SCOTT DILLIE

	John Heller, Post-Gazette Upper St. Clair's Scott Dillie goes after the ball in a PIAA playoff game against Allderdice. Click photo for larger image.

SCHOOL: Upper St. Clair.

WHO IS HE? A senior midfielder who helped the Panthers win the WPIAL Class AAA championship.

THE PAST WEEK: Dillie scored the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 victory against Chartiers Valley in the WPIAL title game Saturday. In the first round of the PIAA playoffs Tuesday, Dillie had two goals as the Panthers defeated City League champion Allderdice, 5-0.

SEASON: Dillie (6 feet 3, 190 pounds) is the third-leading goal scorer on a team that features a balanced scoring attack. He has 15 goals.

CAREER: Dillie has been on Upper St. Clair's varsity since his freshman year and a starter since his sophomore season.

BEST IN THE COUNTRY? Upper St. Clair (24-0) is ranked No. 1 in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

"That's always great to have something like that, but I don't know how you can rate teams in the whole country," Dillie said. "I feel we can play with any team around. I don't want to say we don't deserve to be No. 1, but I'm not sure how anyone comes about ranking something like that."

BIG BROTHER TALK: Scott played a few years with his brother, Brent, who is a sophomore starter at Virginia Tech.

"When he played here, my job was basically to win the ball and pass it to him," Scott said. "Over the past two years, I've had to step up more and do more offensively."

THE OTHER SPORT: Scott Dillie also plays on Upper St. Clair's basketball team. He averaged eight points a game last season and was second on the team in 3-pointers.

"He's an excellent shooter," Upper St. Clair basketball coach Danny Holzer said. "I think he'll be one of the best 3-point shooters in Quad-A this season."

THE FUTURE: Dillie, who has a 3.95 grade point average and a 1,230 SAT score, plans to play soccer in college. He has narrowed his choices to Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Pitt and Duquesne. All but Ohio State have offered partial scholarships.

"Virginia Tech would be one of my top choices, but I'm not sure if I want to follow after my brother," Dillie said.

-- By Mike White

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MICHAELA KISSELL

SCHOOL: Latrobe.

WHO IS SHE? A sophomore tennis player who has won two WPIAL and two PIAA Class AAA singles championships.

THE PAST WEEK: A right-hander, Kissell successfully defended her PIAA title Saturday with a 6-1, 6-0 rout of Lindsay Gray of Bethlehem Catholic.

Kissell was a straight-sets winner in her four PIAA matches last weekend in Hershey. She lost only nine games there, seven of them in a 6-4, 6-3 win against Altoona's Caitlin Baker in the semifinals.

"That was the best I've seen her play all year," said Jon Mains, who finished his first year as the Wildcats' coach. "She was blowing everyone away with her serve."

That was the second year in a row Kissell did not lose a set in PIAA competition.

ORDER ON COURT: Serving is only one of Kissell's fortes. "Her work ethic is a notch above everyone else's," Mains said. "She's dedicated to tennis. As far as skills, her serving is outstanding, she's fast and she probably hits the ball the hardest of anyone in the WPIAL."

Weaknesses?

"There really isn't one," Mains said. "At most, she has to do some fine-tuning."

FOCUSED: No girl has won three PIAA Class AAA singles championships. Kissell, who plays in a number of national tournaments outside of high school, refuses to consider her chances at a three-peat.

"I don't really think that far in advance," she said. "I'm thinking only of my next tournament."

SUCCESS IS RELATIVE: Who said love means nothing in tennis? Kim Storkel Kissell is Michaela's mother and year-round coach. Kim Kissell competed in the WPIAL tournament when she attended Greensburg Salem, and now is a pro at Greensburg Racquet Club.

FUTURE: Michaela Kissell has the potential to play professionally after high school. She has the credentials to thrive in college too, including a 3.89 grade point average.

"I definitely see her playing intercollegiate tennis, upper Division I for sure," Mains said. "That's if she's not trying to go pro."

-- By Rick Shrum