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Thursday, May 02, 2002

By Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

SCHOOL: Valley

WHO ARE THEY? Sisters and standouts on the Valley girls' track and field team. Mycah is a 5-foot-10 junior and Mycaiah a 5-10 freshman.

LAST WEEK: Mycaiah was second in the 100-meter hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles Friday at the Mars Invitational. Mycah was second in the long jump, third in the 200 and third in the 100 hurdles.

	Valley track standouts Mycaiah, left, and Mycah Clemons. (Gabor Degre, Post-Gazette)

HIGH HONORS: Look at the WPIAL Class AA track and field honor roll, and the name "Clemons" is all through it. Mycaiah has the best times this season in the 100 dash (12.1 seconds), the 100 hurdles (14.7) and the 300 hurdles (45.2). She is 10th in the high jump (5-0).

Mycah is first in the long jump (17-3 1/4), second in the 100 hurdles (14.8) and third in the 200 dash (26.5).

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Last year as a sophomore, Mycah won WPIAL and PIAA championships in the 100 hurdles. She was second in the WPIAL in the long jump and third in the PIAA.

RIVAL SISTERS? Mycah and Mycaiah had never been on the same team in any sport until this season. "I sort of kept them apart at first. I didn't want them to become like the Williams [tennis] sisters -- Venus and Serena -- competing against each other," said Valley Coach Larry Rowe. "But halfway through the season, I said, 'OK, let me put Mycaiah in the 100 hurdles.' The first time she ran it, she beat her sister, who was the defending state champion."

Mycah said there is no sibling rivalry.

"I kind of like her being on the same team because she's always there for me," Mycah said. "Really, she's the better athlete. That's why I don't care if she beats me because she's the better athlete. Just as long as no one else beats me."

But Mycaiah said: "She gets kind of mad when I beat her. At the beginning of the year, I was scared to run against her because I thought I was going to lose. But after I raced her, I found out it's not as hard as it seems. It's been fun."

PICK TWO: Although they are versatile in track and field, the Clemons sisters will probably compete in only two events at the WPIAL qualifiers and championships in a few weeks. Mycah will compete in the 100 hurdles and long jump; Mycaiah most likely will compete in both hurdles events.

THE OTHER SPORT: Mycah was a starter on Valley's basketball team this past season. Mycaiah played on the junior varsity and also saw some varsity time.

THE FUTURE: Rowe believes Mycah can compete in the pentathlon in college while Mycaiah can be a PIAA champion as early as her sophomore year.

SCHOOL: North Hills

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior who is one of the top baseball pitchers in the WPIAL.

THE PAST WEEK: Chisholm pitched a four-hitter and struck out 15 in an 8-1 victory yesterday against New Castle. The win clinched a playoff berth for North Hills for the first time since 1989. On April 23, Chisholm pitched a three-hitter and struck out 10 in a 3-1 victory against rival North Allegheny. It was only the third time North Hills beat North Allegheny in the past 24 meetings.

LEADER BOARD: Chisholm is 6-0 with 79 strikeouts, which broke the school record, and is among the WPIAL leaders in both categories.

IN CONTROL: Although Chisholm enjoyed some pitching success as a junior and sophomore, it was nothing compared to this season. "What he's done is he's gotten more control of all three pitches he throws," said North Hills Coach Rick Dervanik. "He can throw his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. In the past, he relied on one pitch, his fastball."

Dervanik believes fitness is another reason for Chisholm's success this season. Chisholm lost 15 pounds since last year. Chisholm's fastball has been clocked at 85 mph.

"He's been exceeding expectations this year," Dervanik said. "We knew he was good, but we didn't expect him to be as dominating as he has been."

CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL: Although North Hills hasn't been to the baseball playoffs for 13 years, Chisholm has a WPIAL championship to his credit. As a sophomore, he won the WPIAL golf championship, shooting a 74 at Quicksilver in Midway.

FROM THE LEFT SIDE: Chisholm is a left-handed pitcher. But he plays golf right-handed, writes with his right hand and eats with his right hand.

A FUTURE DUKE: In the fall, Chisholm, who has a 3.95 grade point average, accepted a partial scholarship from Duquesne for baseball. "Without knowing what their staff has, I think he can make an impact there as a freshman," Dervanik said.