Shaler notebook: Titans make themselves at home in playoffs
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Sunday, February 19, 2023 | 11:01 AM
Shaler’s Keegan Smetanka shoots a 3-pointer against Hampton on Dec. 20, 2022.
This winter, making the playoffs was standard operating procedure for the Shaler athletic department. The Titans saw plenty of teams earn a chance to move on to the next level of competition.
The Shaler boys basketball, girls basketball, boys bowling, girls bowling and two unified bocce teams all earned spots in the playoffs.
The Titans’ boys basketball team was scheduled to open the playoffs against South Fayette on Feb. 17. The Lions beat Shaler, 51-39, earlier this season. Shaler’s girls basketball team earned a trip to Penn-Trafford to open the playoffs Feb. 21. Both were No. 9 seeds.
Indoor track wraps up
The Titans indoor track team had a number of athletes hit personal bests at the last regular season TSTCA meet at Edinboro.
Athletes hitting their personal bests included Alex Ngo in the long jump (16 feet, 11 inches) and 200 meters (26 seconds), Victoria Peterson in the 60 meters (8.20), Kiersten Bork in the mile (6:57.77), Kaylee Frag in the mile (6:54.37), Hannah Sahr in the 400 meters (1:04.33), Isabelle Dutkovic in the 200 meters (28.94) and triple jump (30-3) and Jayla Antomachi in the shot put (34-11).
Antomachi’s distance allowed her to place third at the meet and record a top-25 mark in the state.
Antomachi is 19th in the state overall and has the second-best mark for a freshman.
Wrestling team prepares
The Titans will have a number of wrestlers hoping to earn a spot in the WPIAL tournament in the section tournament Saturday, Feb. 25. Shaler’s eager group of grapplers will be led by freshman Vito Barravecchio, who has a 22-6 record.
Barravecchio has won 16 of his matches by pin while competing primarily at 215 pounds. He has also wrestled at heavyweight this season.
Ethan Gross (18 wins), Jacob Cable (13), Nevio DeLeonibus (13), Luke Jones (13), Michael Ulery (13) and Hiatt Montgomery (11) also have recorded double-digit wins.
Hockey seeks playoff spot
Shaler entered the final two regular season games one point behind Freeport with a game in hand for the sixth and final playoff spot in the PIHL’s Class A Blue Division. The Titans have won four of their past six games to improve to 9-9 on the season.
Shaler has been a solid team overall, posting a plus-four goal differential this season.
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