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Leroux, Webber Lead South Fayette to 2nd Straight WPIAL 5A Championship

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2 months ago

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PITTSBURGH — The highest two groups in Class 5A Women’ basketball didn’t face one another all season till when it mattered essentially the most in March. No. 1 South Fayette boasted the most effective protection within the classification whereas No. 2  Oakland Catholic owned the highest offense as the 2 squads took heart stage on the Pete.

Led by championship expertise from a 12 months in the past, South Fayette (24-2) pulled away from the Oakland Catholic Eagles (22-4) to say the 5A title for the second consecutive season, 64-49.

With a second championship title, it sends the proficient senior class off on a excessive notice within the WPIAL.

“It means loads, particularly as a result of we’re seniors and we actually needed to get it,” Rachel Black mentioned. 

As anticipated, the Lions noticed massive contributions from Maddie Webber and Ava Leroux. The 2 teammates have performed almost their who lives collectively as their affect was felt towards Oakland Catholic with Leroux scoring 17 and Webber pouring in 16.

“Experiencing one thing like that is actually necessary to us and makes us stronger,” Webber mentioned.

Making a run again to the Pete for the second straight 12 months modified how staff’s approached South Fayette, which altered the Lions’ mentality.

“We’ve been the hunted all 12 months this 12 months,” South Fayette head coach Bryan Bennett mentioned. “We discovered in December that there’s no nights off anymore and there’s a goal on our again. We’re blessed to be right here for 2 consecutive years.”

Oakland Catholic tried to trace down the Lions and spoil a repeat evening. The sport began as a back-and-forth scoring affair. Neither staff settled into the motive force seat, however Oakland Catholic obtained a push from its star, senior Alexa Washington. 

Washington pushed the tempo of play within the first half for the Eagles as she totaled 16 factors. The North Florida commit showcased her abilities together with a clean eurostep and end which tied the sport earlier than the Eagles took the eventual lead.

“I believe us attending to the basket was laborious for [South Fayette] to protect. We now have a fast first step on our staff,” Washington mentioned.

As each groups saved it tight, South Fayette needed to combat by some foul hassle with its high participant. Late within the first quarter, Maddie Webber picked up her second foul and spent a majority of the second quarter on the bench.

“We felt that if we may trip out and preserve the sport shut it was higher to maintain her on the bench and forestall a 3rd foul,” Bennett mentioned. “Thankfully we have now loads of proficient children that stepped up within the second quarter that saved the sport shut. I do know we have been down two on the half, however that was the absolute best final result we may have.”

With Webber trying on from the sidelines, each Ava Leroux and Ryan Oldaker, who got here off the bench for Webber, dropped 4 factors every for the Lions earlier than the quarters’ finish.

“I belief my teammates a lot,” Webber mentioned. “I do know they’re nice gamers, nevertheless it was laborious watching it since you need to be on the court docket.”

“I knew that Maddie was an enormous contributor to the sport,” Leroux added. “I knew we needed to step up as a staff, so I attempted to do the most effective I may. Do what I may management, field out, get rebounds and do the little issues to contribute.”

Trailing by two factors, South Fayette entered the second half and began to grab momentum with Webber again on the ground. The Lions outscored the Eagles 16-8 within the third quarter.

“I instructed them at halftime that I didn’t assume we performed very nicely within the first half,” Bennett mentioned. “Oakland took us out of it and obtained us a bit bit rattled. At halftime, we regrouped and refocused and we performed our recreation within the second half.”

Because the power shifted to the Lions, additionally they fed off of an impressive recreation cleansing up the glass. South Fayetter managed the board, out-rebounding Oakland Catholic 39-18. Leroux registered 13 of these rebounds on the way in which to her double-double effort.

For Oakland Catholic, the scale and athleticism of Leroux (6-foot-3) and Webber (5-foot-11) turned an excessive amount of to deal with.

“It was positively laborious,” Oakland Catholic senior Jill Gallo, who added 10 rebounds herself, mentioned. “I really feel like I ought to’ve been anticipating their fakes. I really feel like general we’re a stronger staff than them bodily, they’re simply actually quick.” 

All through the season, South Fayette has relied on its rebounding and protection – permitting 37 factors per recreation – and because the Lions pulled away, the protection shut the door.

Whatever the final result, Eagles’ coach Eddie Benton, Jr. was pleased with his staff’s accomplishments.

“We have been 22-3 for a cause,” Benton Jr. mentioned. “We consider in every part that we do and we have been simply apprehensive about us being the most effective staff we could possibly be and immediately simply wasn’t sufficient. There’s going to be many extra occasions in our life when it’s not sufficient, and people are the teachings these younger girls get to study.”

Together with Washington’s efficiency, Rachel Haver poured in 15 of her personal. Each Helena Hill and London Creach added seven. 

On the South Fayette aspect, Lainey Yeter dropped in 12. Junior Erica Corridor scored eight with freshman Ryan Oldaker including seven.



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2025 3-Star OL Jayden Clark Has Seen Pitt Relationship Develop Since Junior Day Go to

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1 day ago

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May 6, 2023

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Pitt jumped into Jayden Clark’s recruiting chase throughout his freshman season, but it surely went quiet for a bit. Till he made it out to Pitt’s Junior Day in January.

And since then, Clark — a 6-foot-5, 250-pound three-stat offensive deal with from Northmont Excessive in Clayton, Ohio — has seen his recruiting course of warmth up increasingly with Pitt.

“Me and my dad and mom cherished the teaching workers, the power, the place it’s situated, too,” Clark instructed PSN. “Every little thing was nice. The campus was nice, we didn’t see an excessive amount of of it as a result of it was extra simply seeing the power, but it surely was simply nice there.”

