True Christmas Presents

Mike Zmijanac was hired by Seton LaSalle High School to be their next head football coach.

Source: WTAE-Pittsburgh

In the month of December, some WPIAL schools got some nice Christmas gifts. Let's take at some of the low-key gifts that some of the WPIAL schools got.

Elizabeth Forward: In the 2017-18 WPIAL school year, Elizabeth Forward did not have a Boys and Girls bowling team. This WPIAL school year, 2018-19, Elizabeth Forward was able to create a Boys and Girls bowling team. The great Christmas gift for Elizabeth Forward is that their Girls bowling team is currently 4-0 and it's only their first season. They are tied for first in section with Steel Valley also with a 4-0 record. Four out of the top five girl bowlers in the WPIBL South section are from Elizabeth Forward. Elizabeth Forward senior, Angie Nylander, currently has the best bowling average for Girls in the South section as she is averaging 159.33 pins a game.

Chartiers Valley: Chartiers Valley Girls basketball player, Gabi Legister, did not play at all during the 2017-18 WPIAL basketball season due to an injury. She is back this season and is helping the team win games. The Chartiers Valley Girls basketball team currently has an overall record of 7-0. On Saturday December 22nd, the team was placed first in The Atlantis Beach Bash Tournament in the Bahamas. That was a nice gift for the whole team.

Moon: The fact that former O.L.S.H basketball player, Donovan Johnson, decided to play for the Moon Area Boys basketball team is the greatest gift that Moon and Head Coach, Adam Kaufman could ever receive in the month of December.

Penn Hills and Aliquippa: Both Penn Hills and Aliquippa won PIAA football championships in the month of December. Penn Hills won the PIAA 5A football championship and Aliquippa won the PIAA 3A football championship. Let's be honest an iPhone, a Samsung phone, a new television, an Apple Watch, a PlayStation, or an Xbox is not as great as a gift as a PIAA football championship ring. Both the football players of Penn Hills and Aliquippa will get those rings and they are still smiling over their wins as I am sitting here typing this article.

Peters Township: Peters Township is going to get a new high school in the near future and that will be one of their gifts that they will receive, even though it would not be in December. The fact that Peters Township Girls basketball team is doing good is a gift that the school district will take. Makenna Marisa is leading the charge for the Indians as she is truly being the team's leader or captain. Also, the fact that Thomas Melonja, a former basketball player at Lincoln Park, decided to play his senior year of Boys basketball at Peters Township is a gift that the school district will also take. Thomas's presence is being appreciated as his team's overall record is 5-2. That is so nice because the Peters Township Boys basketball team's overall record was 5-17, last season. Peters could even have more than 5 wins before the end of December. This season, both of Peters's losses have been by less than 5 points.

Seton LaSalle: The G.O.A.T, Mike Zmijanac is the new head football coach at Seton LaSalle after coaching the Ringgold Rams for just one season. You do not have to be a genius to know that Seton LaSalle is really happy to have Zmijanac coaching. Zmijanac is known for being a great football coach at Aliquippa as he led them to multiple WPIAL championships and some PIAA championships.

Butler: The fact that their star player, Ethan Morton, is still on the team is a great gift for Butler High School. Morton has the talent to go to a boarding school that has a good basketball team; but, the fact he has not thought of going to a boarding school is something that Butler should be blessed about.

Thomas Jefferson: Thomas Jefferson's Boys bowling team and ice hockey team have both been pretty darn good. So far, TJ's Boys bowling team is 3-1 and they have three guys on the team that have been bowling like absolute monsters in Chad Gress, Logan Raymond and Justin Schmitt. All three of these guys average over 180 pins a game. They have the talent to win a WPIBL championship and the fact that the team has been playing good is a gift. TJ's ice hockey team has the talent and capability to win a WPIAL Hockey championship. So far, their overall record is 8-2 in Varsity A. Hayden Hintemeyer has helped give TJ success as he lead the team in goals (14) and points (26). Johnny Rimsky leads the team in assists with 13. TJ's goalie, Luke Ripepi, has been good in net as his record so far is 8-2. Bowling and ice hockey might not be as popular as basketball and football; but, don't be surprised if TJ's bowling and ice hockey teams get some hardware in the future.

South Fayette: Besides South Fayette's football team being good, their ice hockey team is pretty good. So far this season, their record is 10-1. Senior, Ian Kumar has been balling out on the ice as he leads the Lions in goals (12), assists (11), and points (23). That team has the talent to win a WPIAL ice hockey championship. In December, the gift South Fayette was an ice hockey team that is giving the school attention and popularity.

Pine-Richland: It is a Christmas miracle that Jeff Ackermann is still the head coach of the Pine-Richland Boys basketball team. Jeff almost did not coach this season due to his 6 year old son's battle with Acute flaccid myelitis. The fact that he is still coaching and dealing with this hard situation in his life is truly a miracle and shows how strong and caring he is as a man. Jeff knows he does not have to coach the team; but, he still does because of how important he is to the team and knows that the rest of his team really wants him there. Pine-Richland's record is currently 5-2.

Trinity: Back on December 18th 2018, Trinity Boys basketball player, junior Noah Johnson made one of the clutchest shots in the WPIAL during this season. Johnson helped The Trinity Hillers beat the Montour Spartans by a score of 61-58. Johnson shot the game winning 3-point shot with no time remaining in the game against Montour. He was a hero at the end of the game and that shot had to have boosted his confidence. Trinity received a gift in a win and Johnson received a gift as being known as "A clutch hero" on December 18th. It will be a day the district and Noah will not forget for a long while.

Montour: Montour's hockey team is too good. Their record is 11-0 and they have two players on the team with over 35 points, this season, in Richard Froehlich and Michael Felsing. Montour has been known as "A football school"; but, this season they are known as a a hockey school as throughout the month of December the team has been receiving the gift of wins. Montour has earned those gifts of wins and they will keep working after Christmas time to get more gifts of wins.

Upper St. Clair: Upper St. Clair has some nice athletes at that school that know how to swim. Meet after meet their always seems to be a swimmer on the team that stands out. The gift that Upper St. Clair has received in the month of December is the gift that their swimming team is just way too good. As we approach the end of December, between the Boys and Girls swim team on Upper St. Clair, 23 swimmers have already qualified for WPIAL's. That's a lot of swimmers that are going to represent Upper St. Clair swimming and there might be more swimmers on the team that can qualify for WPIAL's as the season progresses.

Mars: Mars received the gift of having a good Boys and Girls basketball team. Both of those teams are really talented. Do not be surprised if you see Mars appear at Petersen Events twice and appear in Hershey twice in the month of March. If you are a Mars student, it's a good time to watch some basketball.