Serra’s Fisher showing he’s more than just a name
Pharoh Fisher has one of the most unique first names in the WPIAL.
To Fisher, the name Pharoh is way cooler than, let’s say, Joe, Mike or John.
“I like it because people usually don’t forget it. People usually remember your name,” said Fisher, who has an older brother named Osyrus.
Having a name that stands out couldn’t have hurt when it came to Fisher’s college recruitment, but really, it was the way Fisher stood out on film that earned him a spot playing for an FBS program.
Navy has reeled in a commitment from Fisher, a senior defensive back at Serra Catholic who could turn out to be a big get for the Midshipmen. Fisher (6 feet, 190 pounds), who lives in Turtle Creek, has good size and speed, and is versatile enough to play either cornerback or safety.
“They said they were looking for a lockdown corner,” Fisher said, “and that’s what I’m all about.”
After spending his first two seasons at Imani Christian, Fisher
Recruiting notebook
made a splash in his debut at Serra last fall. He was selected all-conference as a defensive back in the Class 2A Allegheny Conference and also made an impact as a receiver and returner. Serra went 5-1 and reached the WPIAL semifinals, but Fisher was ruled ineligible for the postseason due to transfer rules.
It wasn’t until recently that Fisher began considering attending a service academy. He has a sister in the national guard and a great uncle who served in the Navy, but that’s the extent of his family’s military background. With offers from Navy, Army and Air Force, he decided to take a closer look at the academics, so he visited Navy and Army.
“Once I got a handful of offers and was weighing those offers, I knew it would come down to the three service academies just based on what they had to offer,” said Fisher. “I visited Army and Navy, and I just really liked Navy a lot more than Army.”
Fisher’s other offers were from Bowling Green, Columbia, Walsh and Notre Dame College (Ohio).
Navy has been involved in
Fisher’s recruitment since the winter. It offered Feb. 25, which eventually led to Fisher taking an official visit July 22.
Said Fisher, “From a football standpoint, they’re definitely giving everything I can ask for: National exposure, playing Division I football, playing against Power Five talent. And off the field, whether I make the NFL or not, they just set me up for life.”
Fisher is one of two WPIAL seniors to commit to Navy in the past month. The other is Mt. Lebanon wide receiver Eli Heidenreich. Fisher and Heidenreich are teammates on the Evolve 7-on-7 team.
Serra opens the season ranked No. 4 in Class 2A. The Eagles host South Allegheny on Saturday.
“This Serra team, the expectation is a championship,” Fisher said.
Connor to Saint Louis
Mt. Lebanon senior Ashleigh Connor has already shown that she is one of the top girls basketball players in the WPIAL. Connor has now decided to attend college in the Show-Me State.
Connor announced Monday that she has committed to Saint Louis of the Atlantic 10. She had close to a dozen Division I offers overall, among them Xavier and La Salle. She said her other top schools were Northeastern and Kennesaw State.
A 5-foot-10 guard, Connor was one of the WPIAL’s top scorers in both her sophomore and junior seasons. She averaged 22 points a game as a sophomore and 21.4 points as a junior when she helped the Blue Devils go 17-4 and reach the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals.
An official visit to Saint Louis earlier this month ultimately sealed the deal for Connor, who said the coaching staff has praised her shooting ability in addition to her being able to play point guard or shooting guard.
“I was there for two days, and the atmosphere was great,” Connor said. “I was with the staff almost the entire time. We talked about my game, and they said how much they loved me. I also spent some time with the players in the dorms, so it was nice to connect with them.”
Connor actually informed Saint Louis coach Lisa Stone of her commitment on Stone’s birthday. Stone guided the Billikens to a 14-5 finish and the WNIT quarterfinals last season.
“She said it was the best birthday gift ever,” Connor said, laughing.
Connor is a two-time all-section choice who has twice been named all-state. She was a third-team pick in 2020 and a second-team selection in 2021.
Baseball commitments
Avonworth’s Jordan Kolenda (Kent State); Mt. Lebanon’s Jack Smith (Harvard); Peters Township’s Sam Miller (Columbia); Thomas Jefferson’s McClain Flinn (Pitt Johnstown); Upper St. Clair’s Mateo Cepullio (Akron).
Football commitment
Mt. Lebanon’s Owen Halter (Middlebury).
Lacrosse commitment
Mt. Lebanon’s Sydney Saba (Xavier).
Swimming commitment
North Allegheny’s Jacob McCarran (MIT).