North Penn’s Velaga wins state title
North Penn junior Neha Velaga continued her ascnsion among tennis’ elite by winning the PIAA Class 3A title in impressive fashion, rallying for a three-set victory over North Allegheny’s Ashley Huang.
Velaga won 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. The loss in the first set was the only set she dropped the entire tournament.
In the semifinals, the North Penn junior defeated Eliza Askarova of George Washington 6-2, 6-4.
Velaga is currently ranked No. 1 in Middle States 18 and under, playing a national schedule.
Over in the doubles, Methacton’s Dina Nouaime and Tina Prince were finally stopped. After losing the first set in their first match of the District 1-3A Tournament, the Warriors duo has been unstoppable.
They met their match in the finals, falling 6-1, 6-2 to Harriton’s Sophia Sassoli and Saige Roshkoff.
In the semis, Nouaime and Prince defeated Shady Side Academy’s Ella Santora/Aya Youssef 6-1, 6-3. Over in 2A, Lower Moreland’s Nikole Lisovyy won the title with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Bethlehem Catholic’s Brenna Magliochetti, 6-1, 6-4. In the semifinals Lisovyy defeated South Williamsport’s Olivia Dorner, 6-2, 6-4. PIAA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY >> The La Salle boys cross country team finished second at the PIAA-3A
Championships on Saturday out in Hershey.
The Explorers were led by Vincent Twomey, who finished 13th with a time of 16 minutes, 55 seconds. La Salle’s pack also included Ethan Maher (16th, 16:57), Bradden Koors (20th, 17:02), Paul Ghantous (23rd, 17:08) and Matthew Zilligen (40th, 17:26).
The Explorers finished with 112 points, second only to champion North Allegheny (90).
Also from the area, North Penn’s Samir Razi (17:07) and Noah Demis (17:35) finished 37th and 91st; Cheltenham’s Jason Cornelison (17:09) raced to 41st; Methacton’s Matt Varghese (17:25) was 67th; Pennridge’s Ethan Saville (17:39) was 100th; the Hatboro-Horsham duo of Devon Comber (17:40) and Stefano Isabella (17:47) was 101st and 115th; and Central Bucks West’s Andrew Gillespie (18:02) crossed 154th.
The Central Bucks West girls finished 10th as a team in Class 3A, paced by Julia Flood (15th, 19:50).
The Jenkintown boys raced to the Class A state title, led by Jack Miller’s first-place finish in 16:33. The Drakes surged from a fifth-place finish a year ago to the top spot in the state.
Pat Wagner (9th, 17:14), Carter Geer (10th, 17:16), Luke Miller (14th, 17:25) and Aiden Michell (15th, 17:29) also came through for the champion Drakes.
Over in Class 2A, Jack Brosius (112th, 18:31) led Pope John Paul II to 15th as a team, with Lansdale Catholic, paced by Kevin McCullag-Beatty (68th, 18:07), finishing 18th.
In the Class 2A girls, Gwynedd Mercy Academy’s Kelly Murray raced to 13th in 20:19. Pope John Paul II, led by Kayla Croiger (101st, 22:01), finished 14th as a team.
PIAA Boys Cross Country AAA Results
Team standings: 1. North Allegheny 90 points; 2. La Salle 112; 3. Downingtown West 121; 4. Seneca Valley 122;
5. Mount Lebanon 134; 6. Unionville 158; 7. CR South 227; 8. State College 253; 9. Haverford Township 256; 10. Warwick 273.
Individuals
1. Patrick Anderson (Mount Lebanon) 16:03; 2. Zachary Kinne (NA) 16;07;
3. Daniel McGoey (North Allegheny) 16:09; 4. Brayden Harris (Mifflin) 16:22; 5. Christian Fitch (Fox Chapel 16:29); 6. Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 16:34; 7. Evan Dorenkamp (Manheim) 16:36; 8. Chayce Macknair (Mifflin) 16:36; 9. Payton Sewall (D’West) 16:37; 10. Sam Owori (Seneca Valley) 16:39. 22. Vincent Twomey (La Salle) 16:55; 32. Bradden Koors (La Salle) 17:02; 37. Samir Razi (North Penn) 17:07; Paul Ghantous (La Salle) 17:08;
41. Jason Cornelsion (Cheltenham) 17:09; 67. Matt Varghese (Methacton) 17:25; 73. Matthew Zilligen (La Salle) 17:26; 83. Dan Gervino (La Salle) 17:30; 91. Noah Demis (North Penn) 17:35; 100. Ethan Saville (Pennridge) 17:39; 101. Devon Comber (HatboroHorsham) 17:40; 115. Stefano Isabella (Hatboro-Horsham) 17:47; 154. Andrew Gillespie (CB West) 18:02; 191. Jack Sieberlich (La Salle) 18:28.
