Jun 16, 2015 6 min read

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The final out in Trinity’s state championship defeat officially marked the end of the spring sports season. The ending was a bit unceremonious, but the Hillers’ loss is merely a footnote in what was one memorable three-month span.

There was Jefferson-Morgan’s historic WPIAL title game victory, California cemented itself as a perennial contender in Class A baseball and let’s not forget about Trinity. Yes, the Hillers were unable to win the school’s first state team title, but it was a run that will be remembered.

They overcame a loss in the WPIAL semifinals, defeated district champion Belle Vernon and looked like the best team in PIAA Class AAA for much of the season. The defeat does not do that team justice. Any high school sports writer will tell you that there are teams that were memorable to cover. Jason Mackey, who covered high school athletics for the O-R during Canon-McMillan’s softball state title run in 2013, has told me on several occasions about how fun the Big Macs were to cover.

They fielded well, pitcher Alayna Astuto kept teams off balance and no team could hit like Canon-McMillan. And of course, those Big Macs were a fun group.

That sounds like this Trinity team. Senior shortstop Olivia Gray, a Pitt recruit, fields her position better than most high school baseball shortstops I have covered. Junior first baseman Delaney Elling, a Penn State recruit, is going to continue to improve, which is scary. Oh, and let’s not forget about every other player on that roster.

The one great characteristic all baseball and softball teams possess is a balanced batting order that can hurt you one through nine. That’s the Hillers. Plus, junior pitcher Paige Galentine developed into an ace. Oh, and there’s the whole personality thing.

I spoke on this blog about their sundae ritual. There was #WhyNotUs. But those anecdotes don’t do Trinity (20-6) justice. The coaching staff and players are great to be around. There’s a unique comraderie there and though the Hillers lose a great senior class that includes Gray and Madison Hornak, Trinity is well-stocked for another run in 2016.

Here’s a quick rundown of how other local teams faired this season and let’s take a look ahead:

The Big Macs lost three of their final five games, including a season-ending 6-3 loss to North Allegheny in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Canon-McMillan’s offense simply could not score enough runs to make up for defensive woes. The Big Macs committed 33 errors and scored 33 runs less than last season, though its important to note that C-M played more games in 2014.

Their two Division I recruits kept Canon-McMillan among the top teams in WPIAL Class AAAA. Junior shortstop Linda Rush batted .577 with 33 runs, 33 RBI, 11 home runs and three strikeouts in 66 plate appearances.

Senior center fielder Abby McCartney, who will join former teammate Olivia Lorusso at Robert Morris, batted a team-high .588 with 20 runs, 28 RBI, five home runs and just two strikeouts in 48 plate appearances.

There is a strong foundation to build on, and Canon-McMillan will be hit with only three losses. McCartney, Taylor Bruno and pitcher Tara Fowler are graduating. C-M does have one of the best youth programs in the area , a great coaching staff and a strong foundation returning. There’s no reason to believe that the Big Macs won’t be one of the top teams in Quad-A next spring, but they will need to count on some youth.

The Blue Devils were the talk of WPIAL Class AA for a portion of the season. Unfortunately that hype happened in the regular season. Burgettstown’s loss to South Side Beaver cost it the outright section title and a shot at a top seed in the WPIAL playoffs.

The program’s 19-game winning streak against WPIAL opponents in regular season games ended, but there is much to be excited about for 2016.

Pitcher Kate Tarr will return after striking out 158 this season with a 2.61 ERA. She batted .327 with four home runs and 23 RBI. Losing seniors Sami Scopel and Caley Ritts will hurt, but the Blue Devils will join South Side Beaver as a team to beat next spring.

The Indians missed the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs, which was a big surprise. Part of it was a lack of pitching depth in a spring that was filled with postponements.

It’s a shame that senior Phil Mary could not take the mound every day. He had a great season with a 1.95 ERA in 43.1 innings pitched, but the staff’s ERA was above 4.00 and issued 57 walks. That’s far too many free passes in that section. With Mary’s departure, Peters Township will return just 35 innings of varsity experience next spring.

Slippery Rock recruit Frank Jezioro had a great spring with a .385 average, 25 runs, 22 RBI, four home runs and a .462 on-base percentage. The center fielder has a chance to make an immediate impact in the PSAC next spring.

Losing Jezioro and Brett McIntosh will hurt, but a player to keep an eye on is Tor Senhert. His numbers weren’t eye-popping (.333 AVG, 13 runs, 4 RBI), but he has all the tools to become Peters Township’s next big-time talent. He’ll impress during showcases this summer.

The Trojans will win the WPIAL title in 2016. That would be a bold statement, but check out what is returning.

Losing center fielder Aaron Previsky, a Seton Hill recruit, will definitely hurt the Trojans’ outfield defense and speed on the bases, but there’s a ton of talent back.

Junior Nathaniel Luketich may be able to pitch again, which would be a major boost to that rotation. Even if he can’t, the 6-3, 250-pound power-hitter batted .552 with 45 RBI, 34 runs and 10 doubles this season.

Second baseman Johnny DeFranco had a breakout season with a .500 average, 35 runs and 27 RBI. His infield partner, shortstop Louden Conte, who is one of the area’s top returning players in 2016, batted .514 with 29 stolen bases and 50 runs. Yes, 29 stolen bases in 23 games.

If the Trojans can find pitching, which could be difficult without a middle school program, California is set for a memorable 2016.

The Raiders returned to the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2012, but lost in the first round to eventual WPIAL and PIAA champion Neshannock.

They are well-positioned for an improvement in 2016. The Raiders are losing four seniors, but junior Hunter Robinson will be back. He batted .500 with 24 runs, 13 RBI, three home runs and a .562 on-base percentage.

Other returners to keep an eye on are Brandon Turcheck and Nick Fox