Sophomore Seamus Riordan and Danny Demchak are expected to step in. The center this season will be junior Nate Mallory, who came on during the playoffs last year. There is a standard with the program: The boys have made the playoffs 28 of the 29 seasons since Shady Side rejoined the WPIAL in 1993. It’s just do these guys without a lot of varsity minutes, can they step in and fill the shoes of guys with a lot of experience who knew how we played?” “I really like the group we have once we get everybody together. “We have some new guys and guys who were pushing for minutes late last year,” Vadnais said. Returning are Teslovich and senior guard Ethan Salvia. Peter Kramer moved back to his hometown high school, Hampton. Graduated are starters Rian Fitzgerald and Lau Thompson. I want another one of those.”īut now the Gladiators have moved out of the section and the Bulldogs are moving on to a new season.

Now, we want to go back-to-back and we want to add to that. “Very few feelings like that so far in my life. “When it happened, it was so surreal,’ said junior guard Eli Teslovich. But when you get to hoist the WPIAL trophy, it’s all worth it.” You can’t take days off and you have to be unselfish.

“I think our returning guys see what it takes and the commitment that has to be there day in and day out. “It was a great experience and a great run,” said 10th-year coach David Vadnais. The schools split their regular season series. It was part of a 20-7 season that ended with a loss to section rival South Allegheny in the second round of the PIAA playoffs. The Bulldogs, in their first year with that moniker, brought home the WPIAL Class 3A title with a 66-54 win over Avonworth at Petersen Events Center. It was a memorable season for the Shady Side Academy boys basketball team.

Rebel Yells by Rain Carrington