Making an impact
SF senior takes first in international competition
By Paul Paterra Staff writer ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
An app geared toward high-functioning autistic children created by a South Fayette High School senior has captured national attention.
Nandana Menon, 18, won first place in the South by Southwest (SXSW) EDU Expo’s Student Impact Challenge.
The Student Impact Challenge provides high school students who are making an impact in their community with an opportunity to share their talents, validate and refine their ideas, and gain experience. This year’s competition was presented by the Allstate Foundation.
Menon was one of five finalists selected to make presentations before a panel of industry experts at the expo, held in early March in Austin, Texas. The expo offers an opportunity for students to showcase their skills with innovative events by displaying projects based on different subjects that they learn.
Menon was one of two presenters from the United States, with the other being from Washington, D.C.
“I was lucky enough to be a finalist,” Menon said. “It was awesome. It was a five-minute pitch, and the (judges) asked some questions on the spot. I was so nervous. I was so stressed.
“It was rough, but it was a good outcome,” she said. “I really love entrepreneurship and making pitches like this. It’s so natural to me. I think this really affirms my mission, and this really has the potential to help a lot of people.”
For taking first place, Menon received $5,000 in funding for the progress of her project along with a trophy.
The idea for the app came about when Menon noticed a lack of interaction in some children as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since so many are avid users of electronic devices, Menon created a platform with comprehensive resources and engaging activities tailored for autistic children to help them use their online time more constructively. The app can be used to supplement existing therapies for those with autism.
IMPACT PAGE A2
Frank Sarris Library offers memory care kits
By Karen Mansfield
Staff writer
When Frank Sarris Public Library held a lunch celebration last week to announce the unveiling of memory care bags that are available for patrons whose loved ones are battling dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the occasion was personal for Director Peggy Tseng.
Tseng’s mother battled dementia for years, and Tseng recalled the connection she and her mother shared when reading picture books together.
“One day, I brought in a couple of picture books from home that I wanted to share with her. She had lost her ability to communicate, so I started reading to her, simple picture books that had a few words or a sentence on each page. After a little while, she read it back to me. I was ecstatic,” said Tseng. “For her to recognize even simple words was a big step. I often think the dementia population is not really on the forefront of library service, so when a grant opportunity came up, we wanted to pursue this.”
The library received a Libraries Transforming Communities grant from the American Library Association that was used to create 20 memory care kits for caregivers assisting those with mild to moderate dementia to check out from the library. Each kit contains games, books, activities, and other resources to encourage participation and conversation.
Twelve kits are holiday- or season-themed. Those kits include seasonal or holiday books, games, and a launch
MEMORY PAGE A2
On
the national stage
BP Girl Scout appears on Good Morning America
By Paul Paterra Staff writer
ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
A Bethel Park Girl Scout was given the opportunity to share her passion for engineering on the national stage. As part of National Girl Scout Day on March 12, Lyla Walsh appeared on the ABC news show, “Good Morning America.” She was one of a few select recipients of Girl Scout Gold and Silver Awards asked to discuss their projects on the program.
“A producer from ‘Good Morning America’ saw the article on the Bethel Park website,” said Walsh, a Girl Scout for 13 years. “She was looking for stories about Girl Scout Gold and Silver awards to have on ‘Good Morning America’ for National Girl Scout Day.”
Last summer, Walsh hosted “A Girl’s Guide to Engineering Camp,” a four-day camp designed to introduce young girls to the field of engineering. The camp brought together female engineers to inspire and educate participants.
“This was really an amazing experience,” Walsh told GMA viewers. “I was really able to put all the skills and values that I have learned from engineering, whether it was community service, leadership, resilience, I put them all to the test with this project.”
COURTESY OF THE BETHEL PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT
Bethel Park senior Lyla Walsh recently appeared on the ABC news program, “Good Morning America.”
COURTESY OF SOUTH FAYETTE SCHOOL DISTRICT
South Fayette senior Nandana Menon shows off the trophy she won for placing first in the SXSW EDU Expo’s Student Impact Challenge.
Nandana Menon placed first with her presentation at the SXSW EDU Expo’s Student Impact Challenge.
KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Representatives from local organizations that focus on support and resources for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and their loved ones attended a luncheon at Frank Sarris Public Library, where they were introduced to the memory care kits now available for checkout.
Memory
pad, a tablet with preloaded games installed that does not require internet connection to work
Four kits are centered on art. The paint kits include art tablets that require only water and a paintbrush. The art sheets contain pictures that are revealed with exposure to water, and once the picture dries, the exposed image fades and the page can be used again. And four kits include puzzles of varying degrees of difficulty.
Sarris Library was one of 310 libraries in the United States to receive the grant, aimed to increase the accessibility of libraries, services and programs to better serve people with disabilities.
