WPIAL CHAMPS Valley High School Girls Softball

Their great reward was the WPIAL Championship. Their great sacrifice for was the name on front, not the name on back.

Valley High School head Softball Coach Carol Perroz saw her players do it many times on the way to the WPIAL crown. “This season was a dream,” she says. “The girls were willing to play for the name on the front of the shirt and not the name on the back. That is what gave us a WPIAL championship for Valley High School.”

For instance, there was the times Perroz had Ashley Pallone, her number four hitter sacrificing more than once. “Without question, she was willing to do that. If you are number four hitter, you are a good hitter, so laying down a bunt is a sacrifice. Those type things are what lead us to where we went to. That’s just one example. Any of them were willing to do that.”

It became pretty clear to the coach what her team was like, midway through the season. It was actually a turning point for the team, Perroz says. “We were playing Burrell, one of our biggest rivals. Players from Valley know Burrell players because we are so close as a community. When it came time to play them, we saw Valley pride come thru, and then they were geared for the rest of the season to doing this for Valley as opposed to do this for me [for themselves.]” The rivalry match up stoked the fires of school spirit on the Lady Vikings team, to win it for the school, and it carried over to the rest of the season.

The proof is the 20-2 record and the first WPIAL AA softball crown ever for the school.

The squad, coached by Carol Perroz and assistants Rick Jackson and Rick Nealer, became the talk of the New Kensington/Arnold area after their championship victory over Washington. Fire trucks and police cars ushered the Viking ladies into town after the win, and crowds greeted them. Winning a WPIAL title is exciting and not easily forgotten.

Valley is in good position for next year as well. There were not many seniors, though they were key. “The four seniors gave the team great leadership and the other 11 players filled their roles exceptionally,” Perroz says. “It was an honor to coach them.”

Several players received post-season honors from area papers, including senior Bethany Nealer (P) who was voted "Player of the Year." Seniors Erica Brubaker (2B OF) and Ashley Pallone (SS), and junior Lucy Jackson (OF) made first team and freshman Casey Bonk (3B C) made second team. Senior Erica Teichman, juniors Lydia Valtonbaugh (2B), Theresa Keihl (OF); sophomores Elise Zavadak (OF), Jordan Ritchie (1B), Nicole Guzzi (OF), Ebony Thrower (OF), Kelsey Barbiaux (2B), Olivia Traini (1B P) and freshman Maureen Pallone (OF) were all parts of the championship squad.

Alle-Kiski Today salutes the Valley High School Lady Vikings for a great job well done. Congratulations!

Photo courtesy Valley High School Athletics