Shaler Area Athletics

Shaler wins the season opener against Ambridge! Our two leaders were Lexi Trischler, who posted an impressive 46, and Katelyn Bann, with a 49. Both ladies put together strong rounds, highlighted by impressive driving and putting. Gianna Salitrik was close behind with a 51, showcasing some monster drives throughout her round. Rounding out the team were Abbey Lisanti and Samantha Bann, who both displayed great chipping and putting. Congratulations to the entire team on a fantastic start to the season!

Shaler falls to Seneca Valley in a competitive match. Leading the way for Shaler were Lexi Trischler, and Gianna Saltric, who carded a strong round. All of the ladies put together solid performances, highlighted by consistent driving and impressive putting.

Shaler falls to Pine-Richland Our two leaders were Lexi Trischler, who posted a 53, and Katelyn Bann, who carded a 55. Both ladies continue to put together strong rounds, highlighted by impressive driving and putting. Gianna Salitrik was close behind with a 59 and continues to display great driving throughout her rounds. Rounding out the team were Abbey Lisanti and Samantha Bann, who both displayed great chipping and putting. The team continues to show improvement and strong effort throughout each match.

Shaler Area Titans Middle School Girls Soccer Opens Season with Convincing 3-0 Road Win Over North Hills ROSS TOWNSHIP, PA — The Shaler Area Titans middle school girls' soccer team kicked off their season in dominant fashion, securing a decisive 3-0 victory over rival neighbors, the North Hills Indians, at Reis Run field. The Titans' offense found its rhythm early in the match. Rowan Hoying opened the scoring for the season, cleanly running onto a perfectly placed through ball from Ivy Veshio to put Shaler Area ahead 1-0. Shaler Area carried that momentum directly into the second half. Early in the period, midfielder Addie Inscho delivered a sharp pass to Rowan Hoying, who found the back of the net for her second goal of the match. The Titans extended their lead to 3-0 later in the half when Francesca Prati alertly tapped in a ball in front of the net, following a strong buildup play from McDonough Hoying. While the offense clicked, the Titans' backline proved to be an impenetrable wall. Max Snead and Gwen Guenther anchored a stellar defensive core that limited the North Hills attack to just four shots on goal on their home turf. When the Indians did break through, goalkeeper Charlotte Levin was extremely active in the box, making key plays to preserve her first shutout of the young season. With a strong performance on both sides of the ball, the Titans start the year 1-0 and build immediate momentum for the weeks ahead.

An own goal caused a 1-0 loss with a few minutes left in the half

Ben Zheng scored with a minute left to shrink the deficit.

Goals scored by Liam McClean (4), Drew McDermott, Ian Talbert, and Evander Veshio.

Shaler's varsity girls' tennis team showcased impressive depth in its doubles lineup during a competitive 3-2 season-opening loss to playoff contender Butler. The Titans were anchored by dominant performances on the doubles courts and a spirited effort at No. 1 singles, where senior Brooke Bankowski battled to a 4-6, 1-6 result against Butler's top-seeded player. Bankowski's tenacious play kept her opponent off-balance, keeping Shaler within striking distance throughout the match. She returned serve effectively, minimized unforced errors, and utilized the entire court to challenge her opponent. A three-year contributor at both singles and doubles, Bankowski's game continues to evolve as she prepares to face the section's elite talent. Shaler’s major breakthroughs came at doubles, led by seniors Grace Grabowski and Grace Fischer, who secured a gutsy 6-1, 6-4 victory at the No. 1 position. The duo raced to an early lead behind strong serves and powerful returns before the match was halted due to a Butler injury. Following the lengthy delay, the teams traded games until the Titans' experience ultimately prevailed. The coaching staff was particularly impressed by how "The Amazing Graces" stayed focused despite the interruption. With Team No. 1 Grabowski paired alongside co-captain Fischer, Shaler boasts one of the section’s most formidable doubles tandems. The No. 2 doubles team of Lucy McClean and Philomina Tortorea also provided a significant boost, with the junior pairing earning a straight-set victory in their varsity debuts. McClean and Tortorea proved to be a highly athletic and coachable unit; McClean’s net presence and baseline agility complemented Tortorea’s aggressive style of play perfectly. In exhibition play, the No. 3 doubles team of co-captain Natalia Villella and partner Caitlyn Raehn edged their Butler counterparts with a 6-4 win. The seniors bring valuable leadership and athleticism to the roster, proving they can step into the varsity lineup whenever needed. At No. 2 and No. 3 singles, juniors Kaitlyn Bann and Emily Stevens gained vital experience in starting roles. Bann, known for having one of the hardest shots on the team, continues to impress coaches with her raw power. Meanwhile, Stevens used a methodical, consistent approach well suited to the No. 3 singles slot.

