DAVE THEIS

SCHOOL: Vincentian

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward-center and one of the top juniors in WPIAL basketball.

THE PAST WEEK: Theis scored 49 points in an 81-75 overtime victory Jan. 26 against Riverview and followed with 26 points in a 53-34 victory Friday against Springdale. He had 21 in a 51-47 loss Tuesday against Duquesne. On Jan. 24, he had 26 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocked shots against Oliver, one of the top teams in the City League.

SEASON-CAREER: Theis is averaging 22 points a game for Vincentian (13-9, 7-4 Class A Section 4). Theis has been a starter since his freshman year and recently scored his 1,000th point.

MAKING HIS POINT: The 49 points Theis scored was a school record and the most scored in the WPIAL this season. He made 24 of 37 shots from the field.

"The only other time I've seen anyone score that many in a game in person was Billy Owens [of Carlisle] in the [1988] state championship game in Hershey," said Vincentian coach Buzz Gabos.

Owens scored 53 in that game against Central Catholic.

"David just made shots from everywhere," Gabos said. "He had six baskets alone with his left hand."

DIFFERENT ROADS: Theis and his family live in Franklin Park. Theis' older brother, Dan, is a senior on North Catholic's team. Why the different schools?

"My brother used to play football, and there's no football at Vincentian. But there is at North Catholic," Dave said. "Plus, my two best friends from grade school went to Vincentian, and I wanted to go with them."

BRIGHT FUTURE: Some Division I schools already are showing interest in Theis. Besides his stellar play for Vincentian, he also has helped himself playing for the Gators AAU team.

"I think he has a chance to play at the Division I level," Gabos said.

-- By Mike White

SARAH DUNLEAVY

SCHOOL: Bethel Park

WHO IS SHE? A 5-foot-11 freshman swimmer ranked No. 1 in WPIAL Class AAA in two individual events and is part of two top-ranked relay squads. Dunleavy, 15, has the top time in the WPIAL in the 200-yard individual medley (2:10.57) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.59). She also is part of the top-seeded 200-yard medley relay team (1:51.02) and the 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:39.01).

LAST WEEK: Dunleavy continued to dazzle this past week. She has won the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual relay events in every meet she has competed in this season. Last week, teaming with Colleen Toth, Chelsey Bower and Charlotte Brackett, Dunleavy was part of a 200-yard freestyle relay team that set a Bethel Park pool record (1:39.01).

OH BROTHER(S): Dunleavy has two older brothers who were solid football players at Bethel Park and play college football. Her oldest brother, Michael, 21, is a 6-4, 270-pound offensive lineman at Yale. Matthew, 19, was listed as a 6-3, 226-pound outside linebacker at Amherst College this past season but is expected to move to tight end.

"I really look up to them," Sarah Dunleavy said. "They always worked really hard through high school and they work even harder in college. In sports and academically, I'm just trying to follow in their footsteps."

THE EYES HAVE IT: Bethel Park coach Bill Kennedy knows when Dunleavy is ready because she morphs into a fierce competitor with piercing eyes during meets.

"She loves to compete, that's the biggest thing about her," Kennedy said. "There is this certain look about her when she competes. You can see it in her eyes, you really can. She just has this look and, when you see that, you know she is totally focused."

EARLY TO RISE: You can find Dunleavy along with the other Black Hawks swimmers in the Bethel Park pool at 5:30 a.m. each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

"She's been coming to the morning practices since she was in seventh grade," Kennedy said. "She's very dedicated, as are all of our swimmers."

"When I was growing up everyone always told me how much time was involved," Dunleavy said. "Now that I'm in high school, I understand and I know how important the practice time is."

THE FUTURE: Kennedy believes Dunleavy is well on her way to becoming an elite swimmer, not only in this area, but nationwide.

"She's definitely going to be a college swimmer," Kennedy said. "There's no doubt about that. She's definitely a Division I prospect, and I can see her performing at a level even beyond college. It's just up to her and how hard she's willing to work because, right now at this stage, her future is extremely bright."

-- By Colin Dunlap