peters Township High School Spanish teacher Caitlin Ulf volunteers as a translator on food distribution days. “I’m here to help them through the paperwork and

really part of what we teach here and what we try to instill in each and every student who comes here.” Plans are in the works to hold the fundraiser again next year. “We already challenged our students to double the amount of boxes collected,” Ingold said.

to make them feel comfortable while they’re shopping and going through the process,” said Ulf, pointing out the pantry’s food shelves are marked in English and Spanish.

The pantry also has partnered with the Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania to provide about 75 food boxes once a month to the literacy council’s immigrant students and their families in Charleroi, which is home to about 2,000 immigrants from 44 countries, including a large population of Haitian refugees who have settled in the town.

“They have been a tremendous help to our families, and they’ve been wonderful to work with,” said Brandi Miller, executive director of the literacy council. “Most of our students don’t drive so there’s no transportation, so having

(the pantry) deliver the boxes here every month is a great help.”

The program is an all-volunteer effort.

Serra said the pantry’s 75 volunteers – teens, adults and seniors committed to the St. John XXIII Interfaith’s mission of making a major impact on food insecurity – are the backbone of the program. They work to collect, store, and distribute food, with the aim of lifting individuals and families who are experiencing tough times.

It’s a representation of all the congregations in all the ages and stages of life,” said Roberts. “It’s been a big challenge but a wonderful challenge.”

The pantry was established with funding from several grants – which were used to purchase equipment including commercial refrigerators

– and from donors who provided and assembled shelving, food, and other items. Roberts knows firsthand that food insecurity can happen to anyone, regardless of age, education or employment status.

About 25 years ago, he was living in South Carolina when he went through a divorce and lost his job.

“I was living out of my car and it was like, yikes, I had a masters degree with 17 years pastoring a church, but in the South 25 years ago going through a divorce wasn’t something you wanted to do as a pastor, and I lost my job. But I was in that situation and, oh, my goodness, if it wasn’t for the kindness of total strangers, I would not be where I am today,” said Roberts.

During a February distribution, Finleyville resident Penny Lovelace and volunteer Barb Rousis, a “shopping buddy,” navigate the pantry, loading Lovelace’s shopping cart with coffee, cereal, ground beef, canned soup, pasta, eggs and more.

The two chat and laugh, and Lovelace pulls out her phone and shows Rousis photos of her Welsh corgis, one of which she describes as “ornery.”

When Lovelace finishes shopping, three teens wheel her cart to her car, unload the bags into her car, wish her a happy day, and return to the social hall to help other shoppers.

“Everybody is so nice here,” said Lovelace. “It’s very organized and there is such a wide variety. It’s so welcoming. This is a great place.”

The St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry is open from 9 a.m. to noon on the first and third Saturdays of each month to serve neighbors in need in Finleyville and surrounding communities. For more information, visit the website at john23foodpantry.org.

KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER

PHOTOS: KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER

St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry has been operating since November.

Matt Curry and his daughter, Tatum, 9, volunteer with St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry, which serves families in the Finleyville area.

ABOVE: Asher Curry, left, a volunteer with St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry, loads groceries into the vehicle for Finleyville resident Penny Lovelace. AT LEFT: St. John XXIII Interfaith Food Pantry director Jane Serra

ing to turn left onto Commercial Street. Stauffer, 25, was taken by ambulance to UPMC Mercy Hospital with head trauma. Bridgeville police initially called upon the police department in Collier Township to

handle the investigation, but Collier soon turned the case over to Allegheny County police.

According to the complaint, Stauffer was at least halfway through walking in the crosswalk at Commercial Street when Lower began turning. Police said Lower hit her while traveling about 29 mph.

Investigators reviewed dash camera footage from Lower’s vehicle and found

that he apparently was using his cellphone to watch a video on the internet while driving, according to court documents. The complaint notes at the time of the collision, both of Lower’s hands were on the wheel at the time of the collision, but that the video still appeared to be playing on his phone. Bridgeville police Chief Chad King said Lower was placed on paid administrative

Peters author pens sequel to debut novel

By Brad Hundt Staff writer bhundt@observer-reporter.com

Armed with what she calls a “Triple A” personality and with time to burn, Chris Posti decided that while the pandemic was raging, it was the best moment to write a novel.

“One day I had the idea, and I said to my husband, ‘I’m going to write a novel,” Posti recalled.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing. At one point, she said she was “trapped in the house, going crazy trying to learn how to write a novel.” But she persevered, and “Falling Apart, Falling For You,” was published in April 2022. The story of three women, all aged 57, who were best friends while attending high school in the fictional Mon Valley town of Port Mariette, follows them as they endure the ups and downs of midlife work and romance.

