Quaker Valley was hoping to ride its late-season momentum to a strong showing in the WPIAL Class 3A baseball playoffs.
With one game remaining, QV held onto third place at 5-4 in Section 1-3A behind Riverside (9-1) and Ellwood City (8-2) and ahead of Mohawk (5-5).
“The coaches and I are extremely pleased with the growth of the team since January,” QV coach Rich Garbee said. “We participate in a tough section and were able to wrestle a third-place finish against Riverside, Ellwood City and Mohawk. Our mantra has been to ‘get good at getting better’ and ‘let’s just play ball.’ We have been doing that and seem to be peaking at the right time.
“As a side note, we have doubled the stolen bases (81) we had a year ago and have more extra base hits than we had in the last two years combined. The key players have trusted us as coaches, sacrificed where necessary for the good of the team, and the results reflect that.”
Garbee welcomed seven returning starters back from last year’s team, including the entire starting infield of seniors Nolan Wagoner and Jack Cindrich at first and second base, junior Todd Kagle at third base, senior Oscar Roig at shortstop and junior Brad Semonik behind the plate.
Two of last year’s starters in the outfield, senior Ryan Finamore (CF) and sophomore Kolton Johnson, also returned in 2025. Finamore, an Allegheny College commit, was the Quakers’ leading hitter last season.
QV’s top three batters this spring — Kagle (.489), Finamore (.457) and Roig (.411) — were interchangeable in a number of statistical categories.
Kagle led the club in slugging percentage (.885), RBIs (32), hits (24), home runs (4) and doubles (10). Finamore was tops in OBP (.630) and stolen bases (16). Roig led in runs scored (33) while ranking second in OBP (.577), hits (23) and stolen bases (15).
Kagle, a potential Division I prospect, was voted as the team’s most outstanding player.
“Todd has been in and around the RBI lead in the WPIAL all year,” Garbee said. “He has had multiple game-winning hits.
“Oscar Roig has been in and around the WPIAL lead in runs scored as the consummate leadoff hitter. Ryan Finamore is batting .457 and has an amazing OBP. He also has been hit by a pitch 10 times.”
QV’s other offensive contributors include Johnson with a .375 batting average, Wagoner (21 RBIs) and Cindrich with 12 stolen bases. Junior Henry Zupanc belted the team’s only triple.
“Kolton Johnson has rounded into form and plays multiple positions (P, 3B, RF),” Garbee said.
The team leader in the fielding department has been Semonik (.992). Zupanc and Semonik were voted the club’s co-most improved players.
“Brad’s work behind the plate has been outstanding,” Garbee said. “He is now calling all the pitches as well as playing an outstanding defensive game.
“Henry has fortified left field as well as the No. 2 spot in our lineup, batting around .300 all year with double-digit stolen bases.”
The Quakers improved to 13-6 overall via a 5-1 nonsection win May 5 against Obama Academy. QV scored 10 or more runs in a game seven times this season.
Wagoner and Cindrich were the workhorses on the pitching staff. Cindrich and Johnson both compiled winning records.
Finamore, the only lefty on the staff, led in ERA with a 1.45 mark, followed by freshman Holden Kirkham (3.32) and Roig (3.50).
“Nolan Wagoner, Jack Cindrich and Oscar Roig have been our leading pitchers this year,” Garbee said. “All throw strikes and get outs. It’s all we ask for.”
Kirkham is one a handful of freshman impact players on this year’s playoff squad.
“Freshmen Holden Kirkham, Damien McClay, Cam Neal and Michael Semonik have contributed heavily to the team’s success,” Garbee said.
Cindrich, Wagoner, Roig and Finamore have served as the Quakers’ co-captains in ‘25.
“The beautiful thing about winning baseball is that it leaves clues for the underclassmen — the trust, the sacrifice and the sweat equity all leads to the opportunity to play for championships,” Garbee said. “That is what we aspire to as a team and as a program.
“I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish and the leadership both on and off the field that’s been provided by our senior captains, Jack, Nolan, Oscar and Ryan.”
The WPIAL baseball playoffs were set to commence May 12.
“We expect to take it one game at a time, play aggressively and have fun,” Garbee said.