Shaler notebook: Volleyball team reaches playoffs; golfer Tanner Grzegorczyk reaches PIAAs

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, October 22, 2017 | 11:00 PM

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All the Shaler volleyball team needed to do to get into the WPIAL playoffs was beat Pine-Richland on Oct. 17.

Shaler was swept by the second-place Rams but got some help from Seneca Valley. Thanks to the Raiders' win over Butler, the Titans (6-11, 3-7) finished tied for fourth place in the section.

Since Butler and Shaler split their regular-season meetings, both will go to the postseason.

The Titans, who lost in the first round last season, are seeking their first playoff win since 2014. Shaler will find out its opponent this week.

Golf

Tanner Grzegorczyk completed his unlikely trek back to the PIAA Class AAA championships by shooting 77 during the PIAA West Region golf championship Oct. 16 at Tom's Run Golf Course.

Erie Cathedral Prep's Pat Kelly shot a 1-under-par 71 to take medalist honors. Grzegorczyk, who has been playing through the postseason on a fractured ankle, was part of a big day for the WPIAL, which saw 10 of its 14 golfers advance.

Grzegorczyk tied for 23rd at states last season.

Tennis

The Shaler girls fared well at the Section 2-AAA Tournament to close the season. Amber McGaffick and Mackenzie Romac won their first-round match 10-6 over the North Hills pair of Meghan Schlipp and Kelsey Davis.

The Titans also received a first-round win from Lydia Valentine and Lily Buckshaw, which took down the Indians duo of Hannah Kunsak and Lexi Mandell, 10-6.

McGaffick and Romac lost 10-0 in the next round to top-seeded and eventual champions Melissa Vizcard and Alyssa Sarver of Pine-Richland. Valentine and Buckshaw lost to Mars' Amelia Haley and Emily Ivory, 10-1, in the second round.

Football

Shaler dropped its 23rd consecutive game, losing to Seneca Valley, 45-7, in a Northern Seven Conference battle Oct. 20.

Darin Mizgorski scored the Titans' touchdown. Joey Kremer led Shaler with 86 yards rushing.

“We just didn't execute,” Titans coach Jim Ryan said. “We did some things well tonight. We just need to keep working on the little things.”

Off the field, a Shaler resident drew attention for his attempt to play for the Titans this season. Vincenzo Battaglia, a Vincentian Academy student, drew a lot of attention after his post on social media expressing his disappointment at not being able to play. Vincentian folded its team before the start of the season because of a lack of numbers.

Battaglia declined an interview request.

It was part of a pattern with the WPIAL this season.

Two of Battaglia's former Vincentian teammates, Charles Barley and Matthew Heim, tried to transfer to Imani Christian and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, respectively, to play, but were both denied ineligibility because of transfer rules.

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.

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