Now, Posti has followed “Falling Apart, Falling For You,” with “Maybe Now, Maybe Never,” which was published in February. The second part of a trilogy, it follows the same three characters as they endure more trials, tribulations and challenges as they push toward 60.

“When you write a novel, you are so engrossed in your characters that they become real to you,” Posti explained. “I didn’t plan to write a three-book series, but it turned out that way.”

Describing herself as “almost completely retired,” Posti was not without substantial writing experience before adding “novelist” to her resume. For 22 years, she had a career and workplace column in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and also wrote books on those subjects. A voracious reader, she was struck by how few works of fiction examine the lives of women who are no longer in the first bloom of youth, but not yet settled into rocking chairs.

“I wanted to write a book for the overlooked woman,” Posti said. In many books, she added, older women are frequently grandmothers “toddering around with a cane, they’re having accidents when they drive, they’re forgetful, they fall. It’s embarrassing to women over 50. We are alive and well and we’re vibrant and we have all kinds of things going on in our lives.”

Both “Falling Apart, Falling For You” and “Maybe Now, Maybe Never” are being issued by Elk Lake Publishing, a Massachusetts-based Christian imprint. Posti pointed out that the two books are “a clean read,” but they don’t proselytize.

“They’re coming from different places with their faith,” she said. “They have conversations about it, they think about it and talk about it, and maybe there’s a prayer here and there, or a blessing when they sit down to eat, but nothing heavy-handed. You wouldn’t pick it up and say, oh, this is a Christian book.”

And is the fictional Mon Valley town Port Mariette based on an actual community? Posti explained that, at one

point, she lived in an old house in Coal Center for nine months, and “I sort of had Coal Center in my mind, but I’ve also walked the streets of Monongahela, Charleroi, and California, Pa. All of these towns I’m familiar with already.” Posti is already at work on the third book in the series, which is slated for a November publication. In it, she said, “I’m bringing all three of them full circle, with their careers, their families, the men in their lives. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to be married and live happily ever after. But there’s going to be closure for them.”

More information is available at chrisposti.com.

leave that evening, and resigned from the department in mid-February.

In an emailed statement, King wrote that his department “cooperated fully” with county detectives throughout the investigation.

According to King, he has stayed in contact with Stauffer’s family and she has a “hopeful prognosis.”

“We continue to provide our thoughts, prayers and

support, and we look forward to providing whatever assistance they may need, however we can,” King said.

King declined further comment on the incident, citing ongoing litigation.

Lower was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Jack Kobistek, who released him on $5,000 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 15.

COURTESY OF CHRIS POSTI

The cover of Chris Posti’s new novel, “Maybe Now, Maybe Never”

Chris Posti

marshmallow that

get at a store. These are soft and tasty and full of flavor. If you don’t like marshmallows, you might like homemade marshmallows. I know there’s a lot of people who are gluten-free who come to Sweet Sunday and can’t have a majority of the desserts there. That was another driving force behind the marshmallows.”

“It’s a big undertaking, but it’s a lot of fun,” Cabe said of Sweet Sunday. “I appreciate the Mission and what they do. They touch so many facets of needs. It’s so important and I love to be a part of it. Who doesn’t love sweets and helping people?”

Cabe’s creations are part of Cabe’s Cakery, which she is hesitant to call a business.

“It’s more of a glorified hobby,” she said. “My first child is 28 this year, and I started with her first birthday. Now I have four kids. Every year, it was more complicated. My friends wanted me to do their kids’ cakes, then their friends wanted me to do cakes. It’s just basically for friends and family and friends of friends.” Cabe baked her first cake – a birthday cake for her mother – when she was just 6 years old. “I love to feed people,” she said. “It was a box cake, but

it was still my first cake. I’m completely self-taught. I did take one frosting class that didn’t help because I already had the technique. I like to try new things.”

Among those “new things” were the marshmallows she took to Sweet Sunday, something she started making during the 2023 holiday season. “It sure is a lot lighter to carry than cupcakes,” she said with a laugh. Her Cabe’s Cakery Facebook page showcases a host

of artistically designed cakes. There are cookies, too, which she admits are not her favorite to bake.

Ironically, no one in Cabe’s house eats cake anymore.

“There was too much cake,” she said. “My son was never a cake eater. Maybe the first couple of years of his life. My girls are just done. Nobody wants to be part of it. I taste test every now and again, but I don’t eat too many sweets.”

With the exception of a green tea cake topped with a chai-spiced frosting.

