Penn Hills players earn all-section honors

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 10, 2017 | 2:00 AM

In early November, the PA Big 56 released its all-section teams for boys and girls soccer and girls volleyball.

The Indians were represented in all sports, headlined by the first-team selection of senior forward/defender Maraye Alexander to the Section 3-AAAA team in girls soccer. Alexander finished second in scoring for the Indians (6-12, 4-6) with 13 goals.

“I'm proud that I was able to get it,” she said. “The season was a bit confusing because I'm an offender and I have been playing defense a lot, which I thought I wasn't going to do well at, but playing against better teams we actually came through. We played well at defense.”

The girls soccer team, which qualified for the WPIAL playoffs in consecutive seasons but lost to Penn-Trafford, 6-1, in the first round, also had two honorable mention selections — freshman forward TaMaya Wolford and junior goalkeeper Autumn Blair. Wolford led the Indians with 14 goals.

“I thought (Wolford) deserved that because she came on as a freshman. She played very well for the team,” Alexander said.

“Autumn has been great through the whole time she has been playing.”

Even though the Penn Hills boys soccer team didn't earn a victory this season, the Indians had four players selected to the PA Big 56 all-section team.

Senior midfielder Evan Weston and senior goalkeeper Luke Greenway were selected to the second team for Section 3-AAAA team. Weston missed time with a broken foot, while Greenway missed the first seven games with a knee injury.

“I'm very humbled to be selected. It's great that I play half the year and I still get recognition,” Greenway said. “It's really a good honor. We had a really bad season, but it's nice to still have something to feel accomplished about.”

As he was battling back from his knee injury, Greenway wanted to make sure he was still contributing to the team and helping along sophomore goalkeeper AJ Collins.

“I definitely wanted AJ to do the best that he can to give us a chance to win. I wanted to be there for him because I know he was really nervous going against Central Catholic and Fox Chapel,” Greenway said.

“I tried to be there and keep him calm. If he made mistakes, I tried to help him get over it. I think he really appreciated that, and that's awesome to have someone look up to me like that.”

Sophomore midfielder and defender Iain Krieger and senior defender Jaden Rouse were honorable mention selections.

The girls volleyball team, which won one match this season, had two players selected to the PA Big 56 all-section teams — senior outside hitter Becca Miller was selected to the second team in Section 4-AAAA, and sophomore setter Colleen Hoolahan was an honorable mention.

“I'm honored to be selected to an all-section team. It was a goal of mine coming into the season, and I was happy I was able to accomplish that,” Miller said.

“It means a lot that the coaches that select the players that Penn Hills could be a possible competition in the coming years.”

Andrew John is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn Hills