AA Results
1. Greensburg Salem 63; 2. Indiana 100; 3. Grove City 119; 4. Lewisburg 136; 5. Holy Redeemer 197; 15. PJP II 324; 18. LC 435.
Individuals
1. Jonah Powell (Grove City) 16:29; 2. Garrett Baublitz (Juniata) 16:36; 3. Nate Price (General McLane) 16:42;
4. Mitchell Rome (Dallas) 16:45; 5. Cameron Binda (Greensburg Salem) 16:52; 68. Kevin McCullag-Beatty (LC) 18:07; 112. Jack Brosius (PJP) 18:31; 145. Kaden Buchler (PJP) 18:50; 158. John Schiele (PJP) 19:00; 192. Anthony Gargani (LC) 19:37; 193. Shane Coll (Upper Moreland) 19:38; 201. Brinker Meers (LC) 19:48; 209. Jack Crotty (LC) 20:04; 210. Stephen O’Donnell (Wood) 20:06; 219. Luke McCarthy (PJP II) 20:48;
A Results
1. Jenkintown 49; 2. Winchester Thurston 100; 3. Wyalusing 148; 4. Penns Valley Area 159; 5. Montrose 159. Individuals
1. Jack Miller (Jenkintown) 16:33; 2. Andrew Healey (Holy Cross) 16:50;
3. Adam Hessler (Freedom) 16:57; 4. Liam Mead (Montrose) 17:00; 5. Scott Routledge (Winchester Thurston) 17:01; 14. Pat Wagner (Jenkintown) 17:14; 16. Carter Geer (Jenkintown) 17:16; 22. Luke Miller (Jenkintown) 17:25; 70. Travis Geer (Jenkintown) 18:32; 96. Matthew Birch (Dock) 18:50; 118. Matt Visomirski (Jenkintown) 19:08.
Girls
Class AAA Results
1. North Allegheny 65; 2. WC Henderson 106; 3. State College 132; 4. Dallastown 132; 5. Fox Chapel 163; 6. Unionville 166; 7. Oakland Catholic 169; 8. WC East 223; 9. Avon Grove 239; 10. CB West 242.
Individuals
1. Jenna Mulhern (WC Henderson) 18:42; 2. Kileigh Kane (State College) 18:55; 3. Allyson Clarke (WC East) 19:05; 4. Hannah Lindgren (North Allegheny) 19:15; 5. Sarena Seeger (Fox Chapel) 19:19; 6. Gwyneth Young (Cedar Crest) 19:20; 7. Mia Cochran (Moon) 19:22; 8. Hannah Schupansky (Oakland Catholic) 19:29; 9. Grace Sisson (Fox Chapel) 19:31; 10. Emily Schuler (Dallastown) 19:31; 15. Julia Flood (CB West) 19:50; 30. Megan Ciasullo (Mount St. Joseph) 20:15; 36. Elaina O’Toole (Upper Dublin) 20:25;
54. Janelle Williams (Cheltenham) 20:38; 65. Makala Hansen (Tennent) 20:44; 82. Maeve Gimbert (North Penn) 20:57; 87. Leah Dubin (Wissahickon) 20:59; 88. Grace Kolbe (CB West) 21:00; 99. Lael Flores (Souderton) 21:05; 105. Emmi Simon (CB West) 21:10; 130. Katie Jenkinson (CB West) 21:31; 152. Darby Roth (CB West) 21:51; 172. Shannen Roy (CB West) 22:05; 203. Piper Wilson (CB West) 23:01.
Class AA Results
1. Central Cambria 92; 2. Danville 105;
3. Northwestern Lehigh 116; 4. South Fayette 149; 5. Warrior Run 153; 14. PJP II 306; 17. Wood 446.
Individuals
1. Marlee Starliper (Northern) 17:53;
2. Taryn Park (Greencastle-Antrim) 18:49; 3. Gianna Labbiento (Sharon) 19:05; 4. Maddison Hayes (Fairview) 19:21; 5. Olivia Haas (Blue Mountain) 19:23; 13. Kelly Murray (GMA) 20:19;
52. Casey Ems (Wood) 21:22; 65. Alina LaForest (Saint Basil) 21:33;
98. Jill Kelly (Upper Moreland) 21:59; 101. Kayla Croiger (PJP II) 22:01; 112; Gianna Cagliola (PJP II) 22:07; 123. Kathryn Tood (PJP II) 22:16; 146. Natalie Florig (PJP II) 22:37; 150. Shannon Kelly (Wood) 22:43; 157. Sarah Sbruzzo (PJP II) 22:51; 163. Taylor Connelly (LC) 23:01; 167. Julia Costello (PJP II) 23:10; 177. Claudia Dolan (PJP II) 23:25; 182. Sara Murphy (LC) 23:46; 194. Anne Fleming (Wood) 24:28; 202. Savannah Mueller (Wood) 25:24; 212; Margaret Schluth (Wood) 27:32; 214. Alexia Haupert (Wood) 30:48.