Feb 14, 2017 By Eleanor Bailey 3 min read

After winning its first section title in girls’ basketball, Keystone Oaks is not resting on its laurels. The Golden Eagles plan on winning enough games in the upcoming WPIAL tournament to place them in the finals for the first time. In fact, they welcome an encounter with Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic. The Trojans, who are led by Dayton recruit Sam Breen (22.2 ppg), also finished the regular season as undefeated Section 1 champions and with a 20-2 overall record.

“Our overall goal is to play them in the WPIAL championship but we will take no team lightly and will never overlook any opponent,” KO skipper Ron Muszynski said.

Before Muszynski took over the program this season, KO has often been that overlooked opponent. But Muszynski and his staff, which includes lifelong friend Ian Barrett, and Molly Tuitte, have altered the prospects for the Golden Eagles. Barrett and Tuitte are Seton-La Salle graduates while Muszynski, a 1990 alum that excelled in basketball, baseball and football, also served a stint as an assistant coach for the Rebels as well as at Baldwin and KO.

“Our coaching staff has traded in our green and gold for black and gold,” said Muszynski of the schools that reside across the street from one another along McNeilly Road in Mt. Lebanon. “We appreciate the opportunity that (KO athletic director) Mark Elphinstone has given us.

“My staff plays a huge role in preparation and preparing for our opponents but our girls have worked really hard and have deserved everything they have accomplished. It has been my pleasure to be part of this basketball run.”

Indeed, it’s been some run so far.

The Golden Eagles zipped through Section 3 action with an unblemished mark of 14-0. They have not lost since Dec. 28, falling to Thomas Jefferson, 54-51, on their way to a 20-2 overall regular season record. TJ and Mars, to whom KO also lost, 68-43, are both playoff-bound clubs in Class 5-A, a division higher than the Golden Eagles’ league.

Throughout the 2016-27 campaign the Golden Eagles have relied on six different leading scorers. Therein lies the team’s secret to success.

“Our team’s mantra is ‘US’,” said Muszynski “Every game different girls have stepped up and contributed. We are in every essence the true meaning of team.”

At the top of the leader board is Gillian Piccolino. The sophomore averages 13.6 points per game.

Maleyah Agurs, Keagan Brownlee and Jaylen Hoffman are equally troublesome for opponents. A senior, Agurs averages 9 points per game. She hit the game-winning three-pointer against Elizabeth-Forward, recently. A junior, Brownlee leads the team in assists and manages 7 points while Hoffman pitches in 10 at a time.

Isabella Bogdan and Kristy Lippert provide intangibles that rarely surface in the scorebook. A sophomore, Bogdan excels on defense. A senior, Lippert provides leadership.

The Golden Eagles have also relied upon seniors Lauren McMillen and Mollie Alward along with junior Olivia Stumpo and sophomore Linda Washburn for success.

In the upcoming playoffs, those players and their style also make KO a fierce adversary in the upcoming playoffs.

Editor’s Note: Visit www.wpial.org to see who the Golden Eagles play in the opening round of the tournament and to view all the playoff pairings.