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Articles by Mike Eagle
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
MECHANICSBURG — With the season still young and leaves still rusting on the trees, the North Catholic High School volleyball team crammed onto a bus and headed east for a weekend tournament. It was a forgettable trip. There was infighting. The hotel where the Trojanettes stayed left a lot to be desired, and they played terribly against Trinity of Camp Hill, getting swept out of the gym. “Yeah, we had a really rough time,” said junior outside hitter Ally Feczko.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
Bella Pelaia was rudderless. A player without a position. A player without a role. The Mars graduate and freshman on the Mount St. Mary's women's basketball team did her best to find a niche on a team that went on to win the Northeast Conference Tournament. Things just never clicked for the 6-footer listed as a forward. “I didn't really know where I fit in,” Pelaia said. “I could do a little bit of everything, but I didn't have that one specific role. It was definitely hard.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Karns City entered the Butler County Area Baseball League playoffs as the highest-scoring team in the circuit. Scoring runs hasn't been a problem. Until Tuesday. Butler Township right-hander Austin Rodgers was dominant, striking out eight, walking just one, and giving up just three hits to stymie Karns City in a 2-0 win at No Offseason Baseball. “All that mattered was getting the win today,” Rodgers said.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Karns City entered the Butler County Area Baseball League playoffs as the highest-scoring team in the circuit. Scoring runs hasn't been a problem. Until Tuesday. Butler Township right-hander Austin Rodgers was dominant, striking out eight, walking just one, and giving up just three hits to stymie Karns City in a 2-0 win at No Offseason Baseball. “All that mattered was getting the win today,” Rodgers said.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
Will Bednar rarely makes a mental note of how many batters he has struck out while on the mound for Mississippi State. Sunday night in Omaha, Neb., was different. As the swing and misses from Texas batters piled up during his electric outing in the College World Series, Bednar was definitely keeping track. “Uh, yeah,” said Bednar, a Mars graduate and redshirt freshman for the Bulldogs.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
CRANBERRY TWP — Larry Stelitano keeps a chart of “mistakes.” They aren't necessarily errors, but those count, too. They are misplays that should have been made. His Cranberry Township team had eight of them against West Sunbury in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams Tuesday evening. “That's entirely too many,” the Cranberry manager said.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
O'HARA TWP — It was a familiar refrain and one that was as pleasant to the ears of the Seneca Valley boys volleyball team as nails on a chalkboard. Close. Not close enough. Seneca Valley played well again against rival North Allegheny, but dropped a 25-19, 25-23, 29-27 decision to the Tigers in the PIAA Class 3A semifinals at Fox Chapel High School Tuesday night. It was the fourth loss of the season suffered by the Raiders to North Allegheny. Against everyone else, Seneca Valley was 20-0.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
SHALER TWP — Kellen Fletcher has spent most of the season tinkering with her shot. At times, trying to rediscover the form that made the junior midfielder on the Mars girls lacrosse team such a potent force two years ago was frustrating. Fletcher, though, found other ways this season to contribute and remain one of the best players — not only in the WPIAL and state, but also the nation — namely setting up the slew of potent scorers around her on the Planets.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
JACKSON TWP — Like just about everyone else, the coronavirus pandemic stripped away a great deal from Sarah White last year. The Seneca Valley standout volleyball player can't get enough of the sport, but she found herself uncomfortably idle for stretches of 2020. No serves. No spikes. No sets. It also seemed to cost her an opportunity of a lifetime. The 5-foot-11 setter was selected to the U.S. National U20 team, but never got the chance to compete.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
WEXFORD — For a split second, Teddy Ruffner thought his drive to center was going to carry over the fence. Then he realized where he was playing. “It's really deep out there here (at North Allegheny High School),” Ruffner said, smiling. So, Ruffner did one of the things he does best. Run.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Singles, doubles, triples. And, yes, home runs. Lots of home runs. Stolen bases. Sacrifice flies. Bunt hits. And, runs. Lots and lots of runs. The Mars baseball team has been putting on an offensive clinic this season, scoring at a prodigious rate and putting up crooked numbers in a variety of ways. Long ball? Small ball? It's all the same. No pitcher is safe when Mars attacks.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Kellen Fletcher was sure she had squandered her opportunity. When the Mars junior midfielder left the lacrosse field after a long and grueling tryout for the U.S. Lacrosse National Tournament team several weeks ago, she was profoundly disappointed. “I wasn't too hopeful, honestly,” Fletcher said. “I was not very confident with how I played.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
VALENCIA — Lauren Wasylson didn't dawdle. The Mars graduate has always been decisive. When faced with a choice on the basketball court of taking a 3-pointer, passing or driving to the hoop, Wasylson rarely hesitates. Mars graduate Lauren Wasylson She applied the same resolve to making a monumental life decision. On March 23, the 6-foot guard entered the transfer portal, making her intention clear about leaving the Xavier University women's basketball program for another school.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
VALENCIA — Lauren Wasylson learned a lot the first time she was recruited. Coming out of Mars High School, Wasylson was in high demand among college women's basketball coaches across the country because of her 6-foot frame, long wingspan, shooting touch and quickness to the rim. But Wasylson was also unsure of what to look for in a school then. That's not a problem now. Wasylson Wasylson has entered the transfer portal, ending her three-year run at Xavier University.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
DEFIANCE, Ohio — The snap was so loud, Brooke Lyczek's teammates thought she had given someone a high-five. But the loud crack was the sound of the bones in her left hand snapping in half. The fluke injury happened on an otherwise normal play in an otherwise normal Westminster College women's basketball practice in January of 2020. Lyczek Lyczek, a Seneca Valley graduate, was going for a steal against a teammate who made a ball fake.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — In early February, Ava Black fidgeted and stewed in her seat. She was at home, watching her Mars girls basketball teammates taking on section rival Plum on the television in her living room. It was excruciating for Black, a junior forward who was in COVID-19 quarantine at the time because of contact tracing. “It was so much worse than I thought it would be,” Black said about being forced to watch the game from afar.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
Nick Maher lined up and gazed at the defense. His eyes swelled. The opponent on this Friday night was leaving the North Catholic wide receiver one-on-one with the corner. No safety help. Just Maher and the DB. A recipe for disaster. Predictably, Maher lifted his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame high into the fall air, snagged the football between his hands and came down with a big reception.
Write it down: Enrietto honored
Butler boys basketball coach Matt Clement, left, presents Butler Eagle Sports Editor John Enrietto with the program's 6th Man Award at the end-of-the-year banquet Sunday. Mike Kilroy/Butler Eagle LYNDORA — It's one of the favorite awards Matt Clement doles out at the end of a season. The Butler boys head basketball coach began the 6th Man Award four years ago as a way to recognize those who have supported the program in a profound way.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
JACKSON TWP — Last year was already difficult for Connor Lyczek. Then, an unimaginable loss happened. “I didn't think it could've gotten any worse until Aug. 9,” Connor said. That's when his uncle, Fred Dzuban, died suddenly of cardiac arrest. Paramedics did all they could to save his uncle's life, but they couldn't. Fred Dzuban was dead at just 53. That terrible day stuck with Connor and when it came time for him to choose his senior project at Seneca Valley High School, his cause was clear.
Hunting lures more women
Slippery Rock forward (14) Hallie Raabe attempts a layup during fourth quarter action of a PIAA 5A second round playoff game against Charters Valley at Moon Area High School in 2019. Nate Black/Special to the Butler Eagle Hallie Raabe stalked through the gray woods on a chilly November morning to her blind nestled deep in the forest near Knox. She climbed into the stand, switched on the heat and then descended to grab her rifle. She heard a faint rustle. Then she saw him.
State halts school sports Saturday through Jan. 4
Mars Area High School senior Alek Johnson summed up her thoughts with one, stark word. “Heartbroken.” The senior guard on the Mars girls basketball team was gearing up for her final basketball season with the Planets. But on the eve of the start of the winter sports season, Alek and athletes like her all across the commonwealth will have to hang up their sneakers, wrestling singlets and swimming caps — at least for the time being — after Gov.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
PIAA Soccer Championships The Seneca Valley boys soccer team certainly hasn't wanted for goals this season. The Raiders have found the net 72 times, including a 6-0 blowout win in the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals over State College. But the reason why Seneca Valley will be playing for a state title for only the second time in school history may rest on the other end of the pitch. Defense. “A lot of people say a good defense wins championships,” said Seneca Valley coach George Williams.
Remembering the life of Geraldine Veltri 1939 - 2020
July 9, 1939 - November 13, 2020 Geraldine "Gerry" M. (Wright) Veltri, 81, of Grafton passed away on Friday, November 13, 2020 at home surrounded by her loving family after a two-year courageous battle with ovarian cancer. She was born July 9, 1939 in Philippi, daughter of the late Floyd and Icie Mae (Vance) Wright, Sr. Gerry is survived by her husband of fifty-six years "Tony" Veltri. She was a graduate of Philippi High School, Class of 1957.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — It didn't take long for North Catholic football coach Patrick O'Shea to conduct a postmortem. “The better team won the game tonight,” O'Shea said. “That's just how it goes sometimes.” It certainly didn't go as planned for North Catholic, which managed just 115 yards on offense. Most striking was the Trojans — averaging 44 points per game this season —were held scoreless by Elizabeth Forward in a 17-0 loss in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday night at the Mars Athletic Complex.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Joey Prentice feared the worst when he came off the field last week against Freeport, clutching his right arm at the wrist. The junior quarterback on the North Catholic football team peered down at a gruesome sight. “It was a little scary seeing my thumb sideways,” Prentice said. “I had never dislocated anything.” Trainers popped the thumb back in place, but Prentice couldn't finish the game against the Yellowjackets. He finished the game against Mount Pleasant on a frigid Friday night.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Laurel Highlands' strategy was clear. Pack 11 in the defensive third and take its chances. Didn't work. Not even close. The nationally-ranked Mars girls soccer team is too talented and too explosive for such plans and the Planets blew up that plot quickly on the way to a 13-0 bludgeoning of the Mustangs (4-12) in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs Monday night at the Mars Athletic Complex.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
ADAMS TWP — Speed kills. So do turnovers. And penalties. And losing your starting quarterback. Lucky for the North Catholic football team, speed can make up for a lot of mistakes and bad breaks. Despite five turnovers, two leading to Freeport touchdowns, and a slew of flags and a thumb injury to Joey Prentice, the Trojans' smothering defense kept Ben Lane and the Yellowjackets' offense largely in check on the way to a 26-14 Allegheny Seven Conference win at Mars Athletic Complex Friday night.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
Joey Prentice has a lot of decisions to make on a Friday night. The North Catholic football team's offense is predicated on multiple reads and the junior quarterback has to make quick calls. Some are easier than others — like which wide open receiver to get the ball to, or which gaping hole to hit and burst through with authority. “It's amazing,” Prentice said.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
This is one in a series of articles previewing Butler County high school football matchups this Friday Offense gets the ink. And when you have one that is averaging 48 points per game, that's a lot of ink. It's easy to get caught up in the crooked numbers the North Catholic football team has been putting up this season behind quarterback Joey Prentice, running back Kyle Tipinski, receivers Nick Maher and Tyler Maziarz, and, well, everyone else on that side of the ball.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
Butler County added 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Saturday, continuing an upward trend. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which was updated Sunday morning, the county now has 1,118 confirmed positive cases since the pandemic began. The death toll remained at 25. Butler County has added 63 confirmed cases since Wednesday. Pennsylvania added 1,667 cases Friday and 1,742 more on Saturday — the most in a single day since April 8.
COVID case hike continues
Butler County added 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Saturday, continuing an upward trend. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which was updated Sunday morning, the county now has 1,118 confirmed positive cases since the pandemic began. The death toll remained at 25. Butler County has added 63 confirmed cases since Wednesday. Pennsylvania added 1,667 cases Friday and 1,742 more on Saturday — the most in a single day since April 8.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
Basketball is something of a Johnson family business. Sandy, the matriarch, played at the University of Illinois. Bernard, the patriarch, was on the court at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. Their eldest daughter, Tai, is a sophomore guard at Bucknell University. Now their youngest daughter, Alek, a senior guard on the Mars girls basketball team, will soon join the college ranks. “(My parents) have been very encouraging,” Alek Johnson said.
Serving the Cranberry Twp, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople areas
JACKSON TWP — Tori Fowler is back out on the volleyball court again. There's a spring in her step — and the familiar spring when she goes up for a kill. It hasn't always been like that for Fowler. Not for a long time. It started two years ago when she landed awkwardly on her right foot. Her ankle buckled and she missed the entire season with the Pitt Elite club volleyball team. Then last season before a scrimmage, she came down on a teammate's foot during warmups and dislocated her left ankle.
Open Mike Eagle
Open Mike Eagle Episode Summary Finish up your homework and treat yourself to this week's episode with our latest Boy of Summer, Open Mike Eagle (What Had Happened Was), who talks with JV about freestyling, endless schoolbus rides, dusty cities and more! Episode Notes Finish up your homework and treat yourself to this week's episode with our latest Boy of Summer, Open Mike Eagle (What Had Happened Was), who talks with JV about freestyling, endless schoolbus rides, dusty cities and more! If...
Wolf lifts spectator ban for sports - with a caveat
The student section of the Butler High School Football team greets the team prior to the 2019 season opener. Butler Eagle File Photo Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday lifted the ban on spectators at high school sporting events this fall — with a rather large caveat. The strict limits on crowd sizes remain in effect, rendering the new guidance from the governor’s office largely moot for some sports.