The Titans close out the pre-season with a 0-0 tie. 8th Grader Charlotte Levins was key in keeping the Mustangs scoreless by making 11 saves.

Misael Davis scored on a header from a cross. Nick Druga kept a clean sheet.

Goals scored by: Jeff Panautai (2) Tyler Shaw Noah Fine Jack Rios Clean sheet by David Pilarski

Shaler Falls to Mars Shaler fell to Mars in a competitive match. Leading the way for Shaler was Lexi Trischler, who posted a 52, followed by Katelyn Bann and Samantha Bann, who both carded a 55. All three continue to put together strong rounds, highlighted by impressive driving and putting. Rounding out the team were newcomers Ian Podgorski, Zoe Leo, and Concetta Letters. All three displayed great chipping and putting throughout their rounds. The team continues to show improvement and strong effort with each match.

Goals by Hunter Dembowski (2), Davis Lopez, Liam McClean, Luca Saltrik, Sawyer Summers, Ian Talbert

Although, the Titans went into the half with a 14-3 lead. The Butler Golden Tornado accounted for 14 unanswered points and went on to a 17-14 win at Art Bernardi Stadium on Friday night. Senior Defensive Back Calil Forbes led the defense with two interceptions, one being a 46 yard return for a touchdown in the first half. Jayden Conrad would add another interception and Defensive Tackle Vinny Jordan would lead the team with six tackles for the Titans. On offense Quarterback Trey Kostorick led the Titan offense going 8-10 for 107 yards and a 63 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brayden Witkowski.

Goal by Aven Bianchi assisted by Delia Arrigo

Goal by Ruby Petrush assisted by Sydney Huerbin. Goal by Lily Sciulli assisted by Ruby Petrush

Tie

Goals: Tyler Shaw, Noah Fine

Shaler's strength at doubles was on display again in a 3-2 non-section match against Aquinas Academy. The Titans notched victories on Doubles Courts 1-3, with Grace Grabowski and Grace Fischer leading the way. "The Amazing Graces" pushed their early-season record to 2-0 behind tremendous teamwork, with Grace Fischer dominating with her lean-in forehand and Grabowski flexing muscle with a powerful serve and several overhead slams. The 6-0, 6-1 win sets up a showdown with Seneca Valley, a sectional team that is known for its aggressive doubles style. At No. 2 doubles, juniors Philomena Tortorea and Lucy McClean won again in straight sets (6-2, 6-1). Following a slow start, the girls' athleticism tilted the match in Shaler's favor. Philomena's full-court style and Lucy's steady baseline play were key in the victory. Much is left to be decided about the 2026 Titans, but Philomena and Lucy have proven they will be big factors. Seniors Natalia Villella and Caitlyn Raehn won their fourth straight exhibition, which will lead to more opportunities as the season progresses. Natalia and Caitlyn are scheduled to make a start at No. 2 doubles against Seneca, with Philomena and Lucy moving to singles for the match. At No. 1 singles, senior Brooke Bankowski played another tremendous match in a 6-4, 6-1 defeat. Brooke's Top Court play has given Shaler a chance in each of their official matches, though her play against Aquinas was superior to her first effort. Regardless of the result, Brooke will be a difficult out for anyone she plays. Juniors Katelynn Bann and Emily Stevens made their second starts at 2-3 singles. Both showed signs of improvement as the Titans look for an elusive singles point. Emily will pair with newcomer Kortney Remley at No. 3 doubles at Seneca. Freshmen Mila Wilson and Samantha Bann won a doubles exhibition that impressed the coaches. Both are expected to be a big part of next year's squad -- along with several Young Bucks -- as Shaler Tennis looks to replace 10 seniors.

