Girls’ basketball teams have unfinished business
Mikayla Fetchet is one of five starters returning to South Fayette’s line-up this season. The Lady Lions were WPIAL runners-up last season and look to improve upon their record.
Despite an injured knee, Emily Anderson excelled in South Fayette’s 68-57 loss to Blackhawk. The 6-foot-3 junior center fired in 17 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the loss.
Shannon Conely drives past Maura Wallace on her way to the basket during Bethel Park’s 49-40 victory against Mt. Lebanon. Conely led all scorers with 22 points.
Madison Kerr is one of five starters returning to a Peters Township team that finished 13-9 last season. She averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game last winter.
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series previewing girls’ basketball teams.
Unfinished business appears to be on the mind of many Almanac girls’ teams as the 2015-16 basketball season commences this weekend with a plethora of tipoff tournaments. In fact, last year’s campaign left many squads wanting for more.
South Fayette reached the WPIAL finals for the first time but walked away with runner-up honors, falling to Blackhawk in the championship contest at the Petersen Events Center. Seton-La Salle failed in its attempt to repeat at PIAA champions. Bethel Park reached the Final Four in the district only to miss out on competing for their second-ever WPIAL title. And after seasons featuring only 13 victories, Mt. Lebanon and Peters Township hunger to regain their championship footing.
Of his second-place medals, South Fayette floor boss said they are a constant reminder of not being good enough. “It’s a reminder of what it takes,” he said. “We didn’t reach our goal. If we want to do it, then we have to put forth that extra effort.”
The Lions, like BP, SLS, Lebo and PT, have the players and experience to realize their objectives this season. Here’s a synopsis of how those teams stack up this winter.
South Fayette
The Lady Lions return their top three scorers from last year’s 19-8 WPIAL AAA runner-up club that averaged 53.9 points per game.
Carlee Kilgus and Emily Anderson averaged 12 points while Autumn Mozick provided 10 tallies a game. Anderson, who will play at Penn next season, also pulled down 10 rebounds a game. Mikayla Fetchet an Sam Kosmacki also return to the starting lineup for the Lady Lions.
Madison Guiterrez, Madison Burnside, Jordyn Caputo provide depth and are expected to be key contributors, too.
“We have a great deal of experience and that appears to be our strength,” Bacco said. “We lack depth at forward so that could be a weakness. Nevertheless, our goal is to return to the WPIAL championships. If we stay healthy, I believe we can achieve our expectations.”
The Lions anticipate Trinity and Chartiers Valley, with new head coach Dan Slain, to be their toughest opponents in Section 5-AAA. The Lady Colts won the banner with an 11-1 section slate. They were 22-6 overall and reached the Final Four, losing to Blackhawk in the semifinals, 64-52. CV also lost to the Cougars, 50-46, in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Bethel Park
After winning the Section 4-AAAA title with a 12-2 slate, the Lady Hawks lost to Penn Hills, 52-39, in the WPIAL semifinals. The defeat snapped 17-game winning streak for BP, which ended the year at 21-6 overall after a second-round PIAA playoff loss to Norwin, 55-46.
“Our goal is always the same,” said Jonna Burke. “We want to get into the playoffs. This group has demonstrated a willingness to work hard and learn. Those strengths will help carry us toward our goals.”
The Lady Hawks graduated four key players from last year’s successful squad, including Paige Kochka-Puskar and Monica Locke. Caitlin Chess and Mia Mattes are continuing their playing careers at Penn State branch campuses, Behrend and Beaver respectively.
However, Bethel Park returns two of its top guns. Justina Mascaro led the team in scoring with a 15-point average. The junior also grabbed seven rebounds a game. Shannon Conely provided 11 points an outing. The senior is a Canisius recruit.
Freshman guard Maria Cerro as well as seniors Megan Horgan and Christine Kovalchick fill the gaps in the starting lineup. Cailey Klink, Becca Rodrigues, Kamryn Lach and Ashley Spence are expected to play key roles as the Hawks battle Lebo, Baldwin, Canon-McMillan and Peters Township for the top spots in the section.
Mt. Lebanon
Dori Oldaker agrees that Section 4-AAAA will once again be competitive. Her Blue Devils tied Baldwin for runner-up honors with a 10-4 league mark last winter while Upper St. Clair and Canon-McMillan followed with 8-6 and 7-7 records.
“Everybody in the whole section,” Oldaker said will be Lebo’s toughest opponent.
Likewise, the Blue Devils will prove difficult adversaries as they return all five starters, plus Alyssa Hyland, a sophomore point guard, who saw plenty of action last season. Maura Wallace runs the offense. In addition to the senior, Sophia Klaber and Kate Sramac are veteran guards. Klaber is a senior; Sramac, a junior. Fabi Shipley and Kenzie Bushee are both forwards.
