PT's Gallagher wins Challis Award

Mike Gallagher, a senior at Peters Township, is the recipient of the John Challis Memorial Award given by the WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association (WBCA). Gallagher will be honored at the WBCA's Awards Banquet on June 11.

Challis graduated from Freedom High School in 2008 and died of cancer two months later and the award goes to an individual who is a current high school student associated with his high school baseball team; has overcome or currently struggling with a physical, mental or significant obstacle; and serves as an inspiration to players and coaches.

Gallagher certainly qualifies.

The brother of Peters Township great Jim Gallagher (named the top local high school athlete of the past 10 years on this blog), Mike Gallagher's route to the Peters Township varsity baseball team was a difficult one.

A designated hitter/outfielder, Gallagher developed a seizure disorder called Complex Partial Seizures. Numerous prescription medications failed.

"It tears your heart out as a parent any time your child deals with a chronic illness. It was something we lived with every day," James Gallagher, Mike's father, said. "We were fortunate that Mike had good care."

After medications failed, the Gallaghers opted for brain surgery after learning Mike was a candidate. On Dec. 13, 2005, Gallagher woke up from a coma and, after being cleared for physical activity, began to train for baseball, which he hadn't played since the age of 10.

With help from Jim, who was playing for Duke University at the time, Mike basically learned how to play baseball all over. Only a few months later, he made the freshman team at Peters Township. He made the varsity roster in 11th grade.

"Because of what I've been through, I appreciate everything very much, " Gallagher said. "Playing baseball is not like a lot of other sports. These guys are going to be life-long friends."

Local trio in Roundball Classic

Tried to get this item into a Scholastic Notebook on the pages of the Observer-Reporter. Our space has not permitted a notebook to run this week.

The Roundball Classic will be played Saturday, April 17 at Geneva College in Beaver Falls and the event features some of the top boys and girls players from the WPIAL.
Class AAA Player of the Year T.J. McConnell of Chartiers Valley and Sewickley Academy’s Tom Droney, the Class A Player of the Year, accepted invitations to play, along with other top talents such as Hampton’s Bill Luther and Mt. Lebanon’s Evan Pierce.
A few of the top local players will be included in the games, which begin at 4 p.m. with the WPIAL Class A/AAAA girls all-stars vs. the WPIAL Class AA/AAA girls.
Peters Township’s Craig Wolcott will play for the Class AAAA all-stars at 6 p.m. against the Class AAA team.
Washington’s Troy Wilson and South Fayette’s Mike Burroughs are part of the Class AA all-star team, which plays the Class A team at 8 p.m.

Peters Township's White ranked by NHL's Central Scouting

Matt White, a senior at Peters Township High School and member of the 2009-10 Pittsburgh Viper Stars 18 & Under AAA hockey team, made the final rankings of skaters by the National Hockey League's Central Scouting.

White was ranked No. 106 in the final report released by the NHL last Wednesday.

A 6-2, 195 center, White posted 78 points (36 goals, 42 assists) in 45 games for the Viper Stars. The University of Vermont recruit, where former Peters Township standout Rob Madore is the starting goaltender, is expected to sign with the school this month.

He helped the Viper Stars to a 42-27-7-1 record this season.

In addition to skating for the Viper Stars and Peters Township, White played for the United States Hockey League's Des Moines Buccaneers, a Junior A level team. White was also a member of Team USA in the 2008 World Junior A challenge. Team USA won the gold medal.

Christian Hanson, a center on the Toronto Maple Leafs, previously played for Peters Township before heading to Notre Dame. Dwight LaBrosse, who never played for the Indians but was from McMurray, was the ninth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002. The goalie's last known team was the Des Moines Buccaneers (2003-04).