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Thursday, October 03, 2002

By Paul Zeise and Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writers

SCHOOL: Knoch

	Knoch's Dusty Ziacik averages 8.8 yards a carry. (Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette)

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot-3, 190-pound running back/safety for the Knights.

THE PAST WEEK: Ziacik rushed 15 times for 142 yards and four touchdowns in leading the Knights (5-0) to a 41-0 victory against Kittanning. He had two 1-yard touchdown runs, an 18-yard touchdown run and a 45-yard touchdown run. He also caught two passes for 45 yards.

SEASON: The Knights have won their five games by an average score of 43-2, so Ziacik hasn't had to play a full game yet. Despite that, he still has rushed 68 times for 596 yards and has scored 13 touchdowns.

CAREER: Ziacik needs only 16 yards to join the 2,000-yard club. He has rushed 270 times for 1,984 yards and has 34 touchdowns and four two-point conversions.

SWITCHING POSITIONS: As a freshman, Ziacik was a quarterback but was moved to receiver to help out at that position. In his sophomore season, he moved to running back after the team's top two backs got hurt. It was the first time he had played running back.

"At first, it was tough for me to figure out what was going on," Ziacik said. "But by the end of that season, I had settled in, and then last year, I really had a good year. And really, I feel like my time at quarterback and receiver actually helps me because I have good vision out there and can read blocks and defenses better than most backs."

A NEW STYLE: Because he is tall for a running back, Ziacik has had to learn how to make himself a smaller target for defensive players when he is running through the line. He said it was a sometimes painful experience. "At first, I think I was able to run away from people because I was scared out there and didn't know what I was doing. But then I took a bunch of hard hits and realized I need to keep guys off of me. So I learned how to dip my shoulder and make myself like 5-foot-8 as opposed to 6-foot-3."

RUNNING FAST: In the spring, Ziacik runs track for the Knights. His main events are the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400 and 1,600 meter relays. His fastest time in the 100 is 11.25 seconds, and he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

FUTURE: Ziacik is an honor roll student and said he wants to studyphysicaltherapy orhealtheducation incollege. He is getting some interest from Division I schools, such as Ohio, William & Mary and Pitt, but most would like him to play safety. He has other plans. "To be honest, I'd really rather play running back, so I am holding out hope that someone gives me a shot at that position. I mean, I obviously wouldn't mind playing defensive back in college if that's where I had to play, but I'd rather run the ball if I could."

-- By Paul Zeise

SCHOOL: Laurel Highlands

WHO IS SHE? A senior, Monaghan is one of the top cross country runners in the WPIAL and also the leading goal scorer on Laurel Highlands' girls' soccer team.

THE PAST WEEK: On Saturday, Monaghan won the Abe Everhart Invitational at Penn State-Fayette and set a meet record 19 minutes, 3.08 seconds.

SEASON: Monaghan is unbeaten in meets and invitationals. In early September, she won the Gateway Invitational and beat Hempfield's Lauren Bricker, the three-time defending WPIAL Class AAA champion.

CAREER: Monaghan (5 feet 2 3/4) will be a four-year letter winner in cross country, track and soccer. She was fifth in the WPIAL Class AAA cross country championships a year ago and ninth at the PIAA meet. In track last spring, she was fourth in the WPIAL Class AAA 1,600 meters.

A FAVORITE? Monaghan's best sports are cross country and track. "During cross country season, I say I like track better," she said. "During track, I say I like cross country better. I seem to do a little better in cross country because I'm more of a longer distance runner."

HEY MIKIE, SHE LIKES IT: Monaghan's real first name is Michol, pronounced like Michael. But she is known to everyone as Mikie. "Basically, it's just a family name," she said. "My mom's middle name is Michol and I have an Aunt Mikie. I actually like the name [Mikie] because it's different. It's a name that kind of sticks. It's a name you'll remember."

BUSY SEASON: On Monday, Monaghan ran five miles after school at cross country practice and then caught the 5:15 p.m. team bus for a soccer game at Yough. She has scored 10 goals for Laurel Highlands' soccer team, which is 4-7-1. How does one compete in cross country and soccer during the same season?

"Our soccer coach [Tom Walls] is not real big on practices, even though we probably should be. So we don't practice that much," Monaghan said. "It can be tiring at times doing both sports, but I just make sure I eat right, get my rest, get all my work done and everything usually turns out OK in the end."

HIGH MARKS: Monaghan excels in the classroom also. Her 4.2 grade point average ties her for first in Laurel Highlands' senior class. She scored 1,400 on the SAT.

-- By Mike White