Amy Kowinsky, executive director of Dementia360 at Presbyterian SeniorCare, said the memory kits are an important resource for families caring for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Impact
FROM PAGE A1
“The app is something for the caregivers and the parents,” Menon explained. “There’s a list of resources and articles and a series of interviews that I conducted with professors. There’s also a list of local therapy centers and autism advocacy groups.
“Getting the diagnosis that a child has autism is so overwhelming. The app is a onestop shop for almost anything. It’s not a replacement for therapy; it’s a supplement for it.” The app has been built out and is now a prototype. “We’re working with lawyers to determine the HPPA complications because we’re storing medical data. We hope to push it out by the end of 2026,” Menon said.
Menon plans to attend college to major in neuroscience and also study either public policy, political science or something in business or entrepreneurship fields.
Canonsburg woman honored as Big Sister of the Year
By Paul Paterra Staff writer ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
Erica Jurkowski enjoys volunteering, but most of her efforts have been one-off occurrences.
The Canonsburg woman was looking for a long-term experience, and found it in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh.
“I really wanted to invest myself in something where I could have more of a recurring impact,” Jurkowski said. “After doing some research, I really liked Big Brothers Big Sisters because it has that oneon-one matchup opportunity and a way to focus your time and attention on an individual child and really make a difference.”
For her efforts, Jurkowski has been chosen as a 2025 Big Sister of the Year.
“It’s really an honor,” Jurkowski said. “I know there are a lot of people that have been in the program who spend a lot of time with their littles who have many more years than me. To be recognized for it, it’s a nice bonus. I don’t think I really deserve any recognition. I think there are so many of us in the program doing the same thing I’m doing. It was definitely a surprise to be honored.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh was established in 1965 with the mission to create and support one-on-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Jurkowski said. “I thought about her being a preteen and how significant that time is in a young girl’s life, and I thought I could be someone to support her through that and be a positive influence in her life.”
Marc Bloomingdale, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, said there is a very important quality that is considered when awarding the Big of the Year.
“First and foremost, it’s just showing up,” he said. “But beyond that, Erica really has established a connection in a short amount of time with Ryleigh. They’ve just connected over so much and have shown so much impact over those two years that the effect was just palpable.
Jurkowski admitted that the experience has been a chance for her to learn as well.
“It’s been so fun to kind of see the world through her,” Jurkowski said. “I’ve really enjoyed that part of the relationship. Just getting to see how she views things is pretty neat. I look forward to hanging out with her because being her age she’s kind of like a buddy. She looks to me to hang out with, but I feel the same way about her.”
The memory kits also serve as a way to help create dementia-friendly communities across the state.
I’m hoping we improve life for people and caregivers,” said Tseng. “If you can share with your loved one a little bit of joy, if you can see a smile, that is what I am hopeful for.”
“Sometimes, when stress is really high, caregivers never get a chance to think about things like meaningful engagement, purposeful activities that we can do together and add a little bit of levity to the day,” said Kowinsky. “So, helping equip caregivers with tools that they don’t have to think about – you just have to come to the library and check this out – it’s a great resource and it speaks to my heart.”
Jurkowski has been paired with 14-year-old Ryleigh since 2023. (Big Brothers Big Sisters does not provide last names of the children with whom they match with mentors.) The two quickly developed a special bond.
Jurkowski thought she would be matched with a very young child. However, after an extensive interview process, she was paired with Ryleigh.
“I read her profile and it mentioned that she was into art, and there were all of these things about her that I thought I really could connect with,”
“Ryleigh talks very, very highly of her, as does Erica about Ryleigh. It just seemed to be a natural fit.”
The pair have shared a variety of experiences, such as working on crafts, shopping, going to movies, and dining out.
Jurkowski said she is impressed with the young woman that Ryleigh is becoming.
“Every time we go out, she’s always complimenting everyone around her,” Jurkowski said. “I don’t spend more than a half an hour with her in public where she hasn’t found a complete stranger to compliment.”
Nandana Menon with the other finalists
Jurkowski and Ryleigh, along with the Big Brother of the Year and his little, will be honored throughout the year. The four will throw out the first pitch at the Washington Wild Things game on July 11. To see a match going as well as the relationship between Erica and Ryleigh is quite satisfying.
Bloomingdale said the organization could use more “bigs” to accommodate the 400 youngsters awaiting mentors.
“Some people say, ‘I don’t know how to be a mentor,’” Bloomingdale said. “Don’t worry about that. We will mentor you on how to mentor these kids. We’re a teaching and mentoring organization, so just show up and we will walk you through it to make a generational impact for kids.”
Anyone interested in becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister can go to www.bbbspgh.org.
“That is wonderful, so important and impressive,” responded Lara Spencer, one of the show’s anchors. Walsh was one of three girls interviewed virtually.
“It was kind of stressful to be on national television,” Walsh said, adding that not being in the studio helped relieve some of the pressure. “It was cool.” She said she has received a lot of positive feedback from her camp and hopes to have a similar weekend type of event this year. Walsh and fellow senior Amelia Lancet have started a Girls in Engineering Club at the high school that has about 20 members. Walsh plans to attend the University of Florida to study mechanical engineering.
