Trib HSSN diamond team of the week – South Park Eagles softball
Coach – R.J. Matetic (sixth year)
Records – South Park won the Section 3-3A championship with a 10-0 record, three games in front ofKeystone Oaks and McGuffey. The Eagles are 20-1 overall this season.
#Earned – South Park wrapped up a third straight regular section title this spring, giving the Eagles a combined section record of 30-0 since 2024.
But while another section title was nice, this group of high-flying Eagles were focused on soaring through the playoff blue skies and not having to settle for clouds with silver linings the last two postseasons.
In 2024, South Park qualified for the district title game for the first time since 2018, but was upended by Mohawk, 9-2.
Last season, the Eagles and Warriors met again with the same result — Mohawk repeating 6-1.
There would be no three-time championship game showdown between South Park and Mohawk after the Warriors were eliminated in the district quarterfinals by Keystone Oaks.
Instead it would be top-seeded South Park against No. 3 Mt. Pleasant.
Having scored only three runs combined in the previous 14 innings of district championship softball, the Eagles were greatly relieved when they scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The Vikings became the first team to score on the Eagles in this postseason when they cut their deficit in half in the top of the third inning.
Then South Park opened the vault on their offense, scoring two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings, and pulling away from Mt. Pleasant with four runs in the sixth inning to seal the deal on the 10-1 win.
The golden run was the second in program history and the first since South Park blanked Center in eight innings to win the 2003 WPIAL Class 2A championship, 1-0.
Standout performers – Senior Sydney Sekely is putting a golden bow on an outstanding career this spring.
The Gannon commit was her typical dominant self in the circle, going the distance in allowing one run on five hit with two walks and seven strikeouts.
In three postseason games this season, Sekely has allowed only one run in 21 innings pitched while striking out 41 batters.
She had one of the 11 hits for South Park, which was led on the hit parade by senior Grace Kempton.
The Bethany commit finished 3 for 4 with a run scored and three RBIs, two of which came in the first inning. She would later triple home a run.
Two other Eagles with a multiple-hit game in the finals were senior Kailyn Polk and freshman Paige VanDyke.
Polk, a Duquesne commit, had two hits, two runs scored and two runs driven in.
VanDyke had two hits and an RBI out of the No. 8 spot in the batting order.
Senior Sydney Dubyak had a hit, two runs scored and an RBI, sophomore Emma Hays and freshman Layla Pacifico each had a hit, run scored and run batted in, freshman Addison O’Connor scored a run and sophomore London Latorre had a pinch hit RBI.
2026 Trib HSSN Diamond Teams of the Week
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Week 2 – North Allegheny Tigers softball
Week 1 – Eden Christian Academy Warriors baseball