Nikki Doria

South Park

Last week: Doria helped South Park win three PIAA Class AA playoff games to earn a spot in Saturday's championship game in Hershey. She scored three goals in a 5-0 first-round victory against Villa Maria.

Check this out: Doria, a junior forward, leads South Park in goals with 31. She is a three-sport athlete who has started in soccer, basketball and softball since her freshman season. She most likely will finish her career with 12 varsity letters.

Why is South Park usually good in girls' soccer? I think it's because we all started playing when we were 4 or 5. Plus, our coach [Shelly Thropp] is really involved, even in the younger ages. I think that means a lot. I remember she used to come to our travel team practices when we were 10 years old.

What is your favorite sport? I think I like soccer the best, but it's still hard to say. It's either soccer or basketball.

Your favorite Thanksgiving food? My mom's stuffing.

Is there a secret ingredient? Just her love.

Do you eat breakfast? Yes, but usually just a bowl of cereal. Cocoa Krispies.

Last concert you saw? I actually have never been to a concert. I'm sheltered [laugh].

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully, a nurse. Somewhere hopefully out West, like Arizona.

-- By Mike White

Jake Wickline

Riverside

Last week: Wickline, a 5-11, 195-pound running back for the 10-1 Panthers' football team, ran for 184 yards and a touchdown in a 21-12 upset of No. 2-seeded Ford City in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs.

Check this out: Wickline has 1,657 yards on the season and 30 touchdowns as the Panthers gear up for tomorrow's semifinal contest against Beaver Falls (10-1) at Ambridge.

What kind of numbers do you think you could put up at a Class AAAA school? I have no idea, absolutely no idea. You know, I never ever think about how many yards I am going to gain or how many touchdowns or anything like that. What I think about is going out and winning and that is it. So, about the yards, I don't have a clue.

Have you heard the talk from most people who consider you underdogs all year? We put it all up on the board and all the stuff we hear or see in the papers we use as motivation. Actually, we kind of have a little joke about how the people that make predictions don't have a clue because we were supposed to lose to Beaver in the playoffs, then get killed by Ford City and now, I know everyone thinks Beaver Falls is going to crush us.

What will you have to do to beat Beaver Falls? They haven't been stopped because everyone plays the wrong defense against them. We just think that our game plan is great and if all our players buy into it, we will be successful. We need to believe. People have been counting us out and we need to believe.

-- By Colin Dunlap