Quite a week for local teams
Headline writing on the sports desk was pretty simple this week, simply needing the combination of win, celebrate and championship.
The Pittsburgh Penguins opened the week by 无毛视频渨inning无毛视频� the Stanley Cup 无毛视频渃hampionship无毛视频� for the second season in a row.
The afternoon before the Pens无毛视频� Cup-clinching game the Mount Pleasant softball team advanced to its first state 无毛视频渃hampionship无毛视频� with a 7-2 无毛视频渨in无毛视频� against defending Class AAA 无毛视频渃hampion无毛视频� Yough.
Then a couple hours later the West Greene softball team 无毛视频渨on无毛视频� a berth into a second-straight PIAA Class A 无毛视频渃hampionship无毛视频� with a 9-5 无毛视频渨in无毛视频� over DuBois Central Catholic.
Thursday无毛视频檚 paper brought the Penguins无毛视频� citywide (actually, regionwide) 无毛视频渃elebration无毛视频� with another fun-loving parade in the 无毛视频楤urgh and a preview detailing Mount Pleasant无毛视频檚 first trip to the state 无毛视频渃hampionship.无毛视频�
无毛视频淟ady Vikings win PIAA Class AAAA softball title无毛视频� greeted readers of Friday无毛视频檚 sports page.
I crafted that explanatory headline, although I should无毛视频檝e found a way to include escape artist because the Lady Vikings wiggled out of two bases-loaded, no-outs situations with only one run allowed.
Mount Pleasant starting pitcher Caroline Alincic had only one strikeout in the title game, but it completely turned the fifth inning around.
Jena Simmons sailed an Alincic inside pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam, but in foul territory. Simmons must无毛视频檝e still been thinking about her wayward blast when she struck out looking.
Alincic then closed the threat with a short fly ball to left and a comebacker to the mound.
Mount Pleasant committed unlikely back-to-back mental errors in the sixth inning to create another bases-loaded situation with no outs.
Alincic wriggled out of another jam with a solid play by third baseman Chloe Poulich, a sliding grab of a sinking line drive by Ava Gnibus that brought home the only run, and a heart-stopping routine pop fly to shortstop Christiana Czegan that was lost in the sun but found in time to close out the threat.
Lauren Shaheen not only coached the Lady Vikings to their first state title, but did so in front of her high school coach, Hempfield无毛视频檚 Bob Kalp. The Lady Spartans then went out and defeated Hazleton Area, 5-3, for the Class AAAAAA championship.
(On a personal aside, what a miserable trip home. Two waves of rain between Nittany Lion Softball Park and New Alexandria. Then, hindsight being what it is, I should无毛视频檝e opted to come home via Route 119 because when I made it to Toll 66, a rain fell like, wow. Fortunately, few others were on the road and I managed to slosh my way home, unscathed.)
The department now caps the week with two champions on Friday, the West Greene softball team after a stirring come-from-behind 9-8 无毛视频渨in无毛视频� over Williams Valley in the PIAA Class A 无毛视频渃hampionship无毛视频� and Connellsville无毛视频檚 Madison Wiltrout无毛视频檚 无毛视频渢itle无毛视频� in the girls javelin at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
Yep, quite a week for wins, celebrations and championships.