A-K Valley high school playoff preview capsule for June 1, 2026

Winner plays: Winner of 5-1 Everett (18-6)/7-2 Fort Cherry (18-2) in quarterfinals Thursday (site/time TBD)

Players to Watch: Owen Orbich, Riverview; Zack Kruszewski, Mercyhurst Prep

Extra bases: The Raiders again found success on the turf at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park as they captured a third-place consolation victory there for the second year in a row. Riverview, in the PIAA tournament for the third time in six seasons, punched its ticket to states and a rematch with Mercyhurst Prep with a dominating performance at the plate, on the mound and on defense against South Side. The Raiders produced 13 hits and drew six walks. All nine in the batting order reached base at least once. Junior Miles Duncan homered, and freshman Jake Sprajcar and junior Ian Stempfer each drove in two runs. It was the sixth time this season Riverview scored 10 or more runs in a victory. Junior Lukas Duncan again made his mark on the mound as he went the distance. He scattered five hits, walked four and struck out seven. He pitched a shutout in last year's third-place win over Laurel. Junior Owen Metz, the starter for the Raiders' semifinal game against Fort Cherry, is expected to get the start Monday. Riverview fell behind early to Mercyhurst Prep in last year's PIAA first-round matchup before its rally fell short in a 5-3 loss. The Duncan brothers and juniors Rex Roberts and Ashton Saunders started that game. The Raiders, the only Alle-Kiski Valley baseball or softball team left in this year's postseason, are making this run without a senior on the roster. The 1983 Riverview team finished third in the WPIAL playoffs before making a run to the Class AA state title. Raiders teams are 4-4 all-time over five PIAA playoff appearances. ... The Lakers won their ninth District 10 championship with their convincing victory over Saegertown on Memorial Day. Prep is on a roll with the D-10 title win their 18th victory in a row. The Lakers own a collective .405 team batting average. Prep senior ace Hunter Krahe, a Charleston Southern (Division I) commit, most likely will get the start against the Raiders. He started last year's game against Riverview and gave up nine hits, struck out four, and walked one in the victory. Junior Hayden Spencer, again one of the top hitters in the Lakers lineup, had a big hit in the game with a two-run double as part of a four-run first inning. Mercyhurst followed last year's win over Riverview with a 3-2 quarterfinal victory over District 5 champion Tussey Mountain. WPIAL champion Freedom ended the Lakers' state-playoff run 2-0 in the semifinals at Slippery Rock University. Prep is 8-12 all-time in state playoff games. This is its 13th all-time trip to states as it seeks its first PIAA title. Senior Zack Kruszewski leads a six-pack of regulars batting .400 or better. He owns a .587 average (37 for 63) with 20 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples and two home runs. Senior Noah Reigel has driven in a team-best 29 runs, and Spencer, who is batting an even .500 (26 of 52), has 23 RBIs. Junior Cameron Aresco (.500) and senior Jack Stoker (.440) are also dangerous.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at [email protected] .