Erica Jurkowkski, right, 2025 Big Sister of the Year, with her little, Ryleigh
PHOTOS: KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Frank Sarris Public Library received a grant from the American Library Association to provide memory care kits for those battling dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The memory care kits available at Frank Sarris Public Library contain items centered on art, seasons, and puzzles to engage people suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The library received a grant from the American Library Association to assemble the kits.
Upper St. Clair teams advance to State Bowl
Three Upper St. Clair Fu-
ture Problem Solving teams recently qualified to compete at the 2025 State Bowl, set for April 11-12, in Camp Hill.
Upper St. Clair’s top teams included two in the Senior Division (grades 10-12) and one
at the Middle Division (grades 7-9). The 12th-grade team included Anna Englemann, Sydney Waldron, Jamie Barrett, and Frankie Dubreil while the 11thgrade squad featured Sofia Alfredson Themudo, Anoushka
real estate transactions
Barve, Sara Gillespie and Kaia Petrick. Seth Pedretti, Owen Maher, Will Kreizenbeck and Nick Heitman comprised the eighth-grade club.
To advance, teams had to place within the top seven in the Middle Division and the
top six in the Senior Division against other schools from throughout Pennsylvania on the qualifying problem of Agricultural Industry. Future Problem Solving is a research-based program introduced by Dr. E. Paul
Torrance that consists of a sixstep process through which students address complex issues and develop solutions. The program teaches problem-solving strategies, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, decision-making
skills, and effective communication.
The teams are led by gifted education teachers Jason O’Roark and Casey Teagarden from Fort Couch Middle School and Upper St. Clair High School, respectively.
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Registration is preferred, but walk-ins will be accepted. To RSVP, call Director of Marketing Christie Wahlen at 412-294-1351.
Concordia of the South Hills is currently offering 10% off entrance fees on select apartments, which makes now the best time to learn more about our thriving retirement living community. Backed by Concordia’s longstanding reputation for financial stability and responsibility, you can be comfortable knowing your assets will be protected.
Area students named National Merit finalists
Several area high school seniors were named finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. They were selected on the basis of SAT scores, grades, essays and letters of recommendation.
Ten finalists represent Mt. Lebanon High School, including Colin Doran, Elsa Haywire, Jude Kashlan, Cara Lotter, Lucian Mikush, Sofia Pan, Mason Prettymand, Thomas Ranney, Clara Sun and Kate Yang.
Six are Upper St. Clair: Jamie Barrett, Roshan Mishra, Shriya Narasimhan, Ishaan Sharma, Isabel Vilensky and Sophia Whitman.
Four were selected from South Fayette: Andrew Carson, Rohith Galla, Dhruv Kithany and Srishti Swaminathan.
From Peters Township were Kaitlyn Strine and Kritin Sharma while Lyla Walsh was from Bethel Park.
In September, the students earned semifinalist accolades for scoring in the top 1% of all juniors completing the PSAT in October 2023.
Founded in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. Students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT – the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test – during the fall of their junior year. As finalists, the seniors are now competing for National Merit Scholarships that will be offered and announced this spring. The program awards
three types of scholarships: National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships and College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships. Merit Scholar designees will be announced in April, May, June and July. All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the finalist group based on their abilities, skills and accomplishments.
Visit: www.nationalmerit. org for more details.
Mt. Lebanon National Merit finalists. Among them were: Colin Doran, Elsa Haywire, Jude Kashlan, Cara Lotter, Lucian Mikush, Sofia Pan, Mason Prettymand, Thomas Ranney, Clara Sun and Kate Yang
Mishra Barrett Narasimhan Sharma
Vilensky Whitman Walsh
ABOVE LEFT: Kaitlyn Strine and Kritin Sharma are pictured. ABOVE RIGHT: South Fayette finalists included: Andrew Carson, Rohith Galla, Dhruv Kithany and Srishti Swaminathan.
Fantastic finish
Mt. Lebo’s Roy caps career with record gold
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
Sylvia Roy put an exclamation point on her scholastic swimming career when she not only captured her third straight state title in the 100yard backstroke during the PIAA championships, but the senior from Mt. Lebanon also shattered her own record in the event.
“What a way to go out,” said her coach Tom Donati. “Her goal was to win and break her record. There was no better way to finish.
“That’s a tribute to Sylvia,” he added. “She is so driven and she got faster.”
Roy breezed to victory in her signature swim, shaving almost two tenths of a second off her time. In 2024, Roy won the event in record fashion with a 52.90. In 2025, she swam a 52.74.
In addition to her gold-medal performance in the 100 back, Roy secured the silver in the 50 freestyle. She clocked a 22.86, .42 off the winning pace by Molly Workman, who also won the 100 free event. It was the third straight runner-up showing in the 50 free for Roy at the state meet, which was held March 14-15 at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
Bound for the University of Virginia in the fall, Roy accumulated a bounty of medals and accolades. In addition to her state collection, Roy had been a four-time WPIAL champion in both the 50 free and 100 back. She is the district record holder in each of those races as well as the 100 free.