“I can do some damage to that one,” she said. Cabe said she typically bakes about 50 cakes a year for folks. The baking takes place at her Mt. Lebanon home, where she has two ovens. Those interested in ordering a cake from Cabe contact her on her Facebook or Instagram pages or email cabescakery@gmail.com.

“I just like to play,” Cabe said. “It really is an art form for me.”

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LAURA CABE

This cake created by Cabe is shaped like a tool box for a gentleman named Warren’s 80th birthday.

Just an example of the artistry at work in one of Laura Cabe’s cakes

Laura Cabe

USC wins fifth state debate title

The Upper St. Clair High School Speech & Debate team is now a fivetime state champion. The team won its third title in a

Competing in

division,

also

both Sweepstakes Awards. This distinction is given to the

that accumulated the most points,

Fort Couch STEM team qualifies for states

A team of Fort Couch Middle School students placed first in the 6-8 Division of the regional STEM Design Challenge held recently at the Commonwealth Charter Academy in Homestead. As a result, the eighth-grade team of John Whitman, Joey Wyse, Sam An and Felix Chen advanced to the state-level competition to be held in May in Harrisburg.

The Boyce sixth-grade team of Michael Clarke, Sarah Staub, Brayden Wong, and Rebecca Zahalsky placed second, and the Fort Couch seventh-grade team of Claire Dietiker, Theodora Lagonis, Sunny Liu, Lindsey Fitzgerald, and Mira Murthy placed fourth.

The Upper St. Clair middle school students were coached by gifted/accelerated math teachers Jason O’Roark, at Fort Couch Middle School, and Kimberly Bartolacci, at Boyce Middle School.

THE STEM DESIGN CHALLENGE ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO APPLY STEM SKILLS USING K’NEX PRODUCTS TO DESIGN AND BUILD A STRUCTURE THAT ACCOMPLISHES THE GIVEN GOAL.

Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific and run by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, the STEM Design Challenge encourages students to apply STEM skills using K’Nex products to design and build a structure that accomplishes the given goal. Teams must create a blueprint and journal that outlines their structure and the engineering design process they went through to create it. At the competition, teams build their structure from their blueprints in a two-hour time period. Once completed, they present their design

SF honored with Best Communities for Music Education designation

The South Fayette Township School District was recognized with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation. It was the second consecutive year that the district was honored for its outstanding commitment to music education.

Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to school districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify, administrators from South Fayette answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. “South Fayette has a longstanding reputation for excellence in music regionally and nationally,” said Dr. Kevin Maurer. The associate principal at South Fayette Middle School is a former music teacher with the district. “This recognition further validates the hard work and dedication of our school community to provide students with an enriching music education that fosters creativity, perseverance, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts.”

solution to a team of judges.

The 2024 Challenge: “Pennsylvania agriculture contributes $132.5 billion to our state economy annually and supports more than 593,600 jobs, paying wages of $32.8 billion. Did you know that farmers use robots to help them? ‘Hightech Farming’ is important especially as our population grows and food demand increases. Your team is being challenged to help our Pennsylvania farmers by creating an agricultural robot or other type of ‘high-tech farming’ equipment that they could use.”

Upper St. Clair robotics team advances to states

An Upper St. Clair robotics team advanced to the PA-WestFLL championships by placing third overall in the Western Pennsylvania FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Grand Championship. The team, dubbed Blue Biohazardz, also placed second in Robot Design and ninth in Robot Performance. This marks the first time that a USC robotics team has advanced in this competition.

Blue Biohazardz is comprised of eighth-graders Sadie Dilmore, Noa Guizzi, Lily Seal, Suhavi Singh, Mahi Thacker, Emma Wakefield and Betsy Zheng as well as seventh-grader Aanya Jha. Jake Seal, Amrit Singh and Susan Wakefield coached the club.

More than 60 teams from throughout the region competed in the event, which was held in December at Aliquip-

pa Junior Senior High School.

In total, eight USC teams with 60 students from Boyce and Fort Couch middle schools participated. Teams were scored in four categories – robot design, innovation, core values, and robot performance. Including Blue Biohazardz, five of the eight Upper St. Clair teams were recognized for their performance at the FLL Grand Championship:

■ MicroBitz: third place, Core Values

■ Cruisers: fourth place, Robot Performance

■ Mechanical Mayhem: sixth place, Robot Performance; and Engineering Excellence Award

■ Roboyce: 10th place, Robot Performance

Upper St. Clair’s middle school competitive robotics program is led by Matthew Wilson. He credits the pro-

gram’s success to the commitment of its students and their coaches who spend anywhere from four to 12 hours per week practicing for scrimmages and the Grand Championship.

