Ava Golding
School: Kiski Area
Class: Senior
Sport: Wrestling
Claim to fame: Golding won her third straight WPIAL wrestling title Feb. 21. She was the top seed in the 142-pound weight class at the PIAA West Regionals at Mt. Lebanon on Saturday and won her third consecutive regional gold medal with a 3-0 decision over Norwin’s Josephine Dollman. Golding also achieved her 100th and 101st career victories at the event.
What does earning 101 victories in three years mean to you?
I think it makes it that much more special because I only did it in three years when most had four years. I’m proud of myself to accomplish 100 wins. Not a lot of people can say they’ve done that.
If you include the wins you had against boys, how many career wins did you unofficially have?
I think I was 12-12 my freshman year against boys, so just a little bit more to the total.
What’s it like to win three straight WPIAL gold medals?
I think WPIALs is huge around here. A lot of people talk about it, and to say I’ve won it three times is big and not a lot of people can say they’ve done that either. I wish I had a chance to grab a gold my freshman year, but I’m just so proud to be a part of girls sanctioned wrestling.
What’s it mean to you to see how much girls wrestling has grown?
I started when I was in third grade and thought I would never wrestle girls. I got used to wrestling boys and still do in the practice room, but it’s awesome to give girls the opportunity to wrestle. Half of my friend group wrestles now. They might not be as skilled yet as some wrestlers, but they really enjoy it.
How much did competing against boys help you?
It’s been significant. I definitely wouldn’t change it the way it happened. Obviously, I wouldn’t wrestle them now because they are so much bigger and stronger. I’m glad I got to wrestle boys throughout elementary and middle school. But to wrestle the boys in the practice room does give me that extra challenge I need before a big match.
What did you learn from the injury you sustained in the semifinals at states last year?
I realized I was doing a lot of things wrong last year. I wasn’t as confident, and I had to get better mentally and spiritually. I think the time off last year helped me realize that I was better than what I was telling myself I was. I think wrestling at the right weight this year was very beneficial to my success.
What do you plan on studying at Pitt-Johnstown?
Business. I will wrestle there as well. I looked at other schools, tried to keep an open mind, but when my club coach, Shane Valko, became the head coach, I was locked in to go to UPJ. They have such a legacy with wrestling. I’m so excited.
What’s been your favorite subject in school?
English. I’m not a math or science person at all.
If you were a superhero, what would your super power be?
Super speed. I think that would help me in wrestling.
If you could travel to any place in the world, where would you go?
Bora Bora in those huts on the water. I really love the beach.
Outside of wrestling, what else do you enjoy?
I work at an ice cream shop during the summer. I like hanging out with my friends, going to the gym. I like to bake as well, which doesn’t always help when I need to make weight.
What are you going to miss most about high school wrestling and what it’s become?
I think it’s hit me the last couple of tournaments. We have a great group of girls on the team. I’ve become friends with girls from nearly every single school, and I’ve met so many different people through the sport. I am going to miss it but excited to come back and see how much it will grow.
Roman DeFelice
School: Knoch
Class: Junior
Sport: Basketball
Claim to fame: DeFelice had 13 points and five rebounds Feb. 21 to help No. 3-seeded Knoch defeat No. 2 North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals. He had the same stat line (13 points, five rebounds) Thursday night as the Knights (22-4) earned their first WPIAL basketball title with a win over Quaker Valley.
Has it fully sunk in for you yet that you’re a WPIAL champion?
Yeah, but it took a little while for it to fully sink in on how big it was, after I woke up the next morning.
When did you guys know that you had something special?
Since we were young. It’s been the expectation since we started going to youth tournaments. Happy it all worked out.
Was playing unselfish basketball something you guys talked about at the beginning of the year?
Yeah, and it comes with the bond we share with each other. We don’t really care who’s scoring as long as we win. We can all score very well, which helps.
Teegan Finucan, Derek Lang and your brother Vinnie DeFelice have been playing together for a long time. What is it like to play with those guys, and how much have you learned from them?
They’re great leaders, awesome to be around. On the occasions when I get in my head, they’re always there to pick me up.
What’s it feel like to win a championship with your brother?
It’s awesome. We knew since this summer when we talked about going and winning a WPIAL championship.
With all the changes the team went through this offseason, what was the message from coach Joe Lafko at the start of the year?
Since Day 1, he said that we were going to win a WPIAL championship, and we kind of manifested it. With all the changes that were going on, it helped us form a tighter bond, which helped in the big scheme of things.
What were some of the keys to being that stout defensively in the playoffs?
Coach Lafko is big on defense, so we tried to out-physical a lot of teams. A lot of our offense comes from the turnovers we force on defense. We knew we needed those points, so we sit down in our defense and try to force as many turnovers as we can.
How tough is it for teams to face your 2-3 zone with your team’s collective length?
It’s really tough. We practice it a lot. With our length, we’re in the passing lanes a lot. Teams aren’t always sure what we’re doing, and that makes them uncomfortable. We run out of it quickly and we pinch down, so it’s a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Which game out of these playoffs was the toughest test for you guys?
Quaker Valley. We already played North Catholic twice in the regular season, but I didn’t think we would score as much as we did. We thought we would go into the game against Quaker Valley and run away with a win, but they were a lot better than we expected. They have some really good shooters, and they defended really well.
Did you see yourself being the leading scorer in the title game?
I’m going to be honest, not really. We were all really nervous going into that championship game, playing on that big floor. As soon as I saw that first layup go down at the start of the game, I knew we would have to go right at them. I thought it was huge to get us started.
As the point guard, what’s it like knowing you have the trust from your teammates?
It’s amazing. There really is a lot of trust throughout the team. They trust me to bring the ball up the floor, and I trust them to kick it out and hit their shots.
How long will you guys enjoy this win, and when will you get back to work preparing for your first PIAA opponent?
(Saturday) we have a parade through Saxonburg and then (Sunday) we’ll celebrate a little more and then Monday it’s back to work preparing for Girard.
In the 14-game winning streak during the season, what was clicking for you guys?
Our defense was amazing in that stretch, and, offensively, shots were falling. The morale on the team was extremely high. Everyone was feeling it.
What were your individual goals at the start of the year?
I wanted to become a better leader for the team. I also wanted to be defending the best player in every game, and I think I’ve done that in the majority of our games.
What are some of your favorite hobbies other than basketball?
I like to be outside, and I like playing video games with my friends.
Do you have a specific pregame routine you adhere to?
My mom makes us chicken and rice before games. Then I like to grab some caffeine. On the bus ride to games, I have my headphones on listening to music, which gets me in the zone.
Do you have a favorite pregame song?
Anything by Drake.
Favorite pro sports team?
Seattle Seahawks. I’m not a bandwagon fan though.
Favorite basketball player?
LeBron James and James Harden. Harden is why I wear No. 13.
Favorite subject in school?
Math. I’m naturally good at it, so it helps.
Have you started looking at colleges yet?
I’ve been to a few camps, but I haven’t dug into any colleges yet. This summer I plan on going to as many camps and reaching out to as many coaches as I can. Hopefully, I can get that started soon.