Roy also participated in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2024. She narrowly missed a spot in the semifinals of the 100-meter back.
“I have coached a lot of swimmers in my career,” said Donati, who has trained competitive athletes for 35 years, including 13 as Mt. Lebanon High School skipper.
“No doubt Sylvia is the best I have had by far and one of the most accomplished swimmers in WPIAL history. She’s not just talented,” he continued. “She’s coachable and driven. I have even grown as a coach because of her.
“She’s a special kid and loyal,” Donati added. “She could have trained anywhere but from day one, when she was a Piranha swimming with the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club, she was a Lebo kid.”
Two additional Lebo athletes earned medals at the state competition.
Malcolm Thompson captured fourth in the diving. Bound for Fordham University, the senior scored 487.95 points.
Donati noted Thompson was in ninth place heading into the final round, but he nailed his final dive, which carried a degree of difficulty of 3.1, catapulting him into fourth place.
“We watched him miss that dive in warm-ups but
he threw it down on that final dive. It was the hardest dive in the meet,” Donati said.
“Malcolm really stuck his last three dives,” he added. “Credit to him. He’s the best diver in Lebo history.”
Meanwhile, Rizen Sherpa secured seventh place in the 200 IM. The sophomore posted a 1:51.70 time, which was five-tenths of a second off the school record set by Brian Ramsey.
“We are excited for Rizen,” Donati said. “It will be interesting to see what he does next year and in the future. He’s going to be special.”
The Mt. Lebanon girls finished 10th in the team standings while Peters Township placed 15th.
Local team to play for state championship
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
Because Peters Township outlasted Cathedral Prep, 3525, and South Fayette handled Hollidaysburg, 70-52, The Almanac was assured that at least one local team would participate in the PIAA girls basketball championships
Upper Dublin won the girls team title with 261 points, well ahead of runner-up Wilson (188) and third-place finisher Hatboro-Horsham (180). North Allegheny finished fourth.
Individually, Lauren Opitz earned two spots on the podium. The Peters Township senior, who is bound for Emory University, placed sixth in the 100 butterfly (56.14) and eighth in the 100 back (56.84).
Ava Komoroski took ninth in the 50 free with a 23.53 mark. The PT sophomore added 12th in the 100 free.
Lebo’s 400 free relay team of Roy, Helen Albu, Lillian Evan and Colleen Hart placed ninth. The 200 medley unit of Roy, Albu, Leah Werzyn and Evan finished 12th.
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
In dramatic fashion, Upper St. Clair advanced to the semifinals of the state basketball tournament for the second time in school history. The Panthers played Philadelphia’s Roman Catholic (24-5) on March 22 at Chambersburg to determine the finalists in the Class 6A division. (Results were unavailable at press time.)
A dunk by Tyler Robbins with 1.2 seconds left in overtime catapulted Upper St. Clair (26-2) to victory, 51-49, over McDowell in a quarterfinal contest played March 15 at the Morrow Field House on the Slippery Rock University campus.
“Amazing,” said USC floor boss Dan Holzer.
“It was such an emotional game and I’m glad we came out of it with the win because that was one of
the toughest battles I ever saw one of my teams put up. When you consider the magnitude of the game, the effort, the intention, the belief, that’s the best I ever saw from my team.”
The final play epitomized that team concept as four players touched the ball on the decisive play leading up to the final bucket.
After Kaamil Jackson blocked a McDowell shot, Juliam Dahlem recovered the ball and initiated a fast break. He tossed the ball to Robbins, who dished off to Gianni Disora in the corner. Disora attempted to throw the ball across court to Niko Gidas but Robbins intercepted and rammed the game winner home.
“I saw Niko in the corner jumping up and down,” said Gidas, who earned the game-winning assist. “He’s our best shooter so I know he’s going to knock it down but T-Rob came out of nowhere and slammed it down and we won.”
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac
took runner-up honors with 162 points. North Penn and Upper Dublin finished ahead of USC as well with 156 and 143 scores. The Panthers collected 137 points. “NA is one of the best teams in the
try,” said Dave Schraven, who completed
ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Sylvia Roy cruised to her third straight state title in the 100-yard backstroke during the PIAA Class 3A championships held at Bucknell University. In winning the race, she shattered her own state record with a 52.74 time.
ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Tyler Robbins slams home a dunk that catapulted
Upper St. Clair to victory, 51-49, over McDowell in overtime of a PIAA 6A
Seneca Valley outlasts South Fayette
Raiders beat Lions in triple overtime
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net
On a goal by Marshall Hewitt, Seneca Valley edged South Fayette, 3-2, in three overtimes and captured its second Penguins Cup in school history.