Juniors Julia Rabanek and Allison Earley along with senior Sarah Walters and sophomore Jessica Wilhelm are expected to play key roles for the Lebo ladies.
“The upper classmen have gained a ton of experience the last couple of years,” Oldaker said. “We have tremendous leadership from our four seniors. We believe in each other and in the coaching staff,” she continued.
The Blue Devils, also trust, that they will be battle-tested and ready once the postseason rolls around in mid-February.
“We need to improve every day, every practice, every game and learn from our previous mistakes,” Oldaker stressed. “Everything else will take care of itself.”
Seton-La Salle
With the departure of Spencer Stefko, he is now at the helm at North Allegheny, Whitney Jones is taking care of the program at Seton-La Salle. The Rebels are in good hands with Jones. In addition to serving as Stefko’s assistant for the past two seasons, she was with the San Antonio Stars for a spring in the WNBA. She played scholarstically at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas and collegiately for the University of Oklahoma.
“I love the sport and the fast pace of the game,” Jones said. “And, I adore the mental side of becoming a competitor and learning what best makes each player tick. I think basketball teaches you valuable lessons necessary to becoming an effective, positive human being in a fun, game environment.”
Jones will team up with Jaclyn Babe, who is no stranger to the sport. She played at Mt. Lebanon before heading for a college career. “We both have such a heart for this age group,” Jones said of her shared coaching partnership with Babe. “Over our lives there have been many coaches that have shaped us as people and we are looking forward to passing that on to the next generation.”
Jones hopes to teacher players how to be great teammates and players. That’s her primary objective. “Character and values have somehow slipped on the priority list in exchange for success and immediate gratification, so we feel like that is our first job- to ensure that these girls have the tools to become well rounded individuals in the workplace and in the home,” she said.
Secondly, Jones anticipates carrying on the tradition of winning at Seton. Under Jones, the Rebels’ goals will always be to win a section, WPIAL and state championship. Some remnants remain from last year’s 23-8 club that won the WPIAL AA title and reached the PIAA finals.
Shaunay Edmonds returns to the point. Madalena Psillidis and Riley O’Donnell will have key roles in the front court. Delaney Daly is another guard and Mia Marzina can be depended upon for her shooting accuracy. Plus, Jones anticipates the addition of several soccer players will solidify SLS’s athleticism.
“Obviously Shaunay is our returning player with the most experience and we will rely a lot on our little guard but there are others that have stepped up already in a big way. We will be tiny so our forward must embrace their roles, which they are more than capable of doing. Delaney is tough-nosed and will fuel our team with energy and guts. And, Mia had improved exponentially from beyond the arc.”
The Rebels will rely on defense, transition and unity while they attempt to establish their identity. They will depend upon each other. “We do not have a dominate scorer like we have had in the past,” said Jones, who expects Chartiers-Houston and Bishop Canevin to be SLS’s toughest opponents. Both teams posted 19 wins and met in the PIAA quarterfinals. The Crusaders lost to SLS in both the WPIAL final and PIAA Final Four.
Peters Township
The Lady Indians would love to get back to the WPIAL finals. They competed in the 2008 Quad-A final only to fall to Upper St. Clair, 69-40.
Because Peters returns all five starters from last year’s 13-9 squad, Bert Kendall has high expectations. “We plan to contend for a section title,” he said.
Madison Kerr leads the list or returning starters. The senior, who is committed to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game. Alyssa Konopka (9 ppg. 2 assists), Alexandra Zuccarini (5 ppg. And 2 assists), Emily Konwick (8 ppg. 4 rpg) and Cameron Morgan (8 ppg. 9 rpg.) round out the veteran lineup.
Senior Stephanie Bittel; junior Sydney Hannah; sophomore Lillian Young as well as freshmen Makenna Marisa and Isabella Mills are expected to make contributions this season on a squad that has more depth than in previous seasons.
“Two years ago, the varsity had no juniors or seniors,” Kendall pointed out. “This team is no longer young. We must capitalize on our experience. We need to take advantage of our strengths, our team speed and depth; and we need to limit turnovers and take advantage or our experience.”
The coaching staff at Peters is equally experienced. Before taking the helm, Kendall assisted at Bethel Park for nine seasons. His assistants are his daughter, Katie, and Samantha Loadman, both Bethel Park products. Loadman played at Mercyhurst while Kendall excelled at Lock Haven. Together, the trio, who all now reside in Peters Township, have turned a 3-19 program around in two seasons. The Indians were 7-15 and 13-9 under their guidance.
As a result, Kendall is optimistic. “The outlook for this season is promising as the new system is taking hold,” he said.