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Valley athletes choose colleges
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
Girard pole vaulter Caitlyn Trebella and Poland discus record-setter Nicolette Kreatsoulas will continue their athletic careers at Youngstown State University.
Brookfield volleyball player Delaney Saxton will attend Westminster College, while Poland softball pitcher Ally Deemer will play for Lake Erie College.
All have signed letters-of-intent.
Trebella is a three-time Trumbull County and All-American Conference champion, three-time regional qualifier and two-time indoor state qualifier.
A four-year letter-winner in track, she was the Trumbull County, All-American Conference and district champion a season ago as well as regional runner-up and eighth at state with a personal best 10-feet-8.
“I worked under YSU pole vault coach Rick Penniman when he had a club team and he’s taken me to another level,” Trebella said. “His drills and pole vault knowledge are truly amazing.
“He records every vault I take so that we can break it down, always pointing out what was done correctly and then analyzing how I can do better,” Trebella said.
Trebella helped the Indians to three consecutive AAC Blue Tier championships, is a member of the school’s National Honor Society and ranks 11th out of 127 in her class with a 3.75 grade point average.
First-year coach Mike Yankey, who first watched Trebella as a rival when he coached at Canfield High School, calls her the leader every coach should be blessed to have.
“I knew how good Caitlyn was coming in, but when I got here she made my transition very easy,” Yankey said. “She’s a leader who has plenty of experience and continually leads by example.”
Indians assistant coach Jeff Palmer was the last to compete in the pole vault for Girard, that coming in 1984.
When the event was resurrected, he obtained the necessary certifications in order to coach the event and become a member of the school’s track staff.
“I absolutely love her work ethic and attitude toward the event,” Palmer said. “As a competitive gymnast and cheerleader with a tumbling background, she took right to the event her freshman season.”
Trebella also was a member of the school’s 4x200 state qualifying relay team as a sophomore.
“I started six years ago with our junior high program, followed her to high school and tell you that Caitlyn is truly one amazing athlete,” Girard sprint coach Kevin Hetrick said. “Her competitiveness and will-to-win is second to none.”
Kreatsoulas also is an honor student who holds the Bulldogs’ discus standard with a heave of 133-5.
She won the AAC White Tier championship as a junior and the Mahoning County meet on Saturday with a 120-10 throw.
“Many family members are YSU alums, plus their academics and track and field tradition is what sold me,” Kreatsoulas said. “I hope to major in biology”
Poland throwing coach Andrew King envisions his prot g competing in the javelin at YSU.
“She is unbelievably smart and could have gotten an academic scholarship as well,” King said. “Her willingness to help others is well-documented.”
As previously reported, Fitch pole vaulter Dylan Latone also will attend YSU.
Saxton was a four-year letter-winner set the Brookfield kills record of 43 in a match and made 1,247 kills in her career.
Deemer is a three-year letter-winner for head coach Matt Campbell’s softball squad, having helped the team to a 6-2 mark this year and 5-0 in the league.
Deemer is 3-1 overall with one save and leads the team with a 0.236 earned run average. She has struck out 44 batters in just 29 and 2/3rds innings. She leads the team with a .560 batting average.