By: Ray Fisher


Sunday, February 2, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Quaker Valley hockey team and coach Kevin Quinn won the 500th game in program history Dec. 2 in a 6-2 decision against Chartiers Valley at Mt. Lebanon Ice Arena.

“We enjoyed the moment as a program,” said Quinn, the first and only coach of the QV hockey program. “It has been a great journey together: the players, parents, school and community. I have enjoyed every minute of it.

“My focus however, remained on the current season and this year’s team. So we all moved on quickly to our next challenge.”

Junior forward Max Modrovich scored twice for the Quakers. Junior defenseman Jacob Keisel and junior forwards Ben McHenry, Colin York and Jace Vasbinder tacked on a goal apiece.

“I feel like we are tightly bonded as a team,” Keisel said, “and have all the tools to be championship caliber. My expectation is to make a deep run in the playoffs and, ultimately, win the Pens Cup.”

Matthias Lezama and Luke Koehler had an assist each in the milestone victory, and senior Landon Buterbaugh was the winning goalkeeper, stopping 31 of 33 shots.

Modrovich, Vasbinder, McHenry, Keisel, Buterbaugh and junior GK Ian Lorang were selected for this year’s PIHL All-Star showcase event.

Keisel has been chosen all three years of his varsity career.

“It’s always a great honor to be selected to the all-star game,” he said. “I was especially excited to participate in it with my fellow teammates in the junior class for the first time. I was excited that we were all recognized for our hard work and dedication.”

Modrovich leads the Quakers in scoring with 20 goals and 26 assists.

“I was very happy to get selected (as an all-star) this year,” he said. “This was my second time being selected but the first time I could go. I was really excited, and I had a great time.”

Modrovich’s outlook for the rest of the season mirrors Keisel’s.

He is looking for the Quakers to finish with an undefeated regular-season record and to win the Penguins Cup.

QV was awarded a 1-0 forfeit victory against Kiski Area on Jan. 20 to end the month with a PIHL Class A division-leading 16-0 record.

Swimmers adjust

Quaker Valley swim coach Mercedes McCarthy is looking for a healthy finish to the 2024-25 season.

“We are all dealing with the same weather issues,” she said, “which creates school closings, health issues, with flu and cold season, as any other team.

“Hopefully, our teams will stay healthy, and the weather will turn for the better as we head into the last of the dual meets racking up as many MAC and (WPIAL) cuts before the deadline.”

Depth is an issue for both QV squads, although the girls team won their first four section meets while the boys team captured three of four.

“We knew with such small numbers on the boys’ side that our focus needed to be on the first-place finish,” McCarthy said. “The boys really do an overall pretty good job of that.

“We have more depth on the girls’ side, but it still not what I would classify as a large team. They also do a pretty good job of landing those top point finishes.”

QV girls fall to OLSH

It rained 3-pointers Jan. 23 at the Quaker Valley gym.

And it almost turned into a hailstorm.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s girls basketball team sank 10 of 19 triples and socked host QV, 62-25, in a showdown of two of the top teams in Section 1-3A.

Seven players scored from 3-point territory for the visitors.

OLSH emerged from victory with a 10-0 section record and 15-2 overall. QV dipped to 6-4 and 8-8.

Senior guard Claudia Ierullo led the Chargers with a game-high 21 points and was complemented by junior forward Lola Garner with 12 points.

Mimi Thiero, a 6-5 junior guard/forward and Division I recruit, led QV with 13 points.

QV boys win pair

Freshman guard Nic Cohen scored 15 points, senior forward Dominic Cox-Giles had 14 and sophomore forward Kolton Johnson added 13 to lead Quaker Valley to a 71-39 boys basketball section win Jan. 24 against Ambridge.

The next day, the Quakers defeated Lincoln Park, 47-31, at the PBC Hall of Fame Classic at Ambridge behind Cohen’s 17 points.

QV ended the week 3-3 in Section 2-4A, a game behind Central Valley and Beaver, who were tied for second place. The Quakers, riding a four-game winning streak, also were 12-4 overall.

Eden Christian wins

Four players — all underclassmen — reached double figures for Eden Christian in a 78-64 section win Jan. 21 against Propel Braddock Hills.

Freshman guard Brady Salvia scored 21 points, senior forward James Wilkin scored 20, sophomore forward River Bartram netted 18 and sophomore Mason Dean finished with 15.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy