Everett's Hedrick finding success in new environment
Everett's Hedrick finding success in new environment
Boys' Class AAA semifinals: Blackhawk, Hopewell advance to title game
Chartiers Valley turns cold, loses semifinal, 52-37
Thursday, February 21, 2008
By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Today, Andy Hedrick might be overcome with emotion over a birth. Last night, he was elated over a berth.
Hedrick, Blackhawk High School's boys' basketball coach, watched his team knock off No. 1 seed Chartiers Valley, 52-37, in a WPIAL Class AAA semifinal at North Allegheny. It was the 20th consecutive win for Blackhawk (22-5), and the victory gives the Cougars a berth in the Saturday night championship game for the 14th time in school history, but the first in Hedrick's three seasons as coach.
Today, Hedrick will be in the hospital with his wife, Gwen, when doctors induce labor for the couple's first child.
"We're having a boy. Hopefully, he'll play here at Blackhawk," Hedrick said, with a laugh. "This [championship berth] means the world to me. This whole week has been so emotional. They started inducing labor [yesterday] and they'll finish it off [today]. We were afraid she might go into labor, and I wouldn't have been at this game."
Hedrick took over at Blackhawk in 2004 for legendary coach John Miller. Hedrick is a graduate of Everett High in Central Pennsylvania and also coached there.
"I grew up in Central Pennsylvania, but we always held the WPIAL in awe," Hedrick said. "We held Blackhawk in awe with coach Miller. To be here and be a part of this is awesome."
Blackhawk used 17 points from forward Mike Pearson and 16 from forward Antoine Childs to turn back Chartiers Valley (24-3), which was trying to make it to a title game for the seventh time under coach Tim McConnell. Blackhawk also took advantage of an awful shooting night by Chartiers Valley. The Colts were 2 of 17 from 3-point range and missed their first 13 shots.
They missed leading scorer T.J. McConnell, the coach's son who had 93 3-pointers this season. McConnell, who averages 19 points, did not play because of a broken left arm sustained in the quarterfinals. He had surgery Tuesday and had a metal plate and a screw put into his arm.
"I think it might have been a combination of our defense and them having an off night," Hedrick said of Chartiers Valley's shooting woes. "I think the closer you get to a championship, the harder it is to shoot -- for everybody."
Senior forward Anthony Poletti led Chartiers Valley with 13 points, eight on free throws.
"You always wish you had your top gun, but I still thought we had a good team and a chance to win," said Tim McConnell. "If we could've just hit a couple shots in the early going, it might have been a little different game."
Blackhawk scored the first nine points. Chartiers Valley didn't have a basket until 2:59 left in the half. Blackhawk started the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 33-13 lead.
The Cougars led by as many as 23, and Chartiers Valley never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Other semifinal
Hopewell used the one-two punch of Mark Javens and Drew Falletta to beat Greensburg Salem, 49-44, in the other semifinal at Fox Chapel. The win earns Hopewell (21-5) a spot opposite Blackhawk in the 9 p.m. title game Saturday at Palumbo Center.
Javens, a senior guard, had 21 points, and Falletta, a junior forward, added 18 and 14 rebounds.
"When you have horses, you have to ride them," said Hopewell coach Ron Rowan. "Our game plan was to take advantage of mismatches. I think we did that."
Greensburg Salem scored the first basket of the second half to take its only lead, 25-24. But Hopewell went on a 9-0 run and never trailed again.
Aaron Allen led Greensburg Salem with 18 points.
First published on February 21, 2008 at 12:00 am
EmailPrint
Chartiers Valley turns cold, loses semifinal, 52-37
Thursday, February 21, 2008
By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Today, Andy Hedrick might be overcome with emotion over a birth. Last night, he was elated over a berth.
Hedrick, Blackhawk High School's boys' basketball coach, watched his team knock off No. 1 seed Chartiers Valley, 52-37, in a WPIAL Class AAA semifinal at North Allegheny. It was the 20th consecutive win for Blackhawk (22-5), and the victory gives the Cougars a berth in the Saturday night championship game for the 14th time in school history, but the first in Hedrick's three seasons as coach.
Today, Hedrick will be in the hospital with his wife, Gwen, when doctors induce labor for the couple's first child.
"We're having a boy. Hopefully, he'll play here at Blackhawk," Hedrick said, with a laugh. "This [championship berth] means the world to me. This whole week has been so emotional. They started inducing labor [yesterday] and they'll finish it off [today]. We were afraid she might go into labor, and I wouldn't have been at this game."
Hedrick took over at Blackhawk in 2004 for legendary coach John Miller. Hedrick is a graduate of Everett High in Central Pennsylvania and also coached there.
"I grew up in Central Pennsylvania, but we always held the WPIAL in awe," Hedrick said. "We held Blackhawk in awe with coach Miller. To be here and be a part of this is awesome."
Blackhawk used 17 points from forward Mike Pearson and 16 from forward Antoine Childs to turn back Chartiers Valley (24-3), which was trying to make it to a title game for the seventh time under coach Tim McConnell. Blackhawk also took advantage of an awful shooting night by Chartiers Valley. The Colts were 2 of 17 from 3-point range and missed their first 13 shots.
They missed leading scorer T.J. McConnell, the coach's son who had 93 3-pointers this season. McConnell, who averages 19 points, did not play because of a broken left arm sustained in the quarterfinals. He had surgery Tuesday and had a metal plate and a screw put into his arm.
"I think it might have been a combination of our defense and them having an off night," Hedrick said of Chartiers Valley's shooting woes. "I think the closer you get to a championship, the harder it is to shoot -- for everybody."
Senior forward Anthony Poletti led Chartiers Valley with 13 points, eight on free throws.
"You always wish you had your top gun, but I still thought we had a good team and a chance to win," said Tim McConnell. "If we could've just hit a couple shots in the early going, it might have been a little different game."
Blackhawk scored the first nine points. Chartiers Valley didn't have a basket until 2:59 left in the half. Blackhawk started the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 33-13 lead.
The Cougars led by as many as 23, and Chartiers Valley never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Other semifinal
Hopewell used the one-two punch of Mark Javens and Drew Falletta to beat Greensburg Salem, 49-44, in the other semifinal at Fox Chapel. The win earns Hopewell (21-5) a spot opposite Blackhawk in the 9 p.m. title game Saturday at Palumbo Center.
Javens, a senior guard, had 21 points, and Falletta, a junior forward, added 18 and 14 rebounds.
"When you have horses, you have to ride them," said Hopewell coach Ron Rowan. "Our game plan was to take advantage of mismatches. I think we did that."
Greensburg Salem scored the first basket of the second half to take its only lead, 25-24. But Hopewell went on a 9-0 run and never trailed again.
Aaron Allen led Greensburg Salem with 18 points.