Twins doing it all for Laurel
Sam and Marcus Haswell aren’t identical twins, but they sure do act like it.
From deer hunting and trout fishing to golfing and playing basketball, the fraternal twins did everything together growing up — and things haven’t changed much now that they’re in high school.
Both are standout seniors averaging more than 16 points per game for Laurel, which entered the week riding a four-game winning streak. Both are about 6 feet tall and capable of playing multiple positions on the floor. And both surpassed the 1,000- point plateau within a span of 11 days, with Marcus achieving the feat on Feb. 5 and Sam joining him in the exclusive club on Feb. 16.
For a set of twins to score 1,000 points together in a span of less than two weeks is practically unheard of, but Laurel coach Ken Locke said he always had a feeling this day would come.
“I remember watching them in elementary school coming up,” Locke said. “They’ve always had a ball in their hands since I’ve known them. They’re just special.”
Sam averages a teamleading 20.6 points per game, placing him among the top 20 scorers in the WPIAL, and is also the Spartans’ leading rebounder. Marcus is right behind him at 16.8 points per game, and he also serves as one of the team’s primary facilitators.
“He’s quicker and he handles the ball better and passes better, probably,” Sam said. “I kind of do more jumping and just use my athleticism to get rebounds and stuff like that. I feel like
we’re both all-around players. We can do whatever.”
Although they do have their differences, there is an uncanny resemblance to the way they play — and it all traces back to the countless hours spent out on the court together as kids.
“He’d win one day, the next day I’d win,” Marcus said. “If he beat me, I wouldn’t let him stop playing until I won. We’d be down there for hours and I’d be trying to beat him. If he won every time, I’d still want to play. And the same happened for him, too, probably.”
Their sibling rivalry began in a basketball sense when they were about 4 years old, the first time they stepped onto their home court to play one-on-one — and emotions certainly ran high in the pickup games in the Haswell backyard.
“It would never get to
serious fistfights, but we would throw some punches and chase each other,” Sam said. “I remember a few times just letting him win just to be done.”
It’s no surprise the two started playing at such an early age. After all, their father, Tom Haswell, was a standout player in his own right at Mohawk.
While the twins said he has played a key role in their development and success over the years, these third- generation sharpshooters are quick to credit their grandfather, Larry Haswell, for laying the foundation for the rest of the family.
“He got it from his dad,” Sam said about his father. “My grandfather, he was a part of the great Wampum teams back in the late 1950s. They won three state championships.”
Although basketball clearly runs in their bloodlines, Locke believes they wouldn’t be where they are now without their tireless work ethic and love of the game.
“They both work hard on their game, but I think Marcus takes it to the next level where he’s always serious,” Locke said. “Sometimes Sam gets a little relaxed with it. I think in that way, their personalities are just a little bit different. But they both have been working and gym rats their whole career.”
As four-year starters, they’ve endured plenty of ups and downs to get to this point. They helped Laurel end a four- year playoff drought after finishing 14-9 last season, and now the Spartans (10-8) appear to be peaking at the right time heading into this year’s open postseason tournament.
“I just think we need to get a good attitude throughout the locker room,” Sam said. “Everyone on the team needs to come together and see if we can make a run here.”
All those years spent sharpening their skills against one another seem to have paid off for the twins, who have their sights set on a deep playoff run in a wideopen Class 3A postseason field. Still, they know that in order to bring the school its first playoff win since 2015, they’ll both need to be at their absolute best.
“We have our goals to go deep and heck, even win,” Marcus said. “I would say we just want to play every game like it’s our last, and I think if we do that, we’ll be happy with the outcome either way.”
Upper St. Clair turned heads last season when it knocked out No. 3 seed Norwin in the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball quarterfinals with four freshmen in its starting lineup.
There has been no flying under the radar this year, but that hasn’t stopped the No. 2 Panthers (12-1, 6-0) from putting together a tremendous season. Upper St. Clair continued its torrid pace with a 50-42 victory at No. 4 Bethel Park (13-3, 4-2) on Feb. 18, giving the Panthers a season sweep of the rival Black Hawks and extending their winning streak to 11 games in a row.
Coming off such a successful season with such a young team a year ago, many expected Upper St. Clair to be a serious title contender in 2021. Panthers coach Pete Serio expected it, too — at least until two of his “fantastic four” freshmen from last season went down with severe injuries.
“Yes [I would have expected it], if you would have asked me in September, but no after we lost Mia Brown and Ava Keating to basically season-ending injuries,” Serio said. “If you would have asked me before those two got injured, I would have said I was hoping. But if you would have asked me after, I probably would have just said we’ll take it one game at a time.”
Brown is a 5-8 sophomore guard who averaged 11 points per game and earned all-section honors a year ago, and Keating is a 5-7 sophomore guard who received an all-section honorable mention. Keating played one game after dealing with an offseason shoulder injury, but is now out indefinitely with a concussion. Brown hurt her knee right before the season opener and is out for the year.