In the PIHL Class 3A championship game played March 17 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Hewitt gathered the puck
Semis
Robbins fired in 14 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in the victory. The Miami recruit accounted for all four of USC’s overtime points, including a put-back off an offensive rebound.
The Trojans, however, came back and tied the contest at 49-49 on a bucket by Blayze Myers, who finished with a team-high 17 points.
Stephon Porter followed with 11 tallies.
Gidas led the Panthers with 22 markers. He buried six, 3-point field goals.
The McDowell defense gave the Panthers fits as they uncharacteristically turned the ball over often in the first frame. The Trojans bolted to a 15-6 advantage but the Panthers closed the gap by halftime, 21-21.
USC opened up its biggest margin, 40-33, at the start of the fourth quarter. Gidas ignited the rally with a 3-pointer, which was assisted by Disora after he stole the pass. Ryan Robbins tacked on two field
and skated to the center point before unleashing a wrist shot that sailed into the goal at the 4:31 mark of the third overtime. The tally ended the contest that lasted nearly 90 minutes. At 89 minutes, 30 seconds, the championship was the longest game in PIHL history since the league expanded to 17-minute periods. Hewitt scored twice in the marathon game. His second tally with 9:02 remaining in
goals and Gidas added a pair of free throws.
When Ryan Robbins picked up his fourth foul, McDowell made up the difference. The Trojans tied the contest on a tip-in by Leo Finazzo with under 2:30 left in the frame.
Tyler Robbins put the Panthers ahead, 47-45, but McDowell tied the game on a layup by Porter with 1:06 remaining.
The Panthers last appeared in a state semifinal game in 2021. They lost in last year’s quarterfinals to Central York in overtime.
“This feels amazing,” said Holzer. “We’re on a twoyear run and the kids have been phenomenal. We were ranked No. 1 in the preseason and here we are going to the semifinals.”
USC girls
Thanks to a 51-35 victory over Haverford (23-6), the Lady Panthers also advanced to the state semifinals to take on Garnet Valley (27-2) on March 21 at James Buchanan High School. In the win against Haverford, Meredith Huzjak fired in 17 points while Rylee Kalocay tossed in 14 markers.
regulation provided the Raiders a 2-1 advantage. However, when the Lions pulled their goalie with two minutes to play, Robert Chiappetta scored the equalizer. Trevor D’Alessandro picked up the assist on the tally at 1:11.
The Raiders took the early lead, 1-0, at 14:15 of the first frame on a goal by John Sroka III, but D’Alessandro notched the equalizer, 1-1, two minutes into the second stanza. Eli Petter recorded an assist.
Fifth
FROM PAGE B1
his 13th season at the helm at USC. “We wanted that WPIAL runner-up trophy, but our goal at the start of the year was to be top five at states.”
Schraven noted the Panthers were positioned in second place until the breaststroke race and they did not have a team competing in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The breast and free relay are the final races in all swim meets. USC finished 25 points out of the running for the PIAA runner-up slot.
“We ran out of gas,” Schraven said, “but we had a great state meet.”
Indeed, 137 points was the most scored by a Panther squad since the 2015 club took the PIAA runner-up trophy.
“With such a small team, we did an amazing job,” Schraven said. “We were a swimmer or two away from the top.”
USC qualified swimmers in nine events during the state finals: two relays, six individual races and one in diving. Three swimmers reached the podium as did both relays.
Carter Wells secured sixth in diving. As a sophomore, the future is bright because out of the five who beat him, four were seniors.
“Carter dove awesome. He hit all his dives and didn’t make any mistakes,” Schraven said. “He’s improved a lot from last year and if he continues on this trajectory, he’s going to be at the top in the state.
Petersen Events Center. The Lady Indians came from behind to topple the Lady Lions, 40-36, and prevent them from capturing their fourth consecutive district banner.
While Peters Township weathered Cathedral Prep’s stalling practices, the Lady Lions breezed by Hollidaysburg (25-4), which was the District 6 champion. They constructed a 19-8 first-quarter advantage that stretched to 42-31 and expanded to 53-42 by the end of three frames.
Juliette Leroux led four Lady Lions in double digits. The junior scored a game-
Jackson Ankrum faced a PIHL finals-record 64 shots on goal. The South Fayette freshman made 61 stops. Seneca Valley’s Chris Nichols matched Ankrum, turning back 48 of 50 shots by the Lions.
With the loss, South Fayette ended its season at 12-9-2 overall while the Raiders improved to 18-5 and advanced to the Pennsylvania Cup championship game played March 22 at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center.
While the Raiders were seeded No. 1 in the Class
Carter is really set up well for next year.”
So are Nazur Zoukovski and Ben Whiteford. Both are juniors and both finished in the top five of their individual races.
Zoukovski grabbed the bronze in the 200 free. His time of 1:39.68 shattered the school record set in 2009 by Kyle Dudzinki, who swam at the University of Virginia. Because both swimmers ahead of him were seniors, Zoukovski has set being “a state champion” as the goal in 2026.