Friendly competition is at the heart of FLL Challenge, as teams of students in grades 4-8 engage in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO® robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. As part of Challenge, teams also design an innovative solution to a real-world problem relevant to the theme.

In addition to the competitive middle school FLL teams, USC Robotics has four high school level FIRST Tech Challenge teams as well as non-competitive robotics clubs for students in grades 5-12.

Three South Fayette students to participate in PMEA festival

Sophomore Bailey Cunningham and juniors CJ Inkenhaus and Ayaan Soni reached the highest level a high school musician can achieve by earning a place in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) All-State Festival music ensembles. They will perform April 18-20 in Erie with nationally recognized conductors after rehearsing for two days. Cunningham is participating in All-State Chorus as Soprano 1 while both Inkenhaus and Soni are bassists. Each year, thousands of high school musicians across the state audition in their geographic area. Individually, students perform

CJ Inkenhaus and Ayaan Soni Bailey Cunningham

Members of the Upper St. Clair robotics team, nicknamed Blue Biohazardz, qualified for the state competition by finishing third in the district championships.

John Whitman, Felix Chen, Sam An and Joey Wyse placed first during the regional STEM Design Challenge and qualified for the state-level competition to be held in May in Harrisburg.

row at the 2024 Pennsylvania High School Speech and Language (PHSSL) State Championships recently at Bloomsburg University.

the large school

the team

earned

school

for the speech events and the debate events. This marks the second time that Upper St. Clair has swept all three top team awards. The first time was in 2022. Individually, three USC students were crowned PHSSL state champions. Earning first places in their respective events were Priyasha Itani, Persuasive Speaking; Ishaan Sharma, Extemporaneous Speaking; and Arnav Kumar, Storytelling. Placing second were Ujal

Gautam, Senate, and Vincent Watson, Informative Speaking. The Speech & Debate Team is coached by high school teachers Ben Edwards and Dave Watson with assistance from Erin Wolf, Oscar Heller and Saif Durrani. In addition to the state champi-

ons and runners-up, a number of other team members had success at the PHSSL tournament. Founded in 1961, the Pennsylvania High School Speech League’s purpose is to stimulate through educational competition an understanding and appreciation of all areas of speech.

The Upper St. Clair High School Speech & Debate team captured its third state championship and fifth overall during the finals held at Bloomsburg University.

Grappling greats

Kernan named Almanac Wrestler of the Year

By

Mason Kernan wrapped up his scholastic career at Bethel Park High School in much the same fashion as 2017 alum Nino Bonaccorsi did. Without a coveted state championship. However, the senior could redeem himself as Bonaccorsi did when he won an NCAA title for the University of Pittsburgh in 2023.

“That’s the main goal now. To be a national champion,” Kernan said shortly after settling for a bronze medal in the PIAA Class AAA tournament.

Don’t bet against Kernan. He is headed to West Virginia in the fall. The Mountaineers have produced five national champions, 35 All-Americans and one Olympian. Additionally, Ty Watters out of West Allegheny recently earned All-America status and placed fourth at nationals in his freshman season as a Mountaineer.

solation match to determine the final PIAA state qualifier. “Mason meant more than he and a lot of people know to the program,” Nauman said. “Beyond his accomplishments, his work ethic and will to do whatever it took to be the best at wrestling made it easy for myself and staff to bring in that type of training routine, and mindset to the rest of the Black Hawks team.”

This winter, Kernan brought that do-or-die attitude to his own matches and it produced a 39-4 record.

Kernan landed a spot on the podium (seventh) at the prestigious Powerade Tournament. After recording tech falls against the area competition, he recorded strong wins against national competitors such as Noach Kochman from St. Edwards, Ohio and Carter Nogle from Mount St. Joseph in Maryland.

Despite inclement weather on April 3, Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon won their section baseball openers. While the Black Hawks swept Upper St. Clair, 6-0 and 6-2, in a doubleheader played April 3 at Wild Things Park in Washington, the Blue Devils edged Canon-McMillan, 2-1, at Seymour Field, which is carpeted with an artificial surface.

Santino Diulus hurled the complete game shutout against the Panthers. He scattered seven hits, struck out seven and walked one.

THE BLACK HAWKS SWEPT

UPPER ST. CLAIR, 6-0 AND 6-2, IN A DOUBLEHEADER, AND THE BLUE DEVILS EDGED CANON MAC, 2-1.

Ryan Petras and Ethan Stanhoff each collected three hits. Petras, who doubled and stole a base, walked in his other plate appearance. Stanhoff drove in two runs. Eli Rankin doubled and Nolan Wilson had two hits for the Panthers.