In their absence, fellow sophomores Kate Robbins, Sam Prunzik and Paige Dellicarri have stepped into even larger roles to make up for the lost production. Prunzik, a 5-3 guard, and Robbins, a 6-1 forward, each started for Upper St. Clair last season, and Dellicarri was the first player off the bench.
“These kids have really stepped up, and they play as a team,” Serio said. “The chemistry on this team is the best I’ve ever been a part of. It really makes a difference in terms of winning and losing. I’m really learning that more now than ever.”
Robbins leads the team with an average of 15 points per game, and Dellicarri is right behind her at about 12 points per contest. Meanwhile, 5- 6 senior guard Alex Prunzik, 6-1 senior forward Abby John and 5-10 junior forward Molly James have picked up the slack as the team’s key role players.
“They’ve really taken advantage of their opportunity and stepped up and done it as a team, that’s for sure,” Serio said. “When you lose the skill of Mia and Ava, that’s the key there. They are our two most skilled players. You have to depend on everybody else.
“These kids have embraced the fact they’re missing those two, but they sure have enjoyed the opportunity to play all those minutes.”
In the last calendar year, the Panthers have lost only three games — and two have come against No. 1 North Allegheny. Serio sees the defending WPIAL champion as the clear team to beat going into the playoffs, but he believes there are several teams in Class 6A with the talent to go all the way.
While the other teams in the top five have at least one star player to depend on when the game is on the line, Serio hopes Upper St. Clair can lean on its depth and team chemistry to overcome the loss of its top two players come playoff time.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to have that one star, but I’ll take this team,” Serio said. “It’s been a year of great chemistry and kids who just buy into everything that you’re selling. They genuinely care for each other. It’s something to see sometimes.
“There’s no doubt that’s one of the reasons we’ve been as successful as we have. I wouldn’t have predicted it, but these kids understand the team game.”
Beaver
It has been a dream season for the Class 4A No. 1 Bobcats (15-0, 13-0), and Monday night’s game against No. 4 Blackhawk (11-5, 9-4) only served as further proof.
Beaver trailed by six points going into the fourth quarter, but the Bobcats came roaring back to win, 34-32, on a buzzer-beating 3pointer by senior guard Maddi Weiland. Once again, Beaver’s suffocating defense helped keep its perfect record intact.
Opponents are scoring only 24.3 points per game against the Bobcats, by far the lowest total in the WPIAL. Believe it or not, Beaver’s 32 points allowed on Monday actually marked the fourth-highest total given up by the team in 15 games this season.
Oakland Catholic
Few teams, if any, have faced a more grueling schedule than the Eagles (9-9, 5-1) in 2021.
Their .500 record isn’t stellar, but consider the teams Oakland Catholic has lost to — Class 6A No. 1 North Allegheny, Class 6A No. 3 Mt. Lebanon (twice), Class 5A No. 1 Trinity, Class 5A No. 2 Chartiers Valley, Class 3A No. 1 North Catholic, Penn Hills (twice) and Peters Township.
It hasn’t all been pretty for the Eagles, but they did pull off one of the biggest upsets of the year with a 5240 win vs. No. 2 Chartiers Valley on Feb. 17. They followed up the shocking victory with a 53-36 win at Moon the next day before falling at Penn Hills on Monday, 43-41.
The past week: Miles (28-5) began the individual postseason with four pins in a row in 10 seconds or less — two at the sub-sectional tournament on Feb. 16 and two more at the section championships on Feb. 19. He then won his second consecutive WPIAL Class 2A 285-pound title with a pair of pins on Feb. 20, scoring a fall in 39 seconds in the semifinals and another in 2:43 in the championship match. Check this out: With his 10second pin against Avonworth’s Timmy Eng on Feb. 19,
Miles surpassed the school record of 115 career wins, previously held by Spartans assistant coach Jay Matteo. Miles, who now holds a career record of 119-24, has accepted a scholarship to play college football at Edinboro as an offensive lineman.
How did winning your second WPIAL title feel compared to winning your first last year? It was awesome. I probably felt a little bit more accomplished after last year, because I had more competition and there was more leading up to that point in the season. It was still good to have most of our season this year, but there’s not as much building up to it.
Was coach Matteo happy to see you break his record or did he give you a hard time about it? Probably a little bit of both. He probably wasn’t happy that I beat this record, but I think he was kind of glad that it was someone he was able to coach.
So he didn’t try to take you down with a double leg after your record-breaking match? I’m a little bit bigger than him [laughs]. I don’t know how that would have ended.
When you pinned four opponents in a row in 10 seconds or less, did you use the same move every time? And if so, what move? I’m trying to think — I think they might have all been the same move. They were all with the cement mixer.
What’s been the highlight of your wrestling career so far? For wrestling, probably being the all-time wins leader at our school.
What about the highlight of your football career? Probably being nominated for the Bill Fralic Award.
Did you prefer playing offense or defense in high school football? I like offense a little better, just driving people down the field and getting pancakes.
Where would someone find you if you’re not on a football field or wrestling mat? Probably in the woods or at a pond.
Would you consider yourself one of the best fishermen in the WPIAL? best.