Academy aims to build skill, promote basketball fun
Knoch junior basketball guard Ryan Lang shuffles from side to side while dribbling two basketballs at the Pittsburgh Basketball Academy in Freeport. SEB FOLTZ/BUTLER EAGLE FREEPORT Grace Sollis sees it as a badge of honor. She first struggled with one of Rob McNabb's grueling basketball shooting drills called the Xavier at the Pittsburgh Basketball Academy run by McNabb, the head boys basketball coach at Knoch. Now she can complete it with regularity.
Tailgating relatives welcome new family member
Annie Hegedus in the foreground with Emily Hegedus to her right and Mike Hegedus behind them. Eric Jankiewicz/Butler Eagle BUTLER TWP — They stared at a window, waiting for a sign. Any sign. As the anticipation built, Annie Hegedus covered her mouth and muttered excitedly to herself. Emily Hegedus jumped up and down nervously. The sisters and newly minted aunts were about to find out if they were going to spoil a boy or a girl.
Pillar of rural northern Butler County first victim of COVID-19
He was an expert at steer hazing. He judged rodeos for nearly 50 years. He was one of the most ardent supporters of Moniteau High School athletics and his friends and family say no one ever uttered a bad word about him. He was 81-year-old Bill Slater, and Wednesday he became Butler County's first casualty of the coronavirus. “It was a total shock,” said Dee (Slater) Arblaster, the youngest of Slater's four children.
Center Township baseball fields vandalized
CENTER TWP — Allen Hoehn found a disturbing scene when he delivered fertilizer Wednesday afternoon to the Center Township Athletic Association baseball complex. Vandals had broken into four of the facility's buildings, carved racial and homophobic slurs into wooden picnic tables, painted obscenities on buildings, pillaged food from the concession stand and removed equipment from a storage shed to hit a bucket of baseballs.
Beaconsfield slip up with promotion places in sight
Beaconsfield RFC threw away the chance to close the gap on the Southern Counties North play-off spot when they lost at home to promotion rivals Buckingham on Saturday. After a quick start to the game where Beaconsfield pushed the visitors back in their own half, they finished off the move with an early try from centre Dan Cady. This play continued for a while until Buckingham regained their composure, and after a couple of attacks they eventually went over on the left for a converted try.
Beaconsfield batter Bletchley to climb to third
Beaconsfield went up to third in Southern Counties North after earning themselves a comfortable win and bonus point over a side struggling at the bottom of the league in the shape of Bletchley. The home side began with some pressure, earning themselves a penalty, which they missed. Straight away, Beaconsfield took the attack to them, and a pass from Andy Galligan to Dan Cady on the left wing sent him over for the first try.
Beaconsfield serve up a festive treat in last game before Christmas
Christmas came early to Oak Lodge Meadow on Saturday when Beaconsfield, entertaining a young Stow-on-the-Wold side, came away convincing winners in the last league game before the festive break. The game began with two early tries, the first from Callum Wilkinson shortly followed by one from returning player Chris Creak.
Beaconsfield suffer derby defeat at Marlow
Beaconsfield RFC'S recent winning streak came to an end with a 23-14 derby defeat at Marlow on Saturday. The hosts opened up a 10-point lead through a penalty and a try before Druju Labri took the ball into Marlow's 22 but was eventually tackled. From the line out, Beaconsfield got to within five metres and kept Marlow pinned down, but were not able to score.
Beaconsfield take derby bragging rights over High Wycombe
A bonanza of tries saw Beaconsfield RFC take the M40 bragging rights with a 39-8 win at High Wycombe on Saturday. It also meant they secured a fourth win in a row, taking them up them to third in the Southern Counties North ahead of this weekend's game against the team above them in second, Marlow. Beaconsfield began strongly with an early try from centre Freddie Pugh, but although Wycombe drew level with a try and took the lead with a penalty, that was as good as it got for the hosts.
Five-star Labri with a nap hand as Beaconsfield run riot
Beaconsfield moved up to fourth position in the Southern Counties North league when they comprehensively beat Gosford All Blacks on Saturday. In an entertaining high scoring game, the home side cemented their run of recent games with some good open rugby, again featuring their two wingers. Beaconsfield began strongly, containing the visitors before scoring their first try on the right wing from a strong run by Todd Morgan.
Labri impresses as Beaconsfield win at Buckingham
Beaconsfield produced an excellent result when they travelled away to fourth-placed Buckingham on Saturday, which left them equal on 16 points. Always an unpredictable game, Beaconsfield took control early in the game and kept the lead throughout the match. After initial pressure from the home side, Beaconsfield took control with a good move down the left wing giving the ball to winger Druju Labri, who then had to beat two men before he went over for the first try, conversion taken.
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