In the night cap, Ryan Walsh was credited with the win while Dylan Schumacher recorded a save. Walsh struck out five and allowed three hits in five frames while Schumacher had two Ks during his two-inning stint. Petras again managed three hits, including a double. Noah LeJeune was the only other duplicate hitter with two safeties.

For the Panthers, Wilson doubled. Carter Stein and Eli Mandler drove in USC’s two runs. With the wins, BP improved to 3-2-1 overall. The Hawks will resume Section 2, 5A action at South Fayette on April 9. BP then hosts the Lions on April 10 at Purkey Field. The first pitch for both games is set for 4 p.m.

Left fielder Sawyer Klasnick tagged a two-run triple in the second inning to account for Lebo’s tallies.

“West Virginia is getting a steal in my eyes,” said BP mat boss Tyler Nauman. “Mason is better than his one state medal and I truly believe that will show at WVU and in college.” Kernan recently capped his high school career by participating in the prestigious Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. He led the WPIAL squad to a 27-19 win against the New Jersey all-stars. In recording a major decision, 14-1, against Nick Balella from Hackettstown in the 133-pound bout, Kernan garnered Outstanding Wrestler honors. “It was a great way to close out my high school career for sure,” Kernan said. “The goal was to have fun, score a lot of points and win of course. I just went out there and wrestled to my abilities. If I do that, then I am very hard to beat.”

At Bethel Park, Kernan was virtually unstoppable. He compiled a 124-18 record that fea-

tured 44 technical falls and 25 pins. Kernan was a three-time WPIAL medalist, a Southwest Regional champion, two-time county champion and a twotime sectional winner after finishing runner-up his freshman and sophomore seasons. “Mason has had an awesome career,” Nauman said. “He’s etched his name with some of the top talents that have come out of BP.”

Kernan will long be remembered at Bethel Park, but not necessarily for his victories. A captain, he led the Black Hawks to an undefeated section banner this winter and a 19-3 overall record. Bethel Park finished fourth in the WPIAL team tournament after back-toback, one-point losses to Trinity in the semifinals and Franklin Regional in the con-

Kernan went on to claim an Allegheny County title and a Southern Sectional banner before winning his first WPIAL and Southwest Regional championship. He was 4-1 in state competition to finish third at 133. “I thought I had a good career. A lot of memories,” Kernan said. “I did not achieve all the goals that I would have liked but I was grateful for the opportunity to wrestle good opponents.”

Kernan may not have set out to achieve Almanac Wrestler of the Year acclaim for 2024 either, but he pocketed the honor to add to his collection of memories and mementos for his career.

Other offensive highlights included two hits, a single and a double, from designated hitter Danny Clevenger and three-bagger from third baseman Jake Tinnemeyer.

Graham Keen, Weston Airey and Sam Bochkoris combined for the win on the mound for the Blue Devils, who improved to 4-1 overall.

After the three-game series with the Big Macs (at home on April 4 and away on April 5), Lebo was set to face Central Catholic in another Section 2 series. The Blue Devils travel to Valencia and the No Off Season site to take on the Vikings April 8 and 11. In between on April 9, Lebo hosts Central Catholic at 4:15 p.m. April 9.

“This is a great opportuni-

Mason Kernan puts Nick Balella from Hackettstown on his back during 133-pound action during the Pittsburgh Wrestling

Bethel Park senior not only won his match with a major decision, 14-1, he claimed Outstanding Wrestler honors for helping the WPIAL defeat New Jersey, 27-19. Kernan also headlines the Almanac All-Star squad, earning Most Valuable Grappler honors.

Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net

ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC

Tyler Nauman gives final instructions to his wrestler before going onto the mat. The Bethel Park wrestling coach guided the Black Hawks to the final four in the WPIAL team tournament. The team’s 19-3 record included a section title. For his efforts, Nauman has been named Almanac Coach of the Year.

“I’m very grateful to be receiving these awards and they are super cool but I’m just doing what I love everyday,” Kernan said. “Sometimes things go my way and sometimes they don’t.”

Bethel Park adds four

While Kernan headlines the Almanac Wrestling All-Star list, which was selected based on performances throughout the season as well as a survey among the area coaches, he is joined by three of his teammates: Cordan McDonnell, A.J. Tomaino and Landon Hartman.

McDonnell joined Kernan in Hershey. After winning his first bout, the 160-pound senior dropped out of the state tournament with back-to-back losses to finish 32-14 overall for the season. He had 13 falls.

McDonnell placed third at the sectional and in the WPIAL. He was a fourth-place medalist during the Allegheny County Tournament.

Tomaino finished fourth in the sectional and qualified for the regional where he best PT rival Parker Nave in the first round of the competition. A 172-pound senior, Tomaino posted a 23-18 record with 11 falls this season.

Although saddled with a shoulder injury during much of the season, Hartman managed a 22-12 record. The 215-pound senior finished his career with a 74-35 record that featured 54 falls. Hartman was a sectional runner-up and a WPIAL and regional qualifier.

Additionally, Tyler Nauman from Bethel Park has been named Coach of the Year. In only his second season at the helm, Nauman directed the Black Hawks to their first final-four appearance in the WPIAL Class AAA team tournament since winning a championship in 2009. The Black Hawks suffered a pair of one-point losses, falling to Trinity, 27-26, in the semifinals and Franklin Regional, 28-27, in the consolation bout to decide the third-place qualifier for the state team tournament.

Bethel Park rebounded from that disappointment by winning the Pine-Richland

Almanac Wrestling All-Star Team

WGT PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR RECORD

107 Nicholas McGarrity Peters Township Freshman 43-4

114 Ejiro Montoja Mt. Lebanon Senior 11-4

121 Issac Meyers Peters Township Senior 28-19

127 Jonathan Baiano South Fayette Senior 33-6

133 Mason Kernan Bethel Park Senior 39-4

139 AJ McGarrity Peters Township Junior 30-10

145 Cole Gibbons Mt. Lebanon Sophomore 28-13

152 Luke Dunlap South Fayette Junior 33-9

160 Cordan McDonnell Bethel Park Senior 32-14

172 A.J. Tomaino Bethel Park Senior 23-18

189 Nick Pruchnitzky Chartiers Valley Senior 16-12

215 Landon Hartman Bethel Park Senior 22-12

285 Ben Lloyd Mt. Lebanon Junior 32-13

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Mason Kernan, Bethel Park

HONORABLE MENTION: Seth Miller (32-17), Ethan Higgins (34-10), Ian Bucheli (18-18)–Bethel Park; Michael Lawrence (28-10), Logan Connolly (30-14), Tyler Glover (17-12)–Chartiers Valley; Caleb Bebout (24-16), Chris Cibrone, Parker Nave–Peters Township; Jonathan Emma (24-7), Franco Busalacchi (13-15), Joe Gamble (18-16)—Mt. Lebanon; Talan Mizenko (30-14)–South Fayette; Michael Albert (35-6), Ronan Gibbons (19-13)—Upper St. Clair

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Nicholas McGarrity, Peters Township

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Colton Fisher–Bethel Park; Tilek Sadyrbekov (1712), Maksim Rybalko (18-16)–Chartiers Valley; Ben Mares (10-14), Evan Sala (9-11)–Mt. Lebanon; Brock Dennison (27-9), Pete Leventis (22-15)–South Fayette; Alisher Abdurahkmanov (10-9), Austin Sullivan (15-8), Derek Worstell (25-9)–Upper St. Clair

COACH OF THE YEAR: Tyler Nauman, Bethel Park

duals to bring their overall record to 19-3 overall. The Black Hawks also were undefeated section champions. Three shine for Mt. Lebanon

Individually, it was a successful season on the mats for Mt. Lebanon as the Blue Devils advanced two grapplers to the PIAA championships in Hershey. A third wrestler overcame injuries to become a regional place winner.

At 114, Ejiro Montoya only posted an 11-4 overall record because of nagging injuries. The senior, however, recovered enough to produce a strong showing in the individual tournament. He was a section runner-up and a fifthplace finisher in the WPIAL.

Montoya finished his career with a 72-21 overall record with 23 falls, two sectional runner-up titles, one bronze, as well as two regional medals, including fourth as a junior. A sophomore, Cole Gibbons and Ben Lloyd, a junior, were Lebo’s state qualifiers. Seeded eighth at the sectional, Gibbons took the bronze medal at 145. He also finished third in the WPIAL

and the regional to gain his spot in Hershey after also receiving a low seed of fifth. “Cole never believed that his seed was a sign of where he would finish in either one of those brackets,” said Lebo mat boss Marc Allemang. “He had a great week of training heading into the section tournament and it was the most focused I have ever seen him. He was completely locked in. The section tournament definitely gave him the confidence that he needed to compete like he did at the WPIAL and PIAA tournaments.”

At states, Gibbons needed a win in the bloodround at Hershey to mount the podium. However, he lost to Central Dauphin’s Gavin Reynolds, 1-0.. “Cole is a dangerous wrestler. He is fast and explosive, extremely athletic, and has a ton of belief in himself and his abilities,” said Allemang. “I look forward to what he can accomplish during his junior and senior seasons.”

