Name: Riley Best
School: Glendale
Age: 16
Grade: Junior
Sport: Softball
Athlete of the week achievement: Best went 10-for-15, scored nine runs, hit two homers and drove in six runs to help Glendale beat Curwensville (9-2), Mount Union (7-1), West Branch (4-3) and Juniata Valley (12-2). In the win over West Branch, she was the winning pitcher with eight strikeouts, giving up just one earned run in seven innings.
Season update: Best is hitting .562 for the 14-1 Lady Vikings with six homers, 19 RBIs, 10 doubles and a 4-0 pitching record.
Coach Bruce Vereshack’s quote: “We needed to win those four games and Riley was a big part of that. We lost a starting pitcher and a team captain this season and Riley sort of stepped into that spot and leads by example. I tell her every game that if she hits, everyone hits. They all just follow her. I dont know if we win all four without Riley. That was a big week for us.”
Favorite teacher: Miss Kallas
Favorite subject: English
Favorite movie: “Grown Ups”
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite song: “Hotel Lobby” by Pop Smoke
Outside interests: Spending time with my friends
Favorite professional team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Favorite college team: Florida Gators
Pro athlete most admired: Aleshia Ocasio
Best athlete I ever competed against: Traci Hauser of Harmony
Most influential person on my athletic career: My dad, Jeff
Proudest athletic achievement: Winning the District 6 softball championship last year
How I got my start in softball: “My parents signed me up in first grade.”
Future goal: Go to college and become a nurse
