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Thursday, May 01, 2003

Ian Fitzgerald

SCHOOL: North Hills

WHO IS HE? A junior and standout distance runner on the North Hills track team.

	Ian Fitzgerald< North Hills. (Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette)

LAST WEEK: Fitzgerald established himself as one of the best distance runners in the eastern United States when he finished second in the 3,000-meter run at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

STAR-STUDDED FIELD: The Penn Relays race had runners from seven different states.

"[Finishing second] was pretty big because there were a lot of the best runners from the eastern part of the country there," Fitzgerald said. "It's a big race nationally. I was surprised a little bit because I really didn't know where I stood."

Fitzgerald finished the race in 8 minutes, 30.16 seconds. Brian Dalpiaz of Sayville, N.Y., was first in 8:28.16.

"Steve Brown was my last athlete to run at the Penn Relays in 1985, and he placed third that year with an 8:29," said North Hills distance coach John Wilkie. "That same year, Steve won the PIAA in the 3,200, set a WPIAL record that still stands today and was a two-time All-American in track. He eventually went on to become an All-American at Penn State. That should tell you where Ian stands."

This season, Fitzgerald has the WPIAL's top time in the 1,600 (4:25.4) and 3,200 (9:14.6).

"Ian is a dream to coach," Wilkie said. "He has incredible work ethic and is as mentally tough as they come."

CAREER: Fitzgerald finished third at the PIAA Class AAA cross country championships this past season. He was 24th as a sophomore. In track last season, he was seventh in the 1,600 at the PIAA championships.

RUNNING FROM SOCCER: Fitzgerald was a talented soccer player through elementary school and junior high. But he gave up soccer after his freshman year.

"He did so well in track as a freshman that I was able to convince him that was where his future was," Wilkie said. "So he started running cross country as a sophomore."

OFF THE TRACK: Fitzgerald, who is president of North Hills' national honor society, has a 3.7 grade point average and scored 1,210 on the SAT.

-- By Mike White

Sarah Shaffer

SCHOOL: Shenango

WHO IS SHE? A senior pitcher who had a spectacular performance Tuesday for the Shenango softball team against Monaca.

STRIKE TALK: Shaffer struck out 40 batters in a 1-0 victory. She had 18 strikeouts in the first seven innings and 22 in the final 10. She also scored the winning run.

TOP 10 NATIONALLY: According to the National High School Sports Record Book, Shaffer's 40 strikeouts tied her for ninth all-time in the country. Alicia Hollowell of Fairfield, Calif., is first with 61 strikeouts in a 30-inning game two years ago. The top eight marks came in games of at least 21 innings. Six of the top eight strikeout performances were by California pitchers.

GOING THE DISTANCE: Numerous times during the game, Shenango Coach Laurie Lidak asked Shaffer if she was able to continue pitching. "She wasn't showing any signs of fatiguing," Lidak said. "She wanted to go the distance."

Shaffer said: "I started to get tired at the very end. I couldn't have gone much longer. I was about beat."

Pitching fastpitch softball is much different than pitching baseball.

"With softball, it's a total body thing," Lidak said. "Baseball takes a toll on your arm. Softball is more of a natural thing for your arm."

SEASON: Shaffer has an 8-2 record with 165 strikeouts. About a fourth of those strikeouts came in the game Tuesday. She has helped Shenango to a 9-3 record and a 6-1 mark in WPIAL Class A Section 4.

THE OTHER THINGS: After the game at Monaca, Shaffer was on the team bus at 6:50 p.m. for the ride home. By 7:35 p.m. she was at practice for the school play, "Grease." She plays one of the "Pink Ladies."Shaffer also plays the baritone in the marching band, the flute in the concert band, is president of SADD and secretary of the school's national honor society. She has a 4.47 grade point average and a 1,260 score on the SAT. She will play softball next season at Susquehanna University.

-- By Mike White