And the connection progressed even additional as Randy Bates prolonged Clark an official provide late final month.

“It feels nice,” Clark mentioned. “I’m blessed with that chance from coach Bates, and it feels nice.”

Pitt was truly the primary college that Clark talked to throughout his recruiting course of, so the connection has at all times been there, however ever since he rekindled the connection with a Junior Day go to, there’s been a brand new sense of precedence.

Since he’s a recruit within the class of 2025, Pitt’s workers hasn’t been allowed to straight attain out, not till June 15, however with a Junior Day go to and in going by means of the Northmont teaching workers, the connection has begun to bloom.

Bates, one among Pitt’s lead recruiters in Ohio, has been Clark’s predominant level of contact to date, and whereas the communication remains to be comparatively contemporary, the connection that he’s constructed with Clark and his household hasn’t gone unnoticed. That private reference to the Clark household means one thing.

At any time when Bates makes it out to Northmont, which has been the case a number of instances, as typically as Bates is ready, he chops it up with Clark. It’s relationship constructing.

And in persevering with to develop his relationship with Bates, studying increasingly about Pitt’s program, and seeing it for himself first hand on Junior Day, he’s been in a position to see how the tradition has contributed to success these days.

“I really feel prefer it’s a very good bond with them, actually good,” Clark mentioned. “I really feel like all people’s connecting, particularly with the gamers, as a result of the dorms are proper there, proper subsequent to the services, so it’s simply actually related there.

“Particularly with it being Pittsburgh, all people’s actually related over there. With that facet of it, I simply really feel prefer it’s a very good bond over there.”

As Clark grew up in Ohio, practically the whole lot he was Ohio State, however he appreciated what he noticed from Pitt. He likes it much more now after an amazing go to — and a slowly rising relationship with the teaching workers.

And Pitt likes what it sees in Clark as a giant, bodily offensive lineman. He’s heard how the workers likes his recreation, his approach and his aggression. He is aware of he has plenty of room to develop as a participant, however he additionally acknowledges that that’s the precise motive why Pitt likes him — to have the possibility to develop him over the following 4 years.

“I’d say I get my job achieved,” Clark mentioned. “Transfer my man from A to B, get my joh achieved, we get them touchdowns and we win video games. Easy, actually.”

247Sports charges Clark because the Thirty fifth-ranked offensive deal with and the Twenty seventh-ranked recruit from Ohio. Neither On3 nor Rivals has ranked him but, however that may change within the weeks and months to come back.

With gives from Bowling Inexperienced, Miami (Oh.), Pitt and Purdue, together with curiosity from Cincinnati, Duke and Minnesota, Clark’s recruiting course of is heating up. However Pitt is recruiting him perhaps the toughest.

As only a recruit within the class of 2025, solely a rising junior in highschool, he’s a methods away from having to slim down his recruiting chase, however Pitt has definitely been in a position to stand out within the early going.

“Simply that relationship with the coaches, their private relationship with my household, how they deal with me and the way I can present for them on the sphere, off the sphere and vice versa,” Clark mentioned.

“I’d say (Pitt is) on the upper finish. I’m nonetheless contemporary with the provide, as a result of I don’t have rather a lot, solely 4, however they’re on the upper finish for certain.



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Opening Faculty Soccer Betting Odds Do not View Pitt Very Favorably in 2023

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1 day ago

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May 6, 2023

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There are nonetheless 4 months till the 2023-24 faculty soccer season kicks off, however the powers that be at DraftKings and FanDuel aren’t excessive on Pitt’s possibilities as soon as it does.

The early betting odds for the 2023-24 season characteristic Pitt as a middle-of-the-road ACC squad, languishing in mediocrity with the likes of Syracuse and Duke. And its ACC championship odds are even worse.

DraftKings has set Pitt’s win whole in 2023 at 6.5, which is tied for sixth within the ACC with North Carolina State, Syracuse and Duke. Florida State (10), Clemson (9.5), North Carolina (8.5), Louisville (7.5) and Miami (7.5) all have increased projected win totals.

DraftKings has additionally set Pitt’s nationwide title odds at +20000, tied with the likes of Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Minnesota, Texas Tech and Louisville.

FanDuel has set its personal ACC championship odds, and Pitt is seventh (+2300) behind Florida State (+165), Clemson (+190), North Carolina (+650), Louisville (+1100), North Carolina State (+1500) and Miami (+2200).

FanDuel has additionally set Pitt +25000 to win the nationwide championship, tied with various groups that features Missouri, Tulane, UCF, West Virginia, Purdue, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Maryland and Illinois.

FanDuel has set Phil Jurkovec with +15000 odds to win the Heisman Trophy, tied, humorous sufficient, with new BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis.

However in a single way-too-early common season unfold, FanDuel holds Pitt as one-point favorites over West Virginia within the Yard Brawl on Sept. 16. Odds for or in opposition to are set at -110.

Pitt, in fact, is coming off a 9-4 season, ranked within the last AP Ballot for the second time in as many seasons, and whereas the roster sustained some main losses, there are many causes for optimism throughout all three phases of the group. Particularly on the defensive aspect of the soccer.

For those who really feel like Pitt has higher odds to win greater than six video games when the schedule options Wofford, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Florida State, Syracuse, Boston Faculty and Duke, you probably received’t have higher odds than now.



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Use the No-Danger BetMGM Promo Code for NBA, NHL, Kentucky Derby

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2 days ago

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May 5, 2023

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As we inch nearer to Summer time, the BetMGM promo code supply stays on the desk for bettors whereas the sports activities calendar is jam filled with postseason motion and a lot extra.

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Solely One NHL Recreation on Friday

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