A-K Valley athletes of the week: Fox Chapel’s Ryan Kerr and Deer Lakes’ Anna Solomon

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 | 8:24 PM

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Ryan Kerr

School: Fox Chapel

Class: Senior

Sport: Basketball

Report card: Kerr returned to the hardwood after sitting out last season because a dislocated ankle and put up a game-high 26 points in Fox Chapel’s 68-59 upset of Class 6A No. 1 Pine-Richland in the Plum round-robin tournament. The 6-foot-2 guard/forward scored 11 points in the Foxes’ 46-40 win over Plum last Friday.

What are your thoughts on the team after the first weekend of the regular season?

I think expectations are really high as they should be, and Pine-Richland is ranked No. 1 in the WPIAL.

Did the win over Pine-Richland elevate expectations?

I think it did.

Where do you see this team in late January?

I see this team as one of the top teams in the WPIAL, and we’ll be a team that not many people want to face.

What is the strength of this year’s team?

I think our strength is our versatility. Every guy that we start is in the 6-foot to 6-foot-3 range.

Who is the one player that everyone is going to hear about as the season goes on?

Junior forward Sam Brown. He also missed pretty much the entire year last year with injury.

Who is the comedian on the team?

Noah Marks.

Who is your favorite NBA player and team?

Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

What three words best describe you?

Motivated. Intelligent. Laid-back.

What three people would you like to have dinner with?

Michael Jordan, Jennifer Aniston and Barack Obama.

What is your favorite subject at school?

Math.

What are your plans for after high school?

College definitely. I want to go to Clemson or Michigan and study mechanical engineering.

Anna Solomon

School: Deer Lakes

Class: Senior

Sport: Basketball

Report card: Solomon made four 3-pointers and scored 12 points to help guide Deer Lakes (3-0) to a 47-25 win over Quaker Valley and earn tournament MVP honors in last weekend’s Deer Lakes tipoff. A four-year starter, Solomon scored 12 points in Monday’s 54-38 win over nonsection rival Burrell and is averaging 11.6 points this season.

What are your thoughts on the team after the first weekend of the season?

I’m really excited, and I think we’re looking good. We got some of the best chemistry that I’ve ever seen in the four years I’ve been at Deer Lakes.

What are your thoughts on earning MVP at the Deer Lakes tourney?

Obviously, it’s a really special feeling doing that in front of the home crowd. Just getting that tournament win was a good enough feeling in itself.

Where do you see this team in late January?

I think we’ll be well on our way to a deep playoff run.

What is the strength of this year’s team?

We just have a lot of contributors, and we don’t all necessarily contribute in the same way. During our tip-off tournament, we had such a balanced scoring effort.

Who is the one player that everyone is going to hear about as the season goes on?

I think Reese Hasley is going to make a big name for herself in the section.

Who is the comedian on the team?

I would say Julia Hollibaugh. She’s good for a laugh in the locker room.

What three words best describe you?

Competitive. Determined. Stubborn.

What three people would you like to have dinner with?

Tina Fey, Jennifer Lawrence and Ryan Reynolds. They would probably make for some laughs.

What is your favorite subject at school?

Biology.

What are your plans for after high school?

I think I’m going to go into physician assistant studies, hopefully, at Duquesne University.

— William Whalen

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel