Girls Basketball Pre-View
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THE CHOPS
- Official BleacherCoach
- Posts: 1900
- Joined: October 24th, 2003, 10:42 am
- Location: SCOTTDALE, PA.
Girls Basketball Pre-View
"3" champs start No. #1
At first glance, the preseason high school girls' basketball state rankings might appear to be laced with chalk picks in the top spots.
While it's true three of the defending P.I.A.A. champions are preseason No. #1, Parkland, Hopewell and York Catholic probably would be there even if they had not won it all a year ago.
Each has at least three starters back and returns at least their top player.
York Catholic has everybody back, and Hopewell is only one starter shy of following suit.
Parkland is in a little different boat, though.
The Trojans have three starters back, including 6-1 senior Erin Anthony. But they lost a Division I recruit at point guard. We all know how important the floor general can be in the girls' game. And, among last season's top seven, four will be suited up this season.
All that's left is Class (A).
With a couple of hammers from District #7, North Catholic and Avonworth, dropping down to little-school land, picking a No. #1 wasn't easy.
Girard College, a little-known school last year from District 1, is our pick.
We're well aware the only loss for Girard last season was a three-point defeat to District #11 powerhouse Marian Catholic in the P.I.A.A. quarterfinals. And the Fillies are expected to be good once again. Girard, with three returning starters, including 6-2 do-it-all sophomore Markel Walker, is a little better.
Defending Class (A) champion Pottsville Nativity BVM is ranked, but the Golden Girls have several starters to replace.
There are not many Mid-Penn teams in the top 10 to start. Caution is better when it comes to our teams at the next level.
Only Harrisburg (AAAA) No. #5 and Trinity (AA) No. #2 make the grade. The Cougars are coming off a sub-par 14-10 season that started with great promise. But they picked up arguably the best player in District #3, Fashia McFadden, from McCaskey in a transfer.
The Shamrocks are loaded. Four returning starters and a good bit of depth on the bench.
In District #3, they and York Catholic are the only two teams that should play in the Class (AA) championship game.
Our preseason rankings are just to give you an idea of what's out there. Now it's time to wait a month and see how the clubs around the state shake out. The next full rankings will not appear in The Patriot-News until Jan. 1. 2007
THE CHOPS...
At first glance, the preseason high school girls' basketball state rankings might appear to be laced with chalk picks in the top spots.
While it's true three of the defending P.I.A.A. champions are preseason No. #1, Parkland, Hopewell and York Catholic probably would be there even if they had not won it all a year ago.
Each has at least three starters back and returns at least their top player.
York Catholic has everybody back, and Hopewell is only one starter shy of following suit.
Parkland is in a little different boat, though.
The Trojans have three starters back, including 6-1 senior Erin Anthony. But they lost a Division I recruit at point guard. We all know how important the floor general can be in the girls' game. And, among last season's top seven, four will be suited up this season.
All that's left is Class (A).
With a couple of hammers from District #7, North Catholic and Avonworth, dropping down to little-school land, picking a No. #1 wasn't easy.
Girard College, a little-known school last year from District 1, is our pick.
We're well aware the only loss for Girard last season was a three-point defeat to District #11 powerhouse Marian Catholic in the P.I.A.A. quarterfinals. And the Fillies are expected to be good once again. Girard, with three returning starters, including 6-2 do-it-all sophomore Markel Walker, is a little better.
Defending Class (A) champion Pottsville Nativity BVM is ranked, but the Golden Girls have several starters to replace.
There are not many Mid-Penn teams in the top 10 to start. Caution is better when it comes to our teams at the next level.
Only Harrisburg (AAAA) No. #5 and Trinity (AA) No. #2 make the grade. The Cougars are coming off a sub-par 14-10 season that started with great promise. But they picked up arguably the best player in District #3, Fashia McFadden, from McCaskey in a transfer.
The Shamrocks are loaded. Four returning starters and a good bit of depth on the bench.
In District #3, they and York Catholic are the only two teams that should play in the Class (AA) championship game.
Our preseason rankings are just to give you an idea of what's out there. Now it's time to wait a month and see how the clubs around the state shake out. The next full rankings will not appear in The Patriot-News until Jan. 1. 2007
THE CHOPS...
-
THE CHOPS
- Official BleacherCoach
- Posts: 1900
- Joined: October 24th, 2003, 10:42 am
- Location: SCOTTDALE, PA.