Goal by Adelayde Paladin, assisted by Etta Warner. Goal by Etta Warner, assisted by Deliah Arrigo

Goals scored by Mario Martinez and Misael Davis

Goal scored by Alex Gaetano

Shaler earns its second win of the season in a very competitive match against Butler! Leading the way for Shaler were Lexi Trischler and Samantha Bann, who both posted impressive rounds of 48. Both ladies put together strong performances, highlighted by impressive driving and putting. Katelyn Bann was close behind with a 58, showcasing some monster drives throughout her round. Rounding out the team was Abbey Lisanti, who displayed great chipping and putting throughout her round. Congratulations to the entire team on earning their second win of the season!

The Shaler Area Middle School cross country team had their first meet at home yesterday against Avonworth. The girls came out strong and won the meet 16-43. (Lowest score wins.) The boys also had a great meet, but despite their best efforts, they fell to Avonworth 41-20. Everyone had a great start to the season!

Shaler Area's coed varsity cross country team competed in the North Park 3K on September 2, 2026, with strong performances across the roster. William Balzer led the team with a time of 12:57, followed closely by Andrew Mainiero at 13:01 and Gavin Morrow at 13:28. The pack continued to build depth with solid efforts from Nate McDermott (13:40), Brady Watkins (13:50), Theo Snead (15:45), Eytan Cochran (15:09), and Ben Bartolowits (15:09). Emily Hennen paced the female runners with a time of 16:40, while Blake Hogan (16:07), Ethan Mainiero (19:23), and Olivia Fitzpatrick (19:50) rounded out the team's finish.

Lady Titans Fall in Late-Game Heartbreaker at North Allegheny The Shaler Area Middle School Titans came out firing against North Allegheny, striking first just minutes into the match. Rowan Hoying opened the scoring with a sharp short-side finish after a well-placed pass from Adeline Inscho. The Titans’ defense held strong, keeping the Tigers off the board through the first half. Early in the second half, North Allegheny found the equalizer, but Shaler quickly answered. Just five minutes later, Inscho buried a feed from Rowan Hoying to reclaim the lead. For much of the half, it looked as though the Titans would remain unbeaten. However, the closing minutes told a different story. North Allegheny capitalized on late opportunities, netting two goals in the final. Despite the setback, the Lady Titans showed grit, skill, and the kind of chemistry that promises more strong performances ahead.

Shaler Area's middle school football team opened its season with a scrimmage against Seneca Valley Black, showcasing several positive performances throughout the contest. The Titans demonstrated solid execution on both sides of the ball and are building momentum as they prepare for their official season opener. Shaler Area will face North Allegheny Ingomar/Carson on Wednesday, September 9th at 7:30 p.m. in their first regular season game.

Huge congratulations to both the seventh and eighth grade volleyball teams on their first in season win!! Seventh grade took care of business winning two sets. Eighth grade followed in a similar manner starting the first set off with a strong victory of 25 to 8! Go Titans!

Shaler falls to North Allegheny. All of the ladies put together solid performances, highlighted by consistent driving and impressive putting throughout the match. Sportsmanship was a big part of today’s competition, and our ladies represented Shaler with true excellence. We are proud of the way they competed, supported one another, and showed respect for their opponents.

Goals scored by Liam McClean.

Shaler wins against Ambridge! Shaler picked up its third win of the season with a hard-fought victory over Ambridge. It was a close and competitive match played in soggy conditions, but the ladies battled through the elements and came away with the win. Our two leaders were Lexi Trischler, who posted an impressive 51, and Katelyn Bann, with a 53. Both ladies put together strong rounds, highlighted by impressive driving and putting. Rounding out the team were Abbey Lisanti and Samantha Bann, who both displayed great chipping and putting. Congratulations to the entire team on a great win! Go Shaler!

Top Offensive Performer: QB Jayden Conrad; 11-20 108 yards 1 TD, 108 yards rushing, 2 TDS. Top Defensive Performer: LB Jack Glaser; 8 tackles, 2 TKFL, 1 Forced Fumble

The Titans fell to the Rams in Richland Township. Pine Richland scored all 4 goals in the second half.

