Mia Deramo has that “clutch gene” in her.
“Oh, yeah, she definitely has that,” her coach said.
A junior at South Fayette, Deramo has scored some gigantic goals in her career, among them the decisive shootout goal in last year’s WPIAL semifinals and the lone goal of the game in South Fayette’s win against Thomas Jefferson earlier this month that clinched the section title.
But when it comes to big goals, Deramo said that it’s another that ranks as her favorite.
And understandably so.
“Definitely the goal in the WPIAL championship last year,” said Deramo, a two-time all-section choice. “It was such a surreal experience, getting that shot off and claiming the title. We made history and it felt so amazing.”
Now, a year after scoring the winner in double overtime to beat Moon, 1-0, for the WPIAL Class 3A championship and South Fayette’s first-ever title, Miss October/November has the Lions three wins away from a repeat title. And unlike last year’s championship run, Deramo now knows where she will play in college as her recruitment is now behind her.
Deramo, a standout midfielder and one of the WPIAL’s top players, said that the Steelers are her favorite Pittsburgh sports team. Deramo, though, will soon have a ton of Penguins gear, only it will be the Youngstown State Penguins. She verbally committed to play for Youngstown State, which plays in the Horizon League. Deramo was recruited to play outside back.
“I just loved everything about it,” said Deramo, who also considered the likes of Bucknell, Elon and Eastern Michigan. “The campus was amazing. The facilities were great. They just have everything I wanted in a school. I just love the environment. YSU is close to home, but not too close. The coaching staff there is absolutely amazing. Just awesome people.”
Youngstown State has a large WPIAL presence on its roster, as eight current players hail from the area: Butler’s Leah and Chloe Weiland, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Sara Felder and Tatum Gretz, Mt. Lebanon’s Grace Nellas, Norwin’s Emma Rigone, Penn-Trafford’s Taylor Lloyd and Yough’s Justine Appolonia.
Many of those players were WPIAL stars, and Youngstown State will soon get another of those in Deramo, who has 14 goals and 16 assists this season. Deramo notched three assists in Monday’s 4-0 win against Kiski Area in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. It was the 11th win in a row for the second-seeded Lions (15-3), who will meet No. 10 Bethel Park (10-6-3) in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
“She pretty much controls the midfield and is a distributor,” South Fayette coach Nick Rosser said of Deramo’s role on the team. “She sees and reads the field very well. She just has a great eye for the field in general. She has the drive to go to goal. And even as a junior, she’s a good leader.”
Among the other standouts on this South Fayette squad include freshman Gabby Beinecke, senior Emily Sinton and junior Caitlyn Thompson. Beinecke has scored a team-high 25 goals and Sinton has 19, while Thompson, a Miami (Ohio) recruit, is one of the WPIAL’s top goalkeepers.
Deramo credits South Fayette assistant coach Jayna Fittipaldo for playing a large role in her development. Fittipaldo was a star at South Fayette in her playing career before going on to play at Illinois.
“I’ve looked up to her since I was 8 years old,” said Deramo, who has a 4.0 GPA. “I remember going to some of her games and always being so excited to watch her. It’s been a great experience to have a coach coming from the experience of playing in the Big Ten Conference. Any advice I get from Jayna I take to heart.”
Speaking of hearts, Deramo said she would love to help lead South Fayette to a second straight WPIAL championship. And who knows, maybe she’ll come up with another clutch goal or two along the way.
“It would mean so much because this team works so hard every day,” she said. “If we were to win back-to-back titles, it would be amazing.”
CV softball players pick schools
A pair of girls who played big parts in Chartiers Valley reaching last season’s WPIAL Class 4A softball semifinals made their college commitments recently. In fact, senior outfielder Delaney O’Connor and junior catcher Lily Duffil both committed on the same day and both are headed to play at Division I schools. O’Connor committed to Robert Morris and Duffil to Penn State. A season ago, O’Connor batted .500 with four home runs and 26 RBIs, while Duffil hit .507 with a WPIAL-leading 15 home runs and 47 RBIs. Also making their commitments recently were senior pitcher Taylor Walsh (Wheeling) and senior catcher Annabelle Helt (Pitt Johnstown).
Baseball commitments
Central Valley’s Blake White (Bethany); Latrobe’s Cooper Basciano (West Liberty); New Brighton’s Brock Budacki (Florida Southern); North Allegheny’s Nico Varlotta (North Alabama); North Catholic’s Owen Beatrice (St. John’s); North Catholic’s Caden Williams (Allegheny); Shaler’s Dante Deleonibus (Misericordia); Waynesburg’s Alex Vansickle (IUP).
Basketball commitments
Bethel Park’s Ella Sabatos (Frostburg State); Butler’s Amelia McMichael (West Chester); Norwin’s Bella Furno (West Virginia Wesleyan); Oakland Catholic’s Alayna Bivins (Anderson); Union’s Kylie Fruehstorfer (Pitt Johnstown).
Football commitments
North Allegheny’s Nicholas Humphries (Drake); North Catholic’s Joe Safar (Cornell).
Soccer commitment
Latrobe’s Annalyse Bauer (Eastern Michigan).
Track and field commitments
Hempfield’s Allie DeMatt (Bucknell); Pine-Richland’s Emery Moye (Duquesne).
Wrestling commitment
Pine-Richland’s Dominic Ferraro (Edinboro).
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.