With the new year and new decade under way, the Warrior reflected on Penn-Trafford’s successful 10 years from 2010-2019.
“Our program, as a whole, is right up there with anybody,” said P-T athletic director Kerry Hetrick. P-T’s decade included numerous section championships, WPIAL championships, state qualifiers, and even state champions. Here are some of the best moments for P-T sports during the past decade.
The football team had some great memories and has put up some record-breaking numbers. The decade started with John Ruane being hired in 2010, eventually becoming the winningest coach in P-T football history. The team recorded a perfect regular season in 2011 and saw them go to Heinz field in both 2015 and 2017. Even though they finished runner ups in both years, they had many successful players come through their program, from the Laffoon brothers (Brandon, Brett and Cam), to John Gay and Caleb Lisbon manning down the running back positions.
Swimming was one of the most successful teams during the past decade. They piled up WCCA championships in 2010, ‘11, ‘12, ‘13, ‘18 and ‘19. They complemented those championships with some great individual performances. Christian McCurdy won PIAA state champion in the 100m butterfly along with the 500m freestyle back in 2012, along with Matt Baurle winning the 100m breastroke. For diving, they also had some state champions. Joe Ference won the diving championship in 2015 and ‘16. Paige Kalik won more recently in 2018 for the girls.
Another bright spot in P-T sports was the wrestling program. One athlete in particular was distinguished: Cameron Coy, arguably one of the most successful athletes in P-T history, set many records while wrestling at P-T. He was undefeated from the start of the season in 2015 until 2017, going 75-0 during that stretch. He won countless awards, and even finished No. 1 ranked in the country in his 152-lb. weight class at the end of his high school career.
“I’m beyond grateful to have been given the opportunity to represent my district, family friends and classmates. Though I am proud of my wrestling accomplishments, I would not have achieved what I did without the strong support staff at Penn-Trafford,” Coy said about his time at P-T.
The boys soccer team won three section championships in a row in 2014, 2015 and 2016, beating out rivals such as Franklin Regional and Norwin each year. The school also produced an All-State player, Galen Kreutzberger, who was nominated after helping lead his team to their first section championship of the decade in 2014.
Kreutzberger, who also played on four different teams the year he was voted All-State, said, I was putting out a ton of work so it was nice to get that recognition” about being honored. His advice for new seniors on the team is to “Make the most of it, it doesn’t matter if your the most talent or least talented players soccer is a team sport and especially in highschool it’s about making those friendships and having fun… Senior year that’s your team… hopefully you’ll be able to shape it so that they can keep building and improve even after you leave.”
Girls soccer had a great deal of success in P-T this decade.
The team was section champions in 2011, 2012, 2013, and their arguably most impressive year 2017. Italia Biondi was also named to the All-State team in 2014. In 2017, the girls beat their Norwin rival who was ranked No.1 in the country at the beginning of the season for both the section championship and the WPIAL Championship, led by head coach Jackie Bartko.
Girls golf had great success throughout the decade, winning its section in 2010-14, and again in 2016 and ‘17. They were also WPIAL champions in 2013 and 2014. The boys team also won their section in 2016.
Basketball has also had some success, as the girls won their section in 2011, 12, 14 and 15, but the highlight of their success was their WPIAL championship win in 2014. The boys have had many winning seasons, and also came up with a section title in 2012.
Volleyball had also had a WPIAL title in recent memory, as the boys team had won back in 2016. Girls had won three section championships in 2011, 12 and 17.
Another highlight of the last decade was a sport that is often not talked about: bowling. Amanda Balas won the Pennsylvania bowling state singles championship in 2014.
P-T has also seen baseball have recent growth, as in 2019 they went the farthest they had ever had gone in the WPIAL playoffs, going all the way to the championship game, ultimately losing to Pine Richland. They also qualified for state playoffs for the first time ever.
Track and field featured lots of individual success with a few school records being broken. New redcords were recorded by the guys in the 800m by Nick Wagner in 2017; the 100m dash in 2017 by John Gay; the 1600m in 2010 by Chansler Poole; the 200m dash by Ryan Austin; the triple jump by Christopher Siergiej; the javelin by Bryce Bishop in 2016; and the 400m relay in 2010. The Girls Team had records broken in the 100m dash by Mackenzie Aunkst; the 400m relay in 2016; the 400m dash by Marisa Sergiej; the 200m dash in 2016 again by Aunkst. Records were set in both long and triple jump by Emily Olson in 2014, and Reaghan Panza set the Javelin record in 2017.
One of the most prolific track performers of the decade was Nick Wagner. Not only did he set a school record in the 800m, he also won a WPIAL championship in this event. His very last race had him placing 2nd at the state championships behind a runner who went on to sign a professional contract to run during his senior year of high school.
“To see the result of all the hard work and dedication pay off in that was incredible, I couldn’t have asked to end my career in a better way,” Wagner said. “I have always wanted to be the best in whatever it is I do, I am one of the most competitive people I know. It can literally be anything, I just want to win. Always having that mindset was key for me.”
Field hockey has had much success, winning WPIAL championships in 2011 and more recently in 2016, 17, 18 and 19. Much of their success can be pointed toward the great work that coach Cindy Dutt has been doing, making the Warriors top contenders every year.
Ice hockey won their section in 2012 and hope to build on their program and team chemistry. The junior varsity team recently won the championship in 2018.
“It’s been an amazing time playing with some of my closest friends, we’ve been through a lot together,” said senior captain Ryan Mickey, who is currently on the ice hockey team.
Penn-Trafford had an incredibly successful decade, with good teams and great individual talent. All fans can hope for is to see that success carry over into the new decade.