Goal by Matt Marsula

Shaler falls to Seneca Valley in a competitive match. Leading the way for Shaler were Lexi Trischler, who posted an impressive score of 51, and Katelyn Bann, who carded a 52. Abbey Lisanti and Samantha Bann were close behind, both showcasing some monster drives throughout their rounds. Rounding out the team were Zoe Leo, Ian Podgorski, and Concetta Letters, who all displayed great chipping and putting. The team continues to show strong effort and improvement throughout the season.

The Titan girls won against Hampton on September 9th in their second home meet of the season with a score of 19-36 (lowest score wins in cross country.) Rose Byrne, Hayden DeMino, and Hannah Lutz rounded out the top three scoring positions, securing a guaranteed win for the ladies. Overall, ten girls ran personal best times. The boys were close to a victory, but came up just short of the win with a score of 35-24. Top runners included Brendan Liptak, Kicking Bear Coe, and Joey Kroll, but seven boys ran personal best times.

Unfortunate loss for 7th grade but a lot of effort and hard work left out there on the court. Girls are looking better each game! Huge congratulations to the 8th grade girls middle school volleyball team who beat North Allegheny yesterday at our home opener!! Shout out to Aubrey Culmer for her set 3 serving run! Go Titans!

Second half comeback. Goals by Liam McClean and Ian Talbert.

The Titans traveled to North Allegheny on Wednesday night and struck first with a 60-yard touchdown pass from JP Ryan to Cullen McKay, followed by a successful two-point conversion when Colton Babiak connected with Johnny Jones for the score. North Allegheny answered immediately on the ensuing kickoff with a touchdown return and converted their own two-point attempt. After the Titans punted on their next possession, the Titans defense forced a punt from the Tigers, setting up a third drive that featured strong execution from quarterback Ryan along with running backs Logan Wierzbinski and Brody McGorry, supported by offensive linemen Jase Bugel and Bear Blank. The Titans advanced to the North Allegheny 9-yard line before thunderstorms forced the game to be cancelled. The Titans will return to action on Wednesday, September 16, when they travel to Seneca Valley for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

Shaler falls to Pine-Richland. Our three leaders were Lexi Trischler, who posted an impressive 49, Katelyn Bann, who carded a 55, and Samantha Bann, who finished with a 58. All three continue to put together strong rounds, highlighted by impressive driving and putting. The team continues to show improvement and strong effort throughout each match.

Mars, Pennsylvania - The Titans struck early with a goal from Rowan Hoying. This propelled the ladies to play out of this world in netting two more goals before half. Hadley Mares finished a cross from Rowan Hoying and Ivy Veshio finished a pass from Maya Waruszewski. In the second half, Addy Inscho blasted a shot past the Planet's goalie which was set up from hard work from Emmy Nichols. Defensively, the crew of Reese Nichols, Laiken Dornetto, Max Snead, Gwen Guenther, and Francesca Billings played incredible in front of goalie Charlotte Levins who finished with 5 saves in protecting the win.

The Titans traveled to West Allegheny on Thursday and secured a victory behind a dominant defensive performance and explosive second-half offensive execution. The Titans defense generated three turnovers that provided excellent field position for the offense throughout the game. Running back Dylan Conner led the offensive charge with two rushing touchdowns in the second half, benefiting from outstanding blocking by linemen Chase Martuseavich, Kashton Wolff, and Greyson Dewitt. Shaler Area will return to action on Wednesday, September 16, when the team travels to face Seneca Valley.

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Goals by Naudia Zotter and Deliah Arrigo. Shutout by Livia Ryan

Unfortunate loss for the seventh grade girls middle school volleyball team. But each game they are looking better!! Congratulations to another win for the eighth grade girls middle school volleyball team! Shout out to Meela June for her off blocker defense in the second set! Go Titans!

The Shaler Area girls golf team finished up a busy week by posting its best team score of the season on Friday afternoon at Suncrest golf course. After a match with Seneca Valley on Wed and an 18-hole tournament on Thur, the girls posted their fourth win on the season by beating Butler 209-224. The 209 was the best team score for the Lady Titans this season. Katie Bann and Lexi Trischler both shot 51 but Sammi Bann led the Lady Titans with a 50 which included an impressive 25-foot downhill one-putt on #7. Abbey Lisanti contributed to the victory with the only birdie of the day for either team with her 3 on the par four 6th hole.

