Chartiers Valley expected to dominate area hoops
Tim McConnell (foreground) offers instruction during a practice session while Coleman Vaughn (background) listens to the advice. McConnell, who has been coaching at Chartiers Valley since 1993, hopes to again guide the Colts to a WPIAL championship this winter. CV, which compiled a 20-6 record last season, owns six district titles under McConnell
Chartiers Valley players Ross Wilkerson (left) and Caleb Zajicek (right) work on their defense against their teammates during a recent practice session. The Colts kick off the 2015-16 boys’ basketball season at 6 p.m. Dec. 9 against Bishop Canevin in the Upper St. Clair Tip-off Tournament.
Ross Wilkerson averaged 16.2 points per game last season for Chartiers Valley.
While there has been realignment and changes, including new faces in line-ups spawned by graduations, one constant remains in boys’ basketball in this region. Chartiers Valley will be expected to dominate the hardcourts.
Though the Colts no longer will play in Quad-A, where they battled rivals like Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Canon-McMillan, Peters Township and Upper St. Clair, they will be on display for area fans to see this weekend when they compete in the annual USC Tip-off Tournament.
Action commences at 6 p.m. Dec. 9 with the Colts taking on Bishop Canevin. The host Panthers take the court at 7:30 p.m. and face Monessen. Action resumes Dec. 10 with the consolation contest at 6 p.m. and the championship at 7:30 p.m.
The tournament offers the only possibility that CV would face its former section rival. In fact, the only other scheduled pairing against a local foe occurs at Mt. Lebanon at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21.
Earlier this year, the WPIAL restructured because the PIAA expanded to six classes. Along with Baldwin and Connellsville, BP, Lebo, Canon-Mac, Peters and USC are grouped in the highest classification and will compete in Section 3. Meanwhile, the Colts are grouped as 5-A with 20 other teams. They will play in Section 2 against Hampton, Knoch, Mars, Montour, Moon and West Allegheny. Hampton is ranked No. 1 in the league while Mars and Montour are rated fourth and fifth.
Despite that fact, the Colts go into battle with the best scholastic coach. Tim McConnell enters his 24th season at the helm. As head coach, he has won over 500 games and is one of only five skippers to capture six WPIAL titles. No doubt that is once again the objective at CV.
“As always,” McConnell said, “our goals are to win the section, win the WPIAL and the states. It will be a battle, though.”
The Colts do not enter the fray unarmed. Though they graduated leading scorer Eddie Flohr (20 ppg.), who is now playing at UPJ, the Colts return three starters from a line-up that produced a 20-6 overall record, complete with a section championship, last season.
Ross Wilkerson leads the veterans. The 6-0 senior guard averaged 16.1 points, buried 55 3-pointers and dished up 2.2 assists last winter for the Colts, who reached the quarterfinals of the district playoffs. He was an all-section performer on a club that lost only two seniors.
Coleman Vaughn and Caleb Zajicek are the other two returning starters. Both, like Wilkerson, are sharpshooters from 3-point range. While Vaughn nailed 18 long-range shots, Zajicek managed 58 shots from beyond the arc. He average 11.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Vaughn averaged 6.4 points and led the squad in rebounds with eight per game.
The Colts look to Nick Jessloski to play the point position, controlled by Flohr in the past, and Ray Olkosky to provide the team a stronger inside presence. Additionally, Joe Pipilo and Kalen Krebs will prove key subs for the Colts. Krebs and Zajicek also provide an intangible as both played on CV’s WPIAL championship soccer club this past fall.
Though the Colts enter the season ranked third in their classification, they can anticipate their stiffest challenges from league opponents. Section action commences at 7:30 p.m. Dec 20 at Montour. CV hosts Moon at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23 before the holiday break.
“We have a very tough section this year,” McConnell said. “To achieve our goals, we have to take care of the ball, shoot the ball well, which is one of our strengths, play great defense and rebound.”