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Chartiers Valley senior surpasses 1,000 points

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 6 min read
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Hallie Cowan (4) drives to the basket during a recent section game.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Hallie Cowan, right, makes her move to the hoop. The Chartiers Valley senior recently surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in her career becoming the third member of the team to reach the milestone.

Hallie Cowan played the clarinet for six years before playing basketball began to strike a chord. Now she harmonizes with the Chartiers Valley High School girls basketball team.

“I loved playing the clarinet and I think it would be cool to get back to it but basketball really took off for me and I couldn’t continue,” she said.

Today, Cowan is part of a quintet that owns a 104-6 record complete with three WPIAL championships and two appearances in the state finals. She is also a member of a trio that has scored more than 1,000 points in her scholastic career.

Cowan surpassed the milestone Feb. 17 during a 66-27 non-section win against Bishop Canevin. She topped the mark on a fast-break layup. With 15 points in the contest, she stood at 1,004 points heading into the playoffs.

“It was fun and I was really excited, especially when all of my teammates hugged me,” said Cowan. “It’s such a cool accomplishment because it shows how talented our grade is in basketball. To have three people on the same team score that amount of points shows a lot of unselfishness.”

Magnanimity is a quality that makes Cowan a winner, according to Chartiers Valley girls basketball coach Tim McConnell.

“Hallie is special,” he said. “To score 1,000 points shows how hard she works to be great but also how unselfish she is as a player. Her attitude is tremendous. She puts the team above all else.”

After reaching the milestone, Cowan focused on winning the contest. The achievement was a goal but not the primary aim.

“Scoring is not my main objective,” she said. “I was proud of myself but after getting the 1,000th point all I wanted to do was move on with the game.”

Cowan also wants to get on with adding momentos to her career. She’s already a multiple time all-section and The Almanac all-star performer.

Since third grade, Cowan has banded together with her twin sister, Helene, as well as Aislin Malcolm, Perri Page and Abby Vaites, to lead the Colts to championships. Marian Turnbull joined the group two seasons ago.

“We’ve won mostly every tournament since we were young,” she said. “It’s something we like doing with each other.”

In the past three years, the Colts have won consecutive WPIAL titles and a PIAA crown. They also set a state record with 68 consecutive wins in a row.

The Colts are seeded No. 1 in the Class 5A playoffs. They are looking for a fourth straight WPIAL championship come March 5 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center.

CV is also ranked among the top two teams in the state along with rival Cardinal O’Hara. The Colts lost to the Lions, 51-27, in last year’s PIAA final.

“Obviously we want to get back to the Pete and win our fourth in a row. That would be crazy,” Cowan said. “We also want to get back to the Giant Center and avenge our loss in last year’s state final.”

Cowan has done her share to help the Colts pursue their quest. In addition to playing AAU basketball, she trained at Amerifit Fitness Club and Spa near her home in Scott Township.

“Whether it was with a trainer or on my own, I worked on my strength,” she said. “Last year that was a problem for us. This year we are bigger and stronger. That is helping us on offense and defense and taking the ball to the hoop.”

As a result, Cowan’s numbers have improved. She is averaging 13 points per game. She pulls down 3.3 rebounds per game and dishes up 2.1 assists. She manages almost two steals an outing.

“Hallie is a great shooter,” said McConnell, “but she does a lot more for us than score.”

Cowan’s play attracted the attention of Seton Hill, where she will play along side her sister, Helene.

Hallie Cowan is planning to attain a business degree and someday become an accountant. Helene is so far undecided on a major.

“We are excited to be going to school together and continuing our playing careers at the same place. We hope to make an impact once we get there, play a lot and make the team better,” Cowan said.

“It’s going to be fun and nice.”

Though they “pretty much are together all of the time” Hallie said she loves competing and playing with Helene. There is no sibling rivalry. Hallie is the better shooter while Helene is the better ball handler.

“We know each other’s strengths and we complement that,” Cowan said. “Helene is a great passer and she rebounds. While we don’t call each other that, she is my best friend.”

Cowan wants to go out with her sister and teammates as winners. She said winning every year with her team, improving and going to the state championship games have been her career highlights.

“We’d like to get another and I think we can because we have the incentive from last year,” she said. “We know what it feels like to lose. When you are in that moment, you vow that you don’t want to do that again. We have the mindset and we’ll be ready to attack each team during the playoffs.”

Cowan understands the role she must play.

“I have to be aggressive on both ends, offensively and defensively. Make the team better with my passing,” she said. “That’s been a secret to our success we look for the player with the best opportunity. We know how to play the game, be unselfish and keep a positive attitude.”

Age: 18

Birthday: Jan. 11

Parents: Angelina Deiuliis and Jeff Cown

Siblings: Jake, 23; and Helene, 18

Community: Scott Township

School: Chartiers Valley

Year: Senior

GPA: 4.5

Sports: Basketball, lacrosse

Activities: National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Math Honor Society, AAU basketball

College: Seton Hill

Major: Accounting

Food: Pierogies

Color: Light blue

Restaurant: Atria’s

Music: I never listen to music before games because I either forgot my head phones or I like to think to myself about the upcoming game and what I need to do for us to win.

Book: “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover

Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant

Who would play you in a movie: Blake Lively.

Dream Destination: Bora Bora. It looks pretty and I love those huts on the water.”

Person you would like to have dinner with: Jennifer Lopez

Lesson sports has taught you: “Not to let things get into your head if one thing goes wrong. Don’t let it effect the rest of the things you do.”

In 15 years, I will: “Hopefully have a nice successful job with a family as well living somewhere warm, like in Florida.”

Hallie Cowan’s twin sister, Helene, is not the only basketball player in the family.

Her father, Jeff, was a 1,000-point scorer at Sheffield High School before he earned a scholarship to Penn State-Behrend.

Her cousin is Jayden Davis, a Chartiers Valley freshman, who ranked among the top scorers in the WPIAL with a 27.2 scoring average.

“He’s athletic and quick,” Hallie said.

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