Girls athlete of the week
// The Post-Gazette’s top female performer from the past seven days
The past week: Clontz went 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in a 6-4 win vs. North Hills in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals on May 24, then went 2 for 3 with a double, an intentional walk and a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the River Hawks’ 6-5 win vs. Penn-Trafford in the WPIAL championship game on Friday. The junior left fielder then went 1 for 4 with an RBI as Armstrong advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals with a 13-6 win vs. Chartiers Valley on Monday.
Check this out: For the season, Clontz is batting .400 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 27 RBIs and 31 runs scored. A Gannon University recruit, Clontz has an on-base percentage of .464 and a slugging percentage of .733.
What did you do to celebrate after the WPIAL championship win? We went to [starting pitcher] Cameryn Sprankle’s house and celebrated all night. I’ve gotten a total of six hours of sleep in the past two days. We haven’t come off that high, and I think it showed today.
What was it like playing in front of your home fans in the first-ever PIAA playoff game at Armstrong High School? It was super cool. We had a lot of people there and we even had a tailgate party before, so everyone was at the football stadium at like 1 p.m. When we came to the field, they were all sitting there. It was a big open space with blue everywhere and very few Chartiers Valley fans, so I think we had a big advantage today.
Did growing up in a small town contribute to your decision to go to a smaller college like Gannon? Yes. I tend to do better with a small group, especially in the classroom. I’m hands-on. I want to know the teachers and stuff like that. It feels good living in a small town, because everywhere I go — you don’t understand. Everyone wants to talk to me. They’re just like, “Oh, great hit.” Even today, I had people sitting behind me and they kept talking about me [during the game].
Do you have your own walk-up song? I do. It’s “Big Poppa” by The Notorious B.I.G. It’s been my thing since freshman year.
What’s the last show you binge-watched on Netflix or Hulu? “Stranger Things.”
What’s one thing someone would be surprised to know about you? I am a twin. I have a twin brother, Tyler.
Does he play any sports? He does not. He’s actually the complete opposite of me, which is kind of crazy.