Re: Girls Basketball Pre-View
W.P.I.A.L. Girls Basketball Preview
12/1/2006 -
So who are the WPIAL girls basketball teams that have the best chance to be fitted for the basketball crown of gold at Duquesne University on the first weekend of March. We will begin to find out this weekend as the 2006-2007 girls basketball season begins. Here are the teams and players to watch over the next three months.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AAAA) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: Oakland Catholic
Who else? The Eagles have been in the championship game eight years in a row and are the two-time defending champion. People can’t say Coach Rich Irr is living off Suzie McConnell Serio’s coattails any more. Irr has won two titles in two years. This year, he has a strong backcourt with Erica Prosser and Amanda Sedlack. Prosser signed with Lehigh and Sedlack with Akron.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Watch for New Castle for one main reason – Jaleesa Sams. A 5-10 guard, she’s one of the WPIAL’s best players, averaging 18.9 points a game last season.
* Section #2 is very strong. Besides Oakland Catholic, Section 2 has Gateway and Woodland Hills. Both could be top five teams. Woodland Hills has improved greatly in the last few years. The Wolverines were 2-22 a few years ago. Gateway has senior forward Shayla Scott, a Pitt recruit
* Penn Hills is a team to watch because of senior forward Taja Wilson, who is ranked by some scouting services as one of the top 100 players in the country. She has signed with Michigan State.
* Mount Lebanon lost some key players from last year’s WPIAL runner-up team, but guard Jackie Babe is talented.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AAA) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: Hopewell
No surprise here. The Vikings are the defending WPIAL and PIAA champion. Two Vikings are headed to Division I colleges – guard Jordan Zuppe (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne) and forward Joyce Novacek (Bucknell). Becky Novacek, Joyce’s twin sister, will play volleyball at Division I Dayton, but she’s formidable in basketball, too.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Moon was a WPIAL finalist last year and has a new coach. Sarah Kirk was an assistant last year at Hopewell.
* Greensburg Salem, West Mifflin and Mars all should be fairly strong. For Greensburg Salem, Anne Marie Olesky averaged 16.2 as a sophomore.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AA) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: Greensburg Central Catholic
The Centurions won the WPIAL last year and are under a new coach in Rich Rosensteel. Actually, he’s the old coach. He coached GCC from 1979-95. GCC features one of the WPIAL’s top players in 5-11 guard Ashley Henderson, a Pitt recruit.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Bishop Canevin and Seton-LaSalle play in the same section and are worth keeping an eye on. Bishop Canevin’s Destiny Ambrose might be a star of the future, but she’s not bad in the present, either. She averaged 17.5 points as a freshman. Seton-LaSalle is paced by Megan O’Keefe (17.5 ppg).
* Keep an eye on last years runner-up, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Devin McGrath, a forward, averaged 15 points a game last year as a freshman.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (A) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: North Catholic
The Trojanettes were a perennial power in Class (AAA), but dropped to Class (A) this season. Can anyone stand in their way in Class (A)? Senior April Austin is one of the top guards in the W.P.I.A.L. and has signed with Dayton.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Avonworth also dropped down this year, coming from Class AA. The Antelopes can’t be far behind North Catholic with the one-two punch of forwards Taylor Gallupe and Morgan Locher.
* Defending champion Monessen should be solid. Serra Catholic is a top five team, but must deal without graduated starters Brittany Matta and Laura Grimm.
TOP RETURNING SCORERS
(Regular season statistics only)
Name, School - Average
Vanessa Abel, Southmoreland - 29.1
Megan Stuvek, Carmichaels - 23.9
Jalessa Sams, New Castle - 18.3
Ashley Henderson, Greensburg Central Catholic - 17.7
Megan O’Keefe, Seton-LaSalle - 17.4
Destiny Ambrose, Bishop Canevin - 17.2
Christine Slater, Center - 17.2
Taylor Gallupe, Avonworth - 16.7
Alyssa Young, Ford City - 16.6
Amy Achesinski, Butler - 16.6
Joyce Novacek, Hopewell - 16.3
Shawniece Johnson, Allderdice - 16.3
Taja Wilson, Penn Hills - 16.3
Abbey Way, Mount Pleasant - 16.3
Natasha Jones, Western Beaver - 16.3
Anna Marie Olesky, Greensburg-Salem - 16.3
Shayla Scott, Gateway - 15.8
Morgan Locher, Avonworth - 15.8
12/1/2006 -
So who are the WPIAL girls basketball teams that have the best chance to be fitted for the basketball crown of gold at Duquesne University on the first weekend of March. We will begin to find out this weekend as the 2006-2007 girls basketball season begins. Here are the teams and players to watch over the next three months.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AAAA) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: Oakland Catholic
Who else? The Eagles have been in the championship game eight years in a row and are the two-time defending champion. People can’t say Coach Rich Irr is living off Suzie McConnell Serio’s coattails any more. Irr has won two titles in two years. This year, he has a strong backcourt with Erica Prosser and Amanda Sedlack. Prosser signed with Lehigh and Sedlack with Akron.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Watch for New Castle for one main reason – Jaleesa Sams. A 5-10 guard, she’s one of the WPIAL’s best players, averaging 18.9 points a game last season.
* Section #2 is very strong. Besides Oakland Catholic, Section 2 has Gateway and Woodland Hills. Both could be top five teams. Woodland Hills has improved greatly in the last few years. The Wolverines were 2-22 a few years ago. Gateway has senior forward Shayla Scott, a Pitt recruit
* Penn Hills is a team to watch because of senior forward Taja Wilson, who is ranked by some scouting services as one of the top 100 players in the country. She has signed with Michigan State.
* Mount Lebanon lost some key players from last year’s WPIAL runner-up team, but guard Jackie Babe is talented.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AAA) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: Hopewell
No surprise here. The Vikings are the defending WPIAL and PIAA champion. Two Vikings are headed to Division I colleges – guard Jordan Zuppe (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne) and forward Joyce Novacek (Bucknell). Becky Novacek, Joyce’s twin sister, will play volleyball at Division I Dayton, but she’s formidable in basketball, too.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Moon was a WPIAL finalist last year and has a new coach. Sarah Kirk was an assistant last year at Hopewell.
* Greensburg Salem, West Mifflin and Mars all should be fairly strong. For Greensburg Salem, Anne Marie Olesky averaged 16.2 as a sophomore.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AA) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: Greensburg Central Catholic
The Centurions won the WPIAL last year and are under a new coach in Rich Rosensteel. Actually, he’s the old coach. He coached GCC from 1979-95. GCC features one of the WPIAL’s top players in 5-11 guard Ashley Henderson, a Pitt recruit.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Bishop Canevin and Seton-LaSalle play in the same section and are worth keeping an eye on. Bishop Canevin’s Destiny Ambrose might be a star of the future, but she’s not bad in the present, either. She averaged 17.5 points as a freshman. Seton-LaSalle is paced by Megan O’Keefe (17.5 ppg).
* Keep an eye on last years runner-up, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Devin McGrath, a forward, averaged 15 points a game last year as a freshman.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (A) OUTLOOK
TEAM TO BEAT: North Catholic
The Trojanettes were a perennial power in Class (AAA), but dropped to Class (A) this season. Can anyone stand in their way in Class (A)? Senior April Austin is one of the top guards in the W.P.I.A.L. and has signed with Dayton.
ONES TO WATCH:
* Avonworth also dropped down this year, coming from Class AA. The Antelopes can’t be far behind North Catholic with the one-two punch of forwards Taylor Gallupe and Morgan Locher.
* Defending champion Monessen should be solid. Serra Catholic is a top five team, but must deal without graduated starters Brittany Matta and Laura Grimm.
TOP RETURNING SCORERS
(Regular season statistics only)
Name, School - Average
Vanessa Abel, Southmoreland - 29.1
Megan Stuvek, Carmichaels - 23.9
Jalessa Sams, New Castle - 18.3
Ashley Henderson, Greensburg Central Catholic - 17.7
Megan O’Keefe, Seton-LaSalle - 17.4
Destiny Ambrose, Bishop Canevin - 17.2
Christine Slater, Center - 17.2
Taylor Gallupe, Avonworth - 16.7
Alyssa Young, Ford City - 16.6
Amy Achesinski, Butler - 16.6
Joyce Novacek, Hopewell - 16.3
Shawniece Johnson, Allderdice - 16.3
Taja Wilson, Penn Hills - 16.3
Abbey Way, Mount Pleasant - 16.3
Natasha Jones, Western Beaver - 16.3
Anna Marie Olesky, Greensburg-Salem - 16.3
Shayla Scott, Gateway - 15.8
Morgan Locher, Avonworth - 15.8