Lloyd is another Lebo grappler with a bright future. A junior, he compiled a 32-13 record to put himself in position to join the Century Club his senior season. Lloyd is 7149 overall with 34 career falls.

During the individual tournaments, Lloyd dis -

played grit. After picking up the bronze medal during the sectional, Lloyd recovered from a first-round defeat to place third at the WPIAL and Southwest Regional event and gained entry into the PIAA tournament, where the heavyweight dropped his first two bouts at states, losing twice by falls.

“Losing in the first round put Ben in a very difficult position,” said Allemang. “Ben then won the rest of his matches through the consolation rounds. What was so special about that run was he had to beat many of the kids either seeded ahead of him or that he had lost to during the season. Ben has put in countless hours wrestling and working since the end of last season. While he was disappointed in his PIAA performance, he will be back next year.”

Indians grab three slots

Peters Township grabbed three spots on the all-star list, including garnering the distinction as having the best newcomer.

A freshman, Nicholas McGarrity topped the list and earned Rookie of the Year laurels. He compiled a 43-4 record at 107 pounds.

McGarrity won the section crown with a pin against Lebo’s Jonathan Emma. McGarrity went on to win his first WPIAL title and Southwest Regional gold medal with a sudden victory, 6-2, against Dylan Barrett from Penn Trafford. At the PIAA championships, he won his first three bouts, but lost his next two matches to place sixth in the state.

McGarrity’s older brother, A.J. dominated the 139-pound weight class. The junior compiled a 30-10 record this winter to improve to 65-44 overall for his career. A regional qualifier, he took the bronze medal in the section with a 7-6 decision against Peter Leventis from South Fayette.

Isaac Meyers joined the McGarrity brothers on the all-star list. The senior posted a 28-19 record this winter and finished with 63 career wins. Meyers placed sixth in the sectional and eighth in the regional when he avenged two previous decisions against freshman Colton Fisher. In the placing round, Meyers scored a 3-0 win against Fisher.

Meyers picked up 15 pins this season.

Duo excel for SF Lions

Jonathan Baiano and Luke Dunlap represent South Fayette on the all-star list.

A senior, Baiano became a member of the Century Club this winter and finished with a 10632 career record. He was 33-6 overall this winter with 19 falls.

The 127-pound grappler finished with 56 career pins. Baiano placed fifth in the sectional. He beat Seth Miller of Bethel Park, 9-6, in that consolation match and advanced to the regional competition.

Baiano also was crowned champion at the Charters-Houston and Allegheny County tournaments. He took third at the TRICADA meet.

A junior, Dunlap compiled a 33-9 record to run his career mark to 66-15 overall. The 152-pound wrestler also collected a complement of medals, silver at the Chartiers-Houston Invitational and bronze at the TRICADA and Allegheny County tournaments.

A sectional runner-up, he placed fourth in the WPIAL and Southwestern Regional to gain a berth in the PIAA championships.

CV pick completes list

Nick Pruchnitzky gained a spot on the all-star squad at 189. The Chartiers Valley senior did not have a flashy record at 16-12 but he came on strong to take third in the sectional, beating Peters Township’s Caleb Bebout by tech. fall, 21-6, in the consolation bout. The senior was 1-2 in the regional.

Spreading kindness

Upper St. Clair students launch ‘Hi, Neighbor!’ project

A third-grade Streams student brought his copy of “I am Mr. Rogers” by Brad Meltzer to share with school counselor Leslie Smirniw. He thought that Mr. Rogers’ messages of kindness, and validation that all feelings are important and OK, would be something that she would have a connection with and want to share with other students.

“As I sat down to read the book, I quickly realized that while the book taught important ideas about kindness and feelings, it also addressed ideas of acceptance, open-mindedness, and tak-

ing action in your community,” Smirniw said. “These themes are important components in the PYP IB curriculum, and our No Place for Hate guidelines.” Smirniw reached out to the school’s International Baccalaureate Primary Years Pro-

what’s happening

■ A pop-up Jewish New York Deli will be held April 14. Pickup orders will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. at the 1701 McFarland Road location. Pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, potato Knishes, matzo ball soup and Dr. Brown soda will be available. Pre-order is required by April 11 at www.chabadsh.com/deli/.

■ Family Matzah bake at 7:30 p.m. April 14. Fee is $10 per child, but JDC families are admitted for free. There will be a Matzah fondue bar and a giant Passover I-SPY. Email www. chabadsh.com/matzahbak for reservations.

■ Passover Seder at 7:30 p.m. April 22 at 1701 McFarland Road. There will be gourmet Passover cuisine, handmade Shmurah Matzah and a meaningful and interactive Seder. Fees are $65 for adults and $25 for children, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Signup deadline is April 15. Visit Chabadsh. com/Seder to register.