Zoukovski also finished fifth, behind four seniors, in the 100 free. His mark of 44.99 was three tenths of a second off the school record set by Ryan Dudzinki, who was an All-American at Stanford University.
“Nazur had a solid year in his free events but I still think there is more in the tank,” Schraven said.
Schraven added the 200 was a “challenge” for Zoukovski because it came immediately on the heels of anchoring the medley relay team of Whiteford, Griffin Tomsheck and Liam Tomb, to a thirdplace showing in 1:31.40. Zoukovski clocked a 19.8 on the final leg.
“The relay took a lot out of him. It impacted him but thankfully he was able to break that record, which has been within his reach three times.”
Meanwhile, Whiteford finished fifth in the 100 butterfly as well as the backstroke. He also swam a 20.2 on the final leg of the 200 free relay. The
high 21 tallies, including eight in each of the second-half quarters.
“Juju is just a tough matchup with her size,” said SF skipper Bryan Bennett. “She has the ability to shoot outside, but when she gets inside she’s so crafty.”
Haylie Lamonde provided the South Fayette attack with 15 points, 11 coming in the first half. Lailah Wright and Ryan Oldaker followed with 11 and 10 tallies respectively.
The Lady Lions, who improved to 27-2 with the win, earned high praise from Deanna Jubeck, the floor boss for the Golden Tigers.
“They’re the full package,” she said. “They have tons of outside shooters. They have the inside game. They’re long. They’re lanky. They can re-
3A tournament, the Lions entered the playoffs seeded seventh out of eight teams.
South Fayette reached the PIHL finals with wins against North Allegheny, 4-2, in the semifinals and Mt. Lebanon in the opening round of action.
For the Raiders, it was their second Penguins Cup championship in school history, having won a title in 2018.
Meanwhile, the Lions were PIHL champions in 2023 in the Class 2A division before moving up in classification.
unit, which also included Zoukovski, Tomscheck and Hasan Alhajhusain, claimed fourthplace medals.
“It was good to see Ben get top eight in each of his events. He also had a great lead off in the medley and a great time as anchor in the free relay.”
Whiteford, like Zoukovski, is seeking gold in next year’s PIAA meet. Only one swimmer who finished ahead of him in the butterfly and two in the backstroke were underclassmen and thus returning in 2026.
“Ben told me on the ride home that he’s set a goal to win a gold medal at states,” Schraven said. “I am going to hold him to it. Preparation starts now.”
For Tomb, Alhajhusain and Tomsheck preparations are being made for the future.
Tomb will attend Auburn University and Alhajhusain is leaning towards the University of Pittsburgh and a possible medical career. Neither plans to swim in college.
Tomsheck is seeking an engineering career. Among his college choices is the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he would be able to continue his athletic endeavors. Among Tomsheck’s achievements was swimming the second-fastest breaststroke time in school history. He placed 13th overall in the event at states.
“The only other guy to swim faster was Josh (Matheny),” Schraven said of the 2024 U.S. Olympian. “That’s saying a lot.”
USC’s finale at states also speaks volumes and bodes
bound. They’re going to be a tough out for whomever they play.”
Meanwhile Cathedral Prep proved a tough opponent for the Lady Indians at Slippery Rock’s Morrow Field House.
The Ramblers adopted a slowdown strategy in an attempt to thwart the height advantage Peters Township had with Miami recruit Natalie Wetzel and Daniela Radulovich, both of whom stand 6 feet, 3 inches. Together Wetzel and Radulovich combined for 20 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Wetzel led the offensive attack with 14 points. Radulovich provided two points. Bri Morreale, who had several steals to stake the Indians to a 9-4 advantage to start the contest, pumped in seven
They graduate seven seniors including D’Alessandro, Petter, Randal Fisher, Andrew Carson, Braydon Reighard, Brody Pfeil and Dannol Hudson. In addition to Ankrum, the Lions return their top playmakers in Chiappetta and Nathaniel Keller. A junior, Chiappetta led the Lions during the regular season with 32 points, thanks to nine goals and a team-high 23 assists.n A sophomore, Keller followed with 28 points off a team-high 15 goals and 13 assists.
well for the future.
“We are going to miss the guys that are graduating but hopefully with three state finalists to build around we’ll be continuing the tradition of swimming at USC,” said Schraven, who guided the Panthers to one WPIAL team title. “We had some freshmen that improved a lot this year and we have a strong group of eight graders coming up as well.
“I always have high expectations of my teams,” he continued. “When we meet them, then you know that we had a really good year.”
Other results
Several additional athletes picked up medals during the PIAA Class 3A swimming and diving championships.
Malcolm Thompson from Mt. Lebanon finished fourth in diving with 487.95 points. Also from Lebo, Rinzen Sherpa secured seventh place in the 200 IM. Bethel Park’s Jackson Edwards and Peters Township’s Wyatt Stetor reached the consolation finals in their respective races.
A sophomore, Edwards placed 10th in the back and 12th in the 50 free. He helped the medley relay team of Sam Hoppe, TJ Strock and Brady McKiernan to a 15th-place showing.
A freshman, Stetor was 13th in the 200 IM and 15th in the 500 free.
Among the 55 teams competing in the boys division, BP and Lebo finished in 25th and 28th place.
points. She drew high praise from PT coach Steve Limeriou for efforts on the opposite end of the floor as well.
“Bri has one of the highest defensive IQs of any basketball player I’ve been around or coached,” he said. “Her sense of angles and anticipation is amazing. She has such a good sense of playing defense.” Taylor McCullough and Alina Sopko pitched in five points apiece for the Lady Indians, who improved to 26-3 overall. Jordyn Welsh completed the scoring with a key bucket in the first frame.
For the Ramblers, who finished the season at 18-8 overall and as District 10 champions, Addison Biel led the way with nine points. A 6-2 forward, Biel is an Appalachian State recruit.
sights & sounds
IN-DEMAND EVENT
Tickets to go on sale for Barnyard Beer Benefit
By Jon Andreassi Staff writer
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
Tickets will go on sale soon for the annual Barnyard Beer Benefit in Upper St. Clair, and they will likely be gone quickly. The Barnyard Beer Benefit will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at Gilfillan Farm, located near the intersection of Route 19 and Orr Road. Tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. April 5. Rachel Carlson, president of the Historical Society of Upper St. Clair, said last year the event was sold out in five minutes.
The historical society owns and operates the farm, which is a registered national historic place.
“The purpose is to raise funds for the restoration and preservation of Gilfillan Farm,” Carlson said. “It’s a mid-1800s farmstead. So there are lots of original buildings here. They are obviously very expensive to restore.”
Last year’s event raised more than $73,000.
The Barnyard Beer Benefit will feature food and beverages from several local businesses. They include Mondays Brewing Company, Recon Brewing, Altered Genius Brewing Company, Bethel Bakery, Big Guys Pizza and Bigham Tavern. The event is only for those 21 and older.
According to Carlson, the next major project the historical society is taking on at the
what’s happening
YMCA FUN
The Spencer YMCA will conduct a special BodyFlow class at 10 a.m. March 29 at its fitness center, located at 305 Church Road in Bethel Park. The Les Mills Tai Chi, Yoga, & Pilates program will be accompanied by live music provided by Carrie Knight. Visit ymca.org or call 412-833-5600 for more details.
PT REC
The Peters Township recreation center is offering the following programs:
■ Ladies Night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. April 2. Participants will create a farmhouse-style bunny centerpiece. Supplies included. Fee is $15 ($20 nonmembers). Registration deadline is March 27.
■ Mad Science Spring Break Camp from 1 to 4 p.m. April 14-17. Visit www.peterstownship. org to register or stop at the recreation center, 700 Meredith Drive. For more details, call 724-942-5000.
WOODVILLE
A tent-raising and attic sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 29 at Woodville. The national historical landmark, located at 1375 Washington Pike, acquired a full-scale replica of a tent similar to the one George Washington used for mobile headquarters during the Revolutionary War. In addition to pitching the tent there will be an attic sale.
farm will be the restoration of the farmhouse, which was built in 1857.
“The estimate for that is over a million dollars. Unfortunately, this project is massive. It will take Barnyard
Beer Benefit and community support to get through this next project,” Carlson said. Information on how to purchase tickets will be available on the Barnyard Beer Benefit Facebook page and gilfillanfarm.org
by March 29. General admission tickets will cost $100, while VIP hour tickets will be $150 and allow entry at 5 p.m.
For Carlson, the support the event receives each year has been “amazing.”
BAKE-OFF
The Great Matzah Bake-Off will start at 3 p.m. April 6 at Chabad of the South Hills 1700 Bower Hill Road. Early Bird Registration is $12/ child before March 27 Visit: chabadsh.com/matzah to sign up.
COIN CLUB
The South Hills Coin Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. April 8 at the Bethel Park municipal building, 5100 West Library Ave. The presentation will be based upon the gold confiscation of 1933 Part 3. All members and the public can attend. There will be a 50-50 raffle and children’s prizes will be awarded. Call 724984-6611 for more details.
CARNEGIE
The College Club of Carnegie will meet April 5 at DeBlasio’s, located in the Virginia Manor Shopping Center at 1717 Cochran Road. Social starts at noon and luncheon follows at 12:30 p.m. “April Showers to bring Spring Flowers” will be the theme. A 50/50 raffle will be offered to benefit the group’s scholarship fund program. Women with a post-secondary education can attend. Call 412279-4458 for reservations or more information.
WOMEN’S CLUB
The South Hills Women’s Club will meet April 14 at Vanadium Woods Lobby, 50 Vanadium Road, Bridgeville. Appetizers and desserts will be offered at 7:30 p.m. followed by a brief meeting
at 8. Guest speaker Cyndie Carioli will discuss “How to Avoid Scams and Frauds.” Carioli is a senior justice advocate in the Allegheny County DA’s Office. Call 412965-4714 or 412-414-1232 to attend. New members and guests are welcome.
