A number of Seneca Valley track and field athletes saved their best performances of the campaign for the biggest stage yet, helping the Raiders boys advance to the WPIAL Class 3A final Tuesday at West Mifflin High School.

Greg Pologruto (110-meter hurdles), Eli DeWitt (1,600 run), Elliott Deutsch (400 run), Kyler Matson (300 hurdles), Gavin Skarbek (200 run), Kyle Mancing (shot put), Graham Hancox (javelin), and Devin Webb (shot put) all set personal-bests in the wins.

Seneca Valley defeated New Castle (131-19), South Fayette (95-55), and Penn-Trafford (107-43).

“There were some fantastic performances by a lot of people,” Raiders coach Ray Peaco said. “A lot of people really stepped up ... Nine kids set personal season-bests today, so across the board, the kids really stepped up and did what they needed to do.

“We were worried. We had a band concert at Seneca Valley and a few of our kids that we typically count on had to leave early, so we had to juggle the lineup a little bit. The people that filled in did a great job. It was another great team effort.”

Such levels of performance are expected at this time of the year, Peaco added.

“This is what we do,” he said of the teams who finished at the top of WPIAL Section 3-3A. “And, sure enough, Seneca Valley, Butler, and NA are in the finals again. The three section co-champions are going to be going at it again in the team competition.”

– For the first time in the program’s history, Knoch’s girls earned a spot in the WPIAL Class 2A finals by emerging from a semifinal meet at Shenango High School.

Ava Santora (1,600 run), Grace Bogacz (800 run), Karlee Buterbaugh (javelin), and Kam Burtner (high jump) all finished first in their individual events as the Knights defeated Shenango (88-62), Carlynton (94-56), Hopewell (88-62) and Beaver (104-46).

The Knights’ 1,600 relay team of Bogacz, Brooke Galcik, Myah Smith, and Adah Fuller also claimed first place.

Knoch will travel to Peters Township High School on Tuesday to compete for district bragging rights against Winchester Thurston, Derry and Quaker Valley.

– Riley Gillis finished first in the triple jump and second in the high jump, Noah Coachman second in the pole vault, Bennett Shaw second in the javelin, and Eli Ruediger second in the 3,200-meter run, but Knoch’s boys fell short of advancing to the finals in a meet at Shenango High School. The host Wildcats advanced by defeating Knoch (104-46), Hopewell (101-49) and Riverview (88½-61½).

Softball

Seneca Valley’s Lexie Hames set 19 batters down on strikes, allowed just two hits, and a rare earned run as the Raiders downed Mt. Lebanon, 8-2, Thursday afternoon.

Knoch 19, Woodland Hills 1 — In the second half of a double-header, the Knights soundly defeated the Wolverines thanks in part to three hits and 6 RBIs from Beans Tekely.

Knoch won the first of the twin bill, 17-0, as Brynne Smith had three hits and Lyndsey Wise, Lindsay Edwards, Madi Gardner, and Marlee Fraser two each.

Baseball

Ryan Double and Brody Galcik both notched triples, with the former pushing across a run as Slippery Rock defeated rival Grove City, 5-3, Thursday.

Freshman outfielder Doug Popovec, catcher Nolan Darr, and infielder Brett Galcik also had hits in the win. Nick Kingerski earned the decision on the mound, pitching 2.2 innings and striking out three in relief of starter Sal Mineo.

Grove City 000 300 0 — 3 5 2

Slippery Rock 110 003 x — 5 5 3

W: Sal Mineo 2.2IP (3K, 1BB). L: Shaffert 3IP (2K, 3BB)

Grove City (4-6, 3-6): Hathaway 1B, McCreadie 1B, Wade 2B, Adams 1B, Earman 1B.

Slippery Rock (7-5, 5-5): Ryan Double 3B RBI R, Sal Mineo RBI, Brett Galcik 1B, Lucas Allison 2R, Brody Galcik 3B R, Doug Popovec 1B R, Nolan Darr 1B

Clarion-Limestone 1, Moniteau 0 — The Warriors dropped this nine-inning decision despite getting 8.1 innings of pitching our of senior Brock Matthews. He worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth to extend the game.

The Lions scored the winning run in the top of the ninth. Jordy Hesdon singled, stole second, moved to third on an errant throw and scored on Kohen Kemmer’s single up the middle.

Girls Lacrosse

Abby Legin made 10 saves and Lillie Snow scored three times and had an assist, but Freeport dropped a 10-8 decision to Greensburg Salem.

Saige Smith and Ava Dreher both contributed two goals and one assist while Abby Watson added one score.