Mt. Lebanon, Chartiers Valley lose bid for state titles
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Marian Turnbull, Abby Vaites, Perri Page, Aislin Malcolm, Helene Cowan and Hallie Cowan enjoyed a sensational career as members of the Chartiers Valley girls’ basketball team. The group rolled up a 110-7 record complete with three WPIAL titles and three appearances in the PIAA finals, winning a state championship in 2019.
Mt. Lebanon seniors Reagan Murdoch, Ashleigh Connor and Brooke Collins accept their trophy for finishing runner-up in the state after their loss to Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 60-40, in the PIAA Class 6A championship game.
By Eleanor Bailey
Ashleigh Connor (right) battles Kaitlyn Flanagan (left) for the loose ball. During Mt. Lebanon’s 60-40 loss to Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Connor tossed in12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
By Eleanor Bailey
Cardinal O’Hara’s Joanie Quinn (13) blocks a shot by Chartiers Valley’s Mariann Turnbull. The Lions defeated the Colts, {span}42-19. It was the{/span} the second year in a row, CV lost in the PIAA finals to the Lions.
Brooke Collins (13) puts up a shot against Jordyn Thomas (34). Despite 17 points from Collins, Mt. Lebanon dropped a 60-40 decision to Plymouth-Whitemarsh in the PIAA Class 6A championship game.
Aislin Malcolm (2) attempts to duck under Molly Rullo (20) and score a basket during the PIAA Class 5A girls' basketball action.
Ashleigh Connor (15) dishes off the ball during PIAA Class 6A championship action.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Coach Tim McConnell and players Abby Vaites and Lilah Turnbull react to the action on the court as Chartiers Valley struggles to generate offense in its 42-19 loss to Cardinal O’Hara in the PIAA Class 5A championship game.
Perri Page (11) loses control of the basketball because of the defensive pressure applied by Annie Welde (43).
Neither Chartiers Valley nor Mt. Lebanon captured a state title in girls basketball this season as both lost their PIAA championship games on March 25 and 26, respectively, at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Their respective losses — CV to Cardinal O’Hara, 42-19, and Lebo to Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 60-40 — however did not negate the success enjoyed by each program.
“Only two teams make it this far and only one team goes home happy,” said Lebo head coach Dori Oldaker. “We may be disappointed but we are going to celebrate what we had this year. We can appreciate our opponent’s win and keep our heads high and proud for what we accomplished this season.”
After their loss to PW, the Blue Devils finished 27-2 overall. They were WPIAL champions for the first time since 2012. They also won a section title.
In four years, seniors Brooke Collins, Reagan Murdoch and Ashleigh Connors enjoyed a 74-24 career record.
With Aislin Malcolm, Perri Page, Marian Turnbull, Abby Vaites and twin sisters Hallie and Helene Cowan, however, Chartiers Valley has mounted an impressive 110-7 record that included three PIAA championship appearances.
Before losing back-to-back state titles to Cardinal O’Hara, the Colts won a PIAA crown in 2019. The 2020 PIAA tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite their lopsided loss to the Lions, the CV seniors own three district and four section titles. They also set a state record for consecutive victories with 64 wins in a row.
“Going 110-7 in four years is something to be pretty proud of so we are not going to let a state championship game define us,” said CV skipper Tim McConnell.
“We knew we were playing a great team and I told (my players) if this is the worst thing that will happen to them, they are pretty blessed. They are going to go off to bigger and better things and we prepared them to be fine young women to excel academically, athletically and socially for next level.” McConnell continued.
“I could not be more proud of this group and am forever indebted. I told them we will never see anything like it at CV ever again.”
The Colts likely will not see players like Page and Malcolm again.
Page led CV in rebounding against the Lions, controlling nine boards. A Columbia University recruit, she finished with four points.
Malcolm, who is the all-time scoring leader in CV girls basketball history, is bound for Pitt. She had four points, one steal and a blocked shot in the state final.
Of the state loss Malcolm said it was not the outcome the Colts wanted. “To have a 110-7 record is so unreal,” she said. “To think about what we accomplished these four years is very special.”
“This have been the best four years of my life,” agreed Page. “I feel like the senior class is a great group, unmatched by anybody around in PA. We have such a special bond.”
Despite the defeat she added, “We can still cherish that we got here, three times in four years. It’s still a great experience to have.”
For the second year in a row, the state finals were a nightmarish experience for the Colts.
After finishing with the lowest point total in a girls championship game history in 2021, a 51-27 loss to the Lions, the Colts scored eight points less this time. They connected on just 5 of 28 shots from the field.
With the game tied, 8-8, the Lions surged ahead to take a 17-11 lead into the locker room. Annie Welde’s buzzer-beater was a dagger as were a pair of 3-pointers from Sydni Scott and Maggie Doogan to start the second.
Doogan finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Welde supplied 11 points while Scott collected eight rebounds and five points.
“The shot at the end of the half and when they came out with those baskets, that hurt,” said McConnell. “Our game plan, especially defensively, was great, but offensively we struggled. We knew we had to shoot and make open shots because we knew how good they were.
“That’s a really good team,” McConnell continued. “They have some really good players. Give them a lot of credit. They took us out of our stuff and that is why they are state champs.
“We are No. 2 in the state. Not too shabby,” he added. “This group though was very special.”
Plymouth-Whitemarsh was equally special. The Colonials are the District 1 champions and they finished 30-0 overall.
Abby Sharpe fired in a game-high 26 points while Erin Daley tossed in 17 while corralling 12 rebounds. Lainey Allen had eight points and eight rebounds while Jordyn Thomas finished with seven tallies and four rebounds.
The Colonials, who featured four starters 5-11 or taller, outrebounded Lebo, 36-19. They converted 23 of 36 shots, 7 of 9 from beyond the arc. They were 9 of 12 from the charity stripe.
Lebo converted 15 of 52 attempts from the field, including 7 of 28 from beyond the arc.
Connor and Collins led the Blue Devils, who trailed 25-11 at halftime and 41-17 after three frames. A St. Louis recruit, Connor fired in 12 points and finished with eight rebounds. Collins supplied a team-high 17 points.
“Obviously, they are undefeated for a reason,” Oldaker said. “They played really, really well. They shot the ball really well. I give them a lot of credit. PW played a great, great game. You have to play really, really well to beat a team like that.”
Oldaker though was pleased with her players’ effort. She said they played hard. She empathized with her trio of seniors, which also included Murdoch, an American University lacrosse recruit.
“It’s so hard to see those guys cry in the locker room knowing how much they have grown in the four years and what they have done and what they have given to our community. This is really hard,” she said.
“I’m so proud of them and the whole team. We win with class and lose with dignity.”