By JIM RUMBLE

In a section game at South Side Beaver Monday, the Avonworth girls’ basketball team got a huge effort from point guard Montee'a Hunter as they defeated the Rams 49-21.

"Tia played one of her best games ever," said coach Bob Schulz of Hunter, who finished with a game-high 18 points.

By JIM RUMBLE

It was an exceptional week of basketball for the Avonworth girls’ team, which earned two very important wins in section play.

On Thursday, Jan. 5, the Lady ‘Lopes hosted section co-leader Quaker Valley and came from behind to knock off the Quakers in a thriller, 39-38.

The 'Lopes traveled to Sto Rox on Monday, Jan. 9, and took control in the second half on their way to a 44-34 win over the Vikings.

By JIM RUMBLE

With the restart of section play since the holiday break, the Avonworth girls’ basketball team finds itself looking up at the leaders in section 6AA following a loss at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart this past Tuesday.

Having a tough time getting their offense on track, the Lady ‘Lopes fell to the Chargers 40-34 and saw their section record drop to 1-1 behind OLSH and Quaker Valley, both at 3-0.

"In the first half we didn't take very good shots and we didn't possess the ball well enough," said coach Bob Schulz.

By JIM RUMBLE

In a quarterfinal game that went down to the wire, the Avonworth football team saw their season come to a close as they were defeated by the Rochester Rams last Friday, 26-22.

"We gave it a good run," said coach Duke Johncour after the game."We came out of the chute slow with a fumble and giving up a couple of big third down conversions, but they made some great plays when they had to and that was the end result." .

It didn’t take long for word to spread that Northgate was looking for a new head football coach, and within weeks of head coach Mike Pipak submitting his letter of resignation, the school board was ready to name his replacement.

T.J. Wiley was hired Monday by the board, just minutes after members voted to accept the resignation of Pipak, who has led a troubled Northgate program for the last few years.

Wiley does not have much experience as a head coach, but there is no denying that football -- and coaching -- is in his blood.

The Bellevue Avalon Baseball Association (BABA) is asking area residents to join them in raising funds to help the family of a badly injured volunteer coach.

Mark Trimmer, who also is a local postal carrier, was critically injured in a car accident earlier this month.

BABA will lead a fund-raising effort on Sunday, June 26, from noon to 6 p.m. at the baseball fields at 521 New Brighton Road, Avalon. There will be a D.J., home run and infield competitions, dunk tank, flea market, moon bounce, face painting, basket raffles, a Texas hold ‘em tournament and more.

By JIM RUMBLE

It was an exciting week for the Avonworth softball team, as they secured two section wins to move into second place in AA Section 1 with a record of 5-1 overall and 3-0 in section play.

Without a doubt, the most exciting win came at previously unbeaten Brentwood last Friday as the 'Lopes battled back to win in extra innings 8-4.

"This was one of the best wins in our school's history," said coach Chris Knox afterwards.

Assistant Avonworth football coach Derek Johncour will take over as head coach for the Antelopes.

Johncour was hired by the Avonworth School Board at a special meeting last Thursday evening, just days after parents appealed to the school board to rectify the situation created when officials declined to rehire former head coach Jason Kekseo.

Several members of the Three Rivers Rowing Association grouped up last weekend to row a distance that, if they would have been on water, would have taken them from Pittsburgh to Columbus, OH.

The young athletes weren't training for an upcoming competition. And they weren't showing off their skills for passersby at Ross Park Mall, where they had set up 10 ergometers, machines that simulate distances and intensity of rowing.

The Avonworth School District is about to find out what the loss of super coach Jason Kekseo will do to the varsity football program.

Although officials are remaining tight-lipped about the circumstances, citing confidential personnel matters, Kekseo has not taught physical education at the school since January, and the district recently posted the head varsity football coach position.

By JIM RUMBLE

It wasn't suppose to end like this. That's probably what a lot of people were thinking after the Avonworth girls’ basketball team's WPIAL quarterfinal game against Bishop Canevin at West Allegheny High School last Friday.

Having left their “A” game at home, the Lady ‘Lopes committed 34 turnovers and had a horrendous night shooting the ball as they were subdued by the Crusaders 53-31.

"We didn't handle their press -- we didn't get to the spots that we needed to like we had prepared," said Coach Bob Schulz after the game.

By JIM RUMBLE

For most people, their disappointment came last Sunday with a Steelers loss. But for the Avonworth girls’ basketball team, theirs came last Thursday when the 'Lopes were defeated at Sto-Rox 53-44.

After suffering their first section loss this season, the girls bounced back on senior night with a section win at home against Freedom this past Monday, 81-34, and clinched at least a tie for the section title.

The Lady ‘Lopes were scheduled to finish section play yesterday with a game at Northgate with the results not available at press time.