Scholastic Notebook – 06/02/2017

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 2, 2017 | 4:02 PM

It doesn’t matter whether it’s McKenna or Madison. These Lampes have lit up opposing pitchers.

McKenna and Madison Lampe are twin sisters and sophomores on the West Greene softball team. You might have a hard time coming up with any WPIAL softball sisters over the years that have made such a big impact on offense at the same time.

The Lampes helped West Greene win a second consecutive WPIAL softball title on Thursday. The school had never won a championship in another sport.

Mckenna Lampe was 2 for 3 in the title game and is now batting a whopping .662. A center fielder, McKenna’s most amazing statistic might be the 44 bases she has stolen this season.

Meanwhile, Madison Lampe, a sophomore third baseman, is batting .597. She has stolen 21 bases.

But the Lampes aren’t the only sister act doing big things for the Pioneers. Madison Renner is a junior shortstop who was 3 for 4 with four RBIs in the championship. She is now batting .519. Her sister, Jade, a freshman, is West Greene’s pitcher and has a 15-1 record with 73 strikeouts.

The Lampes, Renners and West Greene being play in the PIAA playoffs Monday.

First Timers

There were plenty of familiar faces in the WPIAL baseball championships this week, like Blackhawk, Pine-Richland, North Allegheny, California and Riverside. But it turned out to be a year for newcomers also.

Jeannette played in its first championship ever and defeated Greensburg Central Catholic for the Class 1A title. Meanwhile, Latrobe won its first championship by claiming the 5A crown. Latrobe had been in the title game only once before (1985).

Them Again?

Pine-Richland and North Allegheny have played three times already, including the WPIAL 6A title game Thursday. They could meet again seven days after their championship encounter.

If both teams win their PIAA first-round games Monday, they will play Thursday in the quarterfinals. Pine-Richland plays in the first round Monday against Penn Manor of District 3. Meanwhile, North Allegheny will play Bald Eagle.

Do you Remember?

This is the 25-year anniversary of one of the  most unusual WPIAL baseball championships. How many championship games have had two players go on and make the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

In the 1992 WPIAL Class 3A final, Upper St. Clair edged Butler, 3-2, at Flaherty Field in New Castle. Upper St. Clair had Sean Casey, who went on to become a three-time all star. Butler had Matt Clement, who made one all-star game as a pitcher.

What’s funny is that Clement made the major leagues as a pitcher, but he didn’t pitch all that much in high school. He was a third baseman in the WPIAL final.

LeDonne to Penn Hills

Penn Hills will officially hire a new football coach Monday night, but the school already has its man. Jon LeDonne already has accepted the position.

The move might surprise some when you consider that LeDonne was 2-27 in his three seasons as Shaler’s coach. But Penn Hills apparently saw something it liked in LeDonne, who played high school football at Aliquippa and college at Robert Morris.

The Penn Hills job opened in March when John Peterman resigned as coach and athletic director to become only athletic director at Kiski Area. It took Penn Hills some time to find a new AD and coach. The school hired Stephanie Strauss as AD two weeks ago. She is a 2007 Penn Hills graduate and currently an assistant women’s volleyball coach at Navy.

Steel Valley coach Rod Steele was reportedly one of the candidates for the Penn Hills football job, but eventually pulled out. Then Penn Hills turned to LeDonne.

Kradel to Pitt

One of the WPIAL’s top offensive linemen decided this week that Pitt was it.

Butler’s Jake Kradel, who will be a senior, made a verbal commitment to Pitt. Ohio State and West Virginia were two of his other finalists.

Kradel is the fourth Pitt recruit in the class of 2018.

Lacrosse Draws

Some might be surprised at the crowds that come to WPIAL lacrosse championships.

The league is very pleased with crowds at championships, especially for the boys. For example, the boys lacrosse championship doubleheader May 26 at Robert Morris had a crowd of 1,385. That’s excellent. One night earlier, the girls doubleheader drew 650.

Tags: Blackhawk, Butler, California, Latrobe, West Greene