PARK POUR
Pour at the Park will be held May 17 at the Museum Building in South Park. VIP admission is from 5 to 9 p.m. General admission is from 6 to 9. A fundraiser to support the Allegheny County Parks Foundation as well as benefit the nine country parks, features beer, wine, spirits and nonalcoholic drink tastings, food trucks, live entertainment, children’s discovery activities hosted by Coach Dave of CDG Sports and raffle baskets. Visit pouratthepark.com to purchase tickets or email jfilipek@acparksfoundation. org for more details.
FREE FISH
The Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church will hold free fish fries from 4 to 7 p.m. March 28 and April 18 at 3319 W. Liberty Ave. Any donations support the church’s missions and outreach. Dinners include fish or substitute along with sides, beverages and desserts. Eat-in or take-out is available.
LUNCHEON
The Pittsburgh Alumnae Panhellenic (PAP) , a chapter of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) will hold its annual
scholarship benefit luncheon at 11 a.m. March 29 at South Hills Country Club. Advance ticket purchases are required no later than March 15. Cost is $55 for adults, $35 for collegians and $20 for children. Contact Catherine, at papbenefit@gmail.com for reservations, tickets or more information.
5K RUN
The South Hills Children’s Choir hosts its fourth annual Soles for Songs 5K race at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 29. The 3.1-mile course starts at Helicon Brewing in Oakdale and runs along the Panhandle Trail. Fee is $30. Proceeds benefit the choir. Visit shcchoir.org/events to register. Email solesdirector@gmail. com with further questions.
OPEN HOUSES
Concordia of Bridgeville will host the following “Get to Know Us” events at its 3570 Washington Pike location: ■ Blood Drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 4. ■ Springo Bingo Open House from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 26
Tours and refreshments will be available at each event. Registration is preferred, but walk-ins will be accepted. Call 412-801-0293 to RSVP. Visit www.ConcordiaBridgeville.org for more information.
Concordia of the South Hills in Mt. Lebanon will host open house events from 1 to 3 p.m. March 27-28 on its campus, located at 1300 Bower Hill Road. Registra-
tion is preferred for these events, but walk-ins will be accepted. To RSVP, call 412-294-1351. Visit www. Concordia-SouthHills.org to learn more about the retirement community.
TARTAN DAY
A celebration of all things Scottish will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 5 at Bethel Presbyterian Church located at 2999 Bethel Church Road. Tartan Day celebrates the day Scotland earned sovereignty over England’s territorial claims. The event is free to the public and features entertainment from bagpipers, fiddlers, dancers, Celtic workshops, food, raffles and vendors.
ART GUILD
The Bethel Art Guild will meet April 3 at the community center located at 5151 Park Ave. After a light lunch at 12:30 p.m. the meeting will start at 1 p.m. Artist Nancy Kenney is the featured speaker. Contact lois.illar@ verizon.net for more details.
VESPERS
Peace Lutheran Church will hold Lenten Vespers every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. through April 9 at 107 Carol Dr. in McMurray. Visit www. peacelutheranpgh.org for more details.
SENIOR LUNCH
EGG HUNT
An egg scramble will be held April 12 at Rollings Hills Park in McMurray. All ages attend at 2 p.m. A sensory-friendly event starts at 2:45 p.m. Fee is $8 ($8 nonmembers). After a bunny hop, there will be an egg hunt. Pre-registration is required by April 9. Visit www.peterstownship.org to sign up online. For more details, call 724-942-5000.
BOOK SALE
The Friends of the South Park Township Library will hold a book sale from 6 to 8 p.m. April 24, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 25 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 26 at the community center located at 2575 Brownsville Road. Saturday is a fill-a-bag with books for $5. Novels, children’s books, cookbooks will be among the selection of books for sale. Donations for the sale will be collected from April 7-22.
POOL POSTS
The Mt. Lebanon recreation department is seeking to fill the following positions for the summer at the outdoor swim center: lifeguards, pool manager, pool supervisor as well as part-time recreation center maintenance, full-time
The Peters Township recreation center will hold its next senior luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. April 9. While a free event, participants are asked to bring a covered dish or dessert to share. Health and chair volleyball will be highlighted. Visit www.peterstownship.org to register online or stop at the recreation center, located at 700 Meredith Drive. For more details, call 724-942-5000.
PHOTOS: COURTESY
Last year’s Barnyard Beer Benefit raised more than $73,000 for Gilfillan Farm.
“On one side, we’re like this hidden thing within Upper St. Clair. You always wonder if people notice when driving past. To get this kind of response, it’s amazing,” Carlson said.
The Barnyard Beer Benefit is a popular annual event in Upper St. Clair.
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BUICK
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WASHINGTON CHEVROLET
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CHRYSLER
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