DOMINIQUE DUCK

	Post-Gazette Doninique Duck Click photo for larger image.

WHO IS SHE?: A 5-foot-10 guard/forward and the leading scorer and rebounder for the girls' basketball team. The Spartans (20-3) have a 14-game winning streak heading into their City League semifinal against Allderdice (14-10).

PAST WEEK: Duck scored 19 points Friday in a 51-26 victory at Perry and 17 Monday in a 69-16 quarterfinal rout of Oliver.

CAREER: Duck has split time between two schools. She lived in North Braddock and attended Woodland Hills as a freshman and sophomore, then moved to the Hill District and enrolled at Schenley. Duck topped 1,000 points Feb. 4 in a 35-24 victory against Westinghouse.

DOES IT ALL: Versatility is Duck's trademark. She was mainly a post player at Woodland Hills and has played just about everywhere at Schenley except point guard, where Courtney Bruce holds forth. Duck handles the ball in pressure situations, though.

"Dominique is the catalyst and leader of our team," said Dr. Debbie Lewis, a dentist and Schenley's coach. "Our motto is 'Defense wins.' She sets the tone defensively. She can guard the opposition's post player or the opposition's best guard."

SUCCESS IS RELATIVE: Size and sports are in this family's gene pool. Duck's father, Nathaniel, is 6-7 and a former player at Westinghouse High and Slippery Rock University. Sister Tamika and brother Robert previously played at Schenley. Both are taller than her.

FUTURE: Duck has accepted a scholarship to Western Kentucky, a Division I program and plans to major in media communications.

-- By Rick Shrum

SCHOOL: North Allegheny.

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot, 170-pound senior and one of the best hockey players in Western Pennsylvania.

LAST WEEK: Pekins had two goals and an assist in a 4-1 victory Thursday against Bethel Park.

MAKING HIS POINT: Pekins is North Allegheny's leading scorer with 55 points (22 goals and 33 assists) and one of the reasons North Allegheny is unbeaten (21-0-1).

WAITING HIS TURN: Pekins was on the Tigers' third line as a sophomore and second line last year. Now he's mentioned among the best players in the area.

THE OTHER STICK: Hockey or golf. Pekins is pretty good swinging a stick in both sports. Besides playing hockey, he was No. 3 on North Allegheny's golf team that finished second at the WPIAL Division I team championships.

GETTING NOTICED: North Allegheny has been successful in numerous sports over the years. Now the hockey team is joining the fun. "Hockey has kind of always been downplayed here compared to the other sports. But how we've done so far this year has attracted people. We're getting a lot of fan support, and it's been really nice."

THE FUTURE: Pekins, who has a 3.7 grade point average, most likely will attend Miami (Ohio).

-- By Mike White