PICKLEBALL

A pickleball clinic for children ages 10-13 will be offered Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m. beginning April 14 at the Peters Township Tennis Center. Fee is $120 residents ($132 nonresidents). Equipment can be provided. Call 724-941-1330 to register or for more details.

BOOK SALE

The Friends of South Park

gram coordinator Lauren Bogus. Together, they developed the “Hi, Neighbor!” project.

The project began with Smirniw sharing the “I am Mister Rogers” book with each Streams Elementary class during their guidance time. Next, students met with their “Buddy Classes,” which are a cross-grade level collaboration, and discussed two specific quotes from Mr. Rogers: “Imagine what our neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person.”

sale.” Visit www.southparklibrary.org/spfriends.htm for more details.

CRIME WATCH

The Bethel Park crime watch

meetings resume at 7 p.m.

“All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors – in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.”

Students then worked with classmates to create positive postcard images and messages to deliver to a neighbor. Each postcard features a QR code that connects to the Hi, Neighbor! webpage, where the recipient can learn about the project, share a photo and

PT REC

A spring terracotta pot painting class for ages 1317 will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. April 10 at the Peters Township recreation center, located at 700 Meredith Dr. Fee is $5 ($8 nonmembers). Registration deadline is April 7. Call 724-942-5000 or visit peterstownship.com to sign up or for more information.

SH WOMEN

The South Hills Women’s Club will meet at 8 p.m. April 8 at Vanadium Woods Lobby, 50 Vanadium Road in Bridgeville. A social hour, refreshments and dessert will be served after a brief meeting. New members and guests may attend. RSVP to by calling 412-953-3209.

download a postcard to share with another neighbor to spread kindness even further. “We hope that students understand and see the importance of connecting with their neighbors. This can be the people in your neighborhood, the person sitting at a neighboring table in a restaurant, or your desk neighbor in your classroom,” Smirniw said. “Mr. Rogers used his show to teach the message that all people have value, and all people are important. We want our students to see and interact with people the

way Mr. Rogers saw and interacted with others.”

The goal is for students to see how a small action can make someone’s day a little brighter.

“While the act of delivering a postcard to a neighbor might seem small, kind words and thoughtful gestures can have a big impact,” Smirniw said. “Oftentimes people think an action needs to be something big, or grand, but we want our students to see that taking action in small ways can make a difference too.”

Saturday, which is the popular “$5 a bag day to fill with anything found at the

raffle and children’s prizes awarded. Applications are being accepted for membership. Call 724-984-6611 for details.

ROAD TRIP

The Baldwin Community United Methodist Church is offering a trip to the Smoky Mountains from Aug. 5 to 8. Cost per person ranges from $1,133 for single to $859 for quad lodging occupancy. Highlights include Pigeon Forge, moonshine tasting, the Incredible Christmas Place, Dollywood, Sevierville and the Titanic Museum attraction. Reservations require a $100 per person deposit.

Final payment must be made by June 1. Call 412-885-4560 for details.

NURSES CLUB

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Registered Nurses Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. April 16 at Salvatore’s, located at 5001 Curry Road. Barbara Allwes, CRNP, will speak about “Stress Urinary Incontinence.” All registered nurses are invited to attend. Call 412-8861792 for more details.

BENEFIT LUNCH

ELKS EVENT

The Pittsburgh South Hills Elks Lodge 2213 will host a dinner dance from 5 to 10 p.m. April 20 at its location on South Park Road in Bethel Park. Tickets are $25. Dinner includes filet mignon, baked potato and salad and will be served between 5 and 7 p.m. Tickets for the dance only are $10 each. Cash only. An ATM is available. RSVP by April 15 to 412-0831-0616. HARMONY

The Pittsburgh Alumnae Panhellenic (PAP), a chapter of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), will hold its annual scholarship benefit luncheon at 11 a.m. April 13 at the South Hills Country Club in Brentwood. This year’s event is themed “Raising Strong Women” and includes a fashion show featuring girls through collegians as well as a cash bar and raffle auction. Advance ticket purchase, no later than April 1, is required. The cost is $55 for adults, $35 for collegians and $20 for children. Reservations can be made through Eventbrite.

Students at Streams Elementary School in Upper St. Clair design postcards as part of the recently launched Hi Neighbor! project.

Alex Li and Asher Herman incorporated the “U” for Upper St. Clair in their postcard designs for the Hi Neighbor project.

Samantha Britt shows off the postcard she designed for the Hi Neighbor project.

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