Sports Shorts

Sport Shorts

GREENE COUNTY ATHLETES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Since their respective graduations from the five Greene County high schools, several of our finest local athletes have carried their success into the collegiate ranks. If you haven’t been able to keep up with their exploits, here are how some of those former Greene County standouts have been faring at their current collegiate homes.

Most of Greene County is aware of the historic athletic exploits of four-time PIAA state wrestling champion and all-time Jefferson-Morgan great Gavin Teasdale, who was often the headliner of local press during his time with the Rockets. After graduation, he took his talents to the wrestling room of the two-time defending national champions at Penn State.

While Teasdale has yet to make his Nittany Lion debut, one of his high school teammates has been competing for the Blue and White, but at a branch campus. Sophomore Aaron Mylan has seen regular action for the Penn State Fayette Roaring Lions wrestling team as a middleweight.

Speaking of wrestlers, Waynesburg Central’s last state champion, A.C. Headlee, has not only solidified his spot as a starter at the University of North Carolina, but was featured earlier this season in the Intermat national rankings. As of Jan. 16, the former Raider great was sporting a 15-6 overall record at 141 pounds.

Headlee is wrestling under the leadership of another WCHS great. Former three-time state champion, NCAA Division I national champion and Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott is in his fourth year at the helm of the Tar Heel program.

After starring at center for the West Greene boys basketball team, 2017 graduate Craig Weaver has earned increased playing time during his second season at Penn State Fayette. The 6’10” big man has started six of the 15 games in which he has appeared for the squad and is averaging around a point and a rebound per game for the Lions.

When the harsh Southwestern Pennsylvania winter finally moves out most will be setting their attention westward to see if the West Greene Pioneer softball team can further cement itself as one of, if not the, greatest programs in county history. While the youthful Pioneers have not sent too many graduates off to the college diamonds as of yet, a former Waynesburg Central standout is scheduled to begin her second year as middle-ofthe-order bat for the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets.

After transferring from California University of Pennsylvania last season, corner infielder Tara Staley suited up for the Orange and Black, joining her sister Taylor on the roster. Tara hit .299 for the Jackets with a homerun, three doubles, nine RBI and eight runs scored.

Taylor, an outfielder, batted .308 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. She also stole a base and saw some action in the circle, as well as her usual outfield spot.

Perhaps the most accomplished collegiate diamond performer from Greene County was California (Pennsylvania) pitcher Hunter Robinson. As a true freshman, Robinson earned the number-two spot in the Vulcan starting rotation. He led the Red and Black with a 5-4 record while compiling 6.27 ERA over 11 appearances, all of which were starts. He logged 42 strikeouts over 51.2 innings on the mound.

Speaking of baseball, former rivals from J-M and Carmichaels teamed up to leave their marks on the Penn State Fayette baseball team in the spring of 2018. Former Mighty Mike Mike Ludrosky logged his first collegiate RBI while appearing in 14 of the team’s 18 games, while Jefferson grad Austin Clark proved to be one of the team’s top offensive performers. He hit .327 with two homeruns, drove in 13 runs and scored 10 times for Fayette.

According to the PSF website, Clark is back for his junior season, but Ludrosky does not appear on this year’s roster.

Last, but certainly not least, Mapletown’s Dylan Rush cemented his place as one of the most productive running backs in Greene County history. Not only did he become a member of the exclusive 4,000-yard club, he helped end the Maples’ decade-long playoff drought as a sophomore in 2014.

However, it will not be the clashing of pads and helmets that are in store for Rush, who is a freshman at California (Pa.), but the ping of the aluminum bat. Rush, who was one of the top hitters in the WPIAL Class A ranks and a wiz when it came to stealing bases for the Black and Gold, is expected to compete for a spot on the Vulcan baseball team.