Girls athlete of the week
The Post-Gazette’s top female athlete for the past seven days
This past week: Gesinski scored the only goal in Mount Pleasant’s 1-0 soccer win against South Park on Sept. 25 in an important non-section match. Two days later, she scored two goals in a 160 blowout of East Allegheny. The following day, she scored another goal in Mount Pleasant’s 5-0 shutout of Connellsville.
Check this out: Going into this week, Gesinski had a team-high 12 goals and had assisted on 12 others for the Vikings, who are ranked No. 3 in WPIAL Class 2A with a 70 record in Section 2 and an 11-2 record overall. A fouryear starter, she was voted to the Section 2 and WPIAL Class 2A all-star teams last season.
How tough was it starting as a freshman? I was 13 at the time and playing against kids who were 17 or 18. It was kind of intimidating. but fun at the same time.
What happened on the goal against South Park? My sister
[Morgan] found me with a crossing pass and I was able to put it in the net. It was a big win for us. Morgan and I work well together.
Do you have a favorite goal you’ve scored in your career? Last year, we played South Park in the WPIAL semifinals and I scored the winning goal in overtime. My sister headed a corner kick to me and I was able to put it in the net. What was it like to make it to the title game last year? It was a fun experience, especially since our school had never been there before. My only disappointment is that we didn’t win.
Do you play any other sports and how long? I also play basketball and run track. I have started since my freshman year on both teams. I’m a point guard on the basketball team. On the track team, I usually run the 100, 200 and the [400] relay.
What are the expectations for the basketball team now that Tiffany Zelmore, who finished second in the WPIAL in scoring, has graduated? Losing Tiffany certainly hurts, but I still think we will have a good team.
What’s it like playing with your two sisters? I played with my sister, Hannah, during my freshman and sophomore years, and I get to play with my younger sister, Morgan, last year and this year. It’s the best of both worlds getting to play with both of them.
What is your college recruiting situation? I want to play soccer in college. I have more fun playing soccer than any other sport. I’ve made a couple visits but I have not picked a school.