By: Ray Fisher


Sunday, January 12, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Quaker Valley’s wrestling team ended up second at the Midwestern Athletic Conference championships held Jan. 4 at Laurel.

“I thought this year’s MAC tournament was exciting, fun and well-run,” QV coach Austin Heinl said. “We finished in second place as a team and finished with seven medalists. We had the lead for the team title heading into the last championship match of the night at 285.

“West Allegheny’s Cam Danna got the pin to put West Allegheny in first place. That made all of the championship round matches that much more exciting.”

The Quakers had three individual champions: Bruce Anderchak (114 pounds), Matt Danna (145) and Marcus Richey (172).

Anderchak, a junior, pinned Ellwood City’s Derek Allen at the 1:27 mark.

Danna, also junior, won via a technical fall over Liam Hein of Mars, 19-2.

Richey, a senior, secured a 14-6 major decision against Moon’s Michael Olszewski.

“Bruce Anderchak dominated to become a two-time MAC champion and three-time finalist,” Heinl said. “Matt Danna also dominated to win his second MAC title. And Marcus Richey bonused all the way to his first MAC title.”

Other QV medalists were senior Jack Diemert and freshman Brennan Breisinger, who took third at 152 and 215; along with sophomores Harper Sipes and Trey Dunlap, who placed fourth at 133 and 160.

“This is Harper Sipes’ first varsity regular-season medal,” Heinl said.

WA captured the tournament championship with 196.5 team points to narrowly defeat the Quakers (192 points).

Skids snapped

Two girls basketball teams celebrated the start of the new year Jan. 2 by snapping short losing streaks.

Sewickley Academy stopped a three-game skid by defeating Western Beaver, 37-27, in a Section 1-A matchup.

Eden Christian put the brakes on a four-game streak with a 59-47 section win over Leechburg.

It was Sewickley’s and Eden’s highest point totals so far this season.

QV boys top Weir, Hopewell

Sophomore guard Sam Chapman pumped in 25 points to lead the Quaker Valley boys basketball team to a 65-38 win Jan. 4 against Weir (W.Va.) in the Chuckie Mahoney Classic at Burgettstown.

Freshman guard Nic Cohen and sophomore forward Kolton Johnson chipped in with 15 and 10 points for the Quakers.

Three days later, QV defeated Hopewell, 61-40, in Section 2-4A behind Johnson’s 20 points and Chapman’s 12. Dana Kromah, a senior forward, also scored 14 for the Quakers, who improved to 8-2 overall and 2-1 in section play.

Quakers move to 15-0

It doesn’t seem to matter to the Quaker Valley hockey team how far away it has to travel to achieve a win.

Junior forward Max Modrovich scored twice while junior defenseman Jacob Keisel added a goal and assist to lead the Quakers (15-0) to a 5-2 win Jan. 6 at Meadville.

Junior forwards Hunter Kronk and Jace Vasbinder also scored for the winning side in the PIHL Class A game.

Looking back

Since high school teams are in the midst of the second half of their winter season, here’s a reminder of the athletes at Quaker Valley — led by the swimmers and divers — that advanced to the state level a year ago.

Swimmers and divers consisted of Kaitlyn Blackmer, Rena Gilligan, Emily Connors, Ruby Olliffe, Ruby Krotine, Thomas Fuener, Ryan Steinfurth, Adlan Hifri, Margaret Getty, Austin Young and Alexa Westwood.

Two wrestlers, Jack Kazalas and Anderchak, also advanced to the state tournament.

Eden tops Leechburg

Sophomore guard Mason Dean collected 22 points while senior forward James Wilkin (16) and freshman forward Samuel D’Ippolito (16) added 32 between them to propel Eden Christian Academy to a 61-50 win Jan. 3 against Leechburg in Section 2-2A boys basketball.

Did you know?

Did you know that senior goaltender Landon Buterbaugh recorded shutouts in his first four games as a freshman on the Quaker Valley hockey team four years ago?

Buterbaugh blanked Beaver in his very first PIHL varsity game.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy