Grace Novacek

Hopewell

Last week: Novacek, a 6-foot-3 junior middle blocker on the Hopewell girls' volleyball team, led the Vikings to their fifth WPIAL Class AA championship in six years. Novacek had 16 kills as Hopewell defeated South Fayette, 3-1, in the title match. Hopewell also defeated Grove City, 3-2, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Tuesday.

Check this out: Novacek comes from a family of athletes. Her father, Jim, was an excellent high school pole vaulter in Nebraska. Her uncle, Jay, played in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. Novacek's older sisters, Becky and Joyce, are fraternal twins and were two-sport standouts. Becky plays volleyball at the University of Dayton and Joyce plays basketball at Bucknell.

Do you ever get tired of being compared to your sisters? Not really, but a lot of people mistake me for them, especially Becky.

Did you get either of their rooms when they went to college? No, but I do get to wear all their clothes that they didn't take.

What was the best advice your sisters ever gave you? Probably just to be good in both school and athletics [Grace has a 3.9 grade average]. But most importantly, just be nice to everybody.

Your uncle played for the Cowboys. Are you a Cowboys fan? I like the Cowboys and the Steelers, but I like the Cowboys more.

-- By Mike White

Kyle Young

Bethel Park

Last week: Young's goal in overtime on Saturday gave Bethel Park a 1-0 victory against Peters Township in the WPIAL Class AAA championship. In the semifinals, he scored a goal in a 2-1 double-overtime win against Pine-Richland. He had another goal in a 2-0 victory against Allderdice in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Tuesday.

Check this out: Young, a senior forward, has been on Bethel Park's varsity since his freshman year and has 24 goals this season. Off the field, he has a 4.3 grade point average.

Is scoring the winning goal in overtime the ultimate for a soccer player? Without a doubt, just because it's such a final thing. There is nothing after that. It's cut and dry.

Do you play any differently in overtime? No. I'd say you have more drive. I don't think you change the way you play, but you have more desire.

Did you go trick or treating or are you too old? I didn't go, but after seeing a bunch of my friends go, I kind of regret not going. You just have great memories of getting big bags of candy and then you're able to eat it all. I got my fair share, though, because I'm a moocher.

Who is the most famous Bethel Park graduate? I would say David Kovalcik. He played for Duquesne and then for the Riverhounds for a few years.

People might be surprised to know that ... I like to cook.

-- By Mike White