Goals by Nick Christy, Liam McClean (2), and Drew McDermott

Top Offensive Performer: WR Luke Glaser 3-51 YARD TD Top Defensive Performer: DE Evan Yeckel —9 Tackles 2 TKFL, 1 Pass deflection, 1 QB Pressure

Goals by Nick Chrissy, Davi Lopes, Liam McClean (2), Joe Murphy, Ian Talbert, and Evander Veshio.

Number 1 Seneca Valley who averages 8 goals per game and has yet to give up a goal beat our Titans 6-0. Goalie Charlotte Levins finished the match with 16 saves.

Shaler 2-1 over Hampton. Goals by Etta Warner and Aven Bianchi.

The Lady Titans golf team teed off against North Allegheny in one of the nicest weather days of the season at Suncrest. Unfortunately for the Lady Titans, they weren’t able to build on the momentum from their last round at Suncrest when they shot a season low 209, but even that wouldn’t have beaten the Tigers on Tuesday as NA prevailed 192-226. Lexi Trischler posted the low round for the Titans with a 48. Other highlights from the match included Katie Bann’s tap in par on #3 after almost chipping in for a birdie and Concetta Letters’ great chip shot on # 5.

Brooke Bankowski beat Moon 10-2, and Grace Grabowski beat Seneca Valley 10-6

The Titans dominated Seneca Valley on Wednesday afternoon with a dominant 50-0 victory. Quarterback JP Ryan led the offensive assault with four touchdowns, including two rushing and two passing, while teammates Cullen McKay, Bryson DeFiore, Colton Babiak, Brody McGorry, and Dylan Conner each added rushing or receiving touchdowns. Ryan, Babiak, and Conner also contributed on two-point conversion attempts, and kicker Carson Mitchell connected on 2 of 3 extra points. The offensive line anchored by Killian McMahon, Blake Schaffer, Jase Bugel, Bear Blank, Meco Smith, Damian Libbon, Kolten Kramer, Lukas Kruth, Noah Allen, and tight end Xavier Fitzpatrick provided the foundation for the explosive performance. The Titans' defense was equally impressive, recording a shutout behind strong team tackling and key plays from cornerback Anthony Tamburino, who recorded a sack, and cornerback Mason Holko, who intercepted a pass. With a record of 2-0-1, Shaler Area will host North Hills on Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 p.m.

Shaler Area's coed varsity cross country team competed against Pine-Richland on September 6, 2026, with Patrick Morrow leading the squad in 18:58. William Balzer finished second for Shaler in 21:55, followed by Andrew Mainiero at 22:17 and Nate McDermott at 22:25. Brady Watkins completed the top five with a time of 23:34, while additional contributors included Gavin Morrow (27:56), Eytan Cochran (25:43), Ben Bartolowits (26:23), Ben Dedrick (25:22), Blake Hogan (27:38), Theo Snead (28:17), Ethan Mainiero (30:15), and Olivia Fitzpatrick (37:19).

North Allegheny won against both Shaler Area and North Hills in the first tri-meet of the season. No final scores were shared, but the timing results were posted to indicate that North Allegheny won both the boys and girls races. However, 21 total Shaler Area athletes earned personal best times for the season despite a challenging course, and 5 of those athletes dropped a minute or more from their best times earlier this season. Please cheer on the Titans at their final home meet of the season on Wednesday, September 23rd.

Shaler 3-0 over Knoch. Goals by Etta Warner, Sydney Huerbin, and Melina Poliziani.

Shaler Area's boys middle school soccer team fell to Plum in a closely contested match. Hunter Dembowski delivered a strong performance in goal, making several key saves throughout the game that kept the Titans competitive from start to finish.

Goals by Ben Zheng and Evan Koch

Goals by Jeff Panautai and Alex Gaetano

Goal by Ruby Petrush

Shaler Area 2-0 over North Hills Goals by Naudia Zotter and Adelayde Paladin. Shutout by Livia Ryan

Unfortunate loss for the 7th grade team but the girls still played hard all the way until the last whistle! Huge congratulations to the 8th grade team on their 2-0 set win!! The girls came out with lots of energy and ready to play!! Go Titans!

Shaler Area's varsity cross country team competed against Seneca Valley and North Hills on September 29, 2026, with Patrick Morrow leading the effort in 19:13. William Balzer finished in 22:32, followed closely by Andrew Mainiero at 21:48 and Nate McDermott at 22:51. Brady Watkins, Gavin Morrow, and Eytan Cochran rounded out the scoring positions with times of 25:00, 23:25, and 25:24 respectively. Additional runners Ben Dedrick, Blake Hogan, Theo Snead, and Olivia Fitzpatrick contributed to the team's performance with times of 29:17, 28:32, 28:45, and 34:00.

Shaler Cross Country Shows Major Improvement at Section Championships The Shaler Area Cross Country team returned to North Park on Tuesday, October 6, for the Section Championship meet and turned in some of its strongest performances of the season as the Titans enter the championship portion of their schedule. The Shaler boys finished with a team time of 1:44:52 and an average scoring time of 20:59, with several runners recording season-best performances. Patrick Morrow led the Titans with an outstanding 18:02, his fastest 5K of the season and a significant improvement from his previous season best of 18:49. Shaler's next group produced several impressive performances. Gavin Morrow continued his tremendous progression this season, running 21:06. Gavin began the 5K portion of the season at 27:56 and has continued to lower his time throughout the year. Andrew Mainiero finished in 21:13, followed closely by William Balzer in 21:30, Nate McDermott in 21:58, and Brady Watkins in 22:06. The group provided Shaler with one of its strongest and deepest performances of the season. Further down the lineup, Eytan Cochran recorded a season-best 24:24, while Blake Hogan finished in 25:56 and Ethan Mainiero completed the course in 30:35. On the girls' side, Olivia Fitzpatrick continued her season-long improvement with a 31:55, dropping more than two minutes from her previous 5K performance. Shaler Team Results In the compiled Section Championship scoring, Shaler competed against seven section opponents: Pine-Richland defeated Shaler, 18-45 North Allegheny defeated Shaler, 15-50 Butler defeated Shaler, 15-50 Seneca Valley defeated Shaler, 15-50 Pittsburgh Central Catholic defeated Shaler, 17-46 Mars Area defeated Shaler, 16-47 North Hills defeated Shaler, 15-50 Despite the challenging team results against a strong section field, the individual performances demonstrated the progress the Titans have made throughout the season. Shaler's scoring group continues to close the gap, with multiple runners producing their best races when it mattered most. The Titans now turn their attention toward the postseason and the TSTCA Championships at White Oak Park on October 22, followed by the WPIAL Championships at White Oak Park on October 29.

It was a great fit for both teams. 7th and 8th grade showed great growth throughout the season and really came ready to play against Pine Richland. It was a tough loss but we are appreciate all the fans that came out to support the Titans.

Great job by our JV team this season to close out the year with a big win!

Goals by: Stromoski (2) and Fine

Shaler Area's coed varsity cross country team competed at the TSTCA Championships held at White Oak Park on October 22, 2026. Patrick Morrow led the squad with a time of 18:01, while teammate Gavin Morrow finished with a time of 20:59. Eytan Cochran completed the race in 24:45, contributing to the team's effort at the championship event.

A hard fought battle by the Titans resulted in a 2-1 loss to the #2 seed Panthers. The Titans goal was scored by Alex Gaetano early in the second half. The Panthers boast a decorated rosters loaded with All-Section, All-WPIAL, and All-American talent, but the Titans didn't care. They left everything on the field and almost pulled off the upset while missing 3 key players due to injury. A promising season is over, but there is plenty to look forward to in 2027! Go Titans!

Shaler Area 2-0 over Thomas Jefferson Goals by: Etta Warner (assisted by Naudia Zotter) Lily Trgovic (assisted by Ava Cieslak) Shutout by Livia Ryan (10th of the season)

Shaler Area's cross country team competed at the WPIAL Championships held at White Oak Park on October 29, 2026, with several runners achieving personal records. Patrick Morrow led the effort with a time of 17:51, followed by William Balzer at 20:44, Andrew Mainiero at 20:52, Nate McDermott at 20:56, and Brady Watkins at 21:47. Morrow, Balzer, Mainiero, and Watkins all recorded personal bests in their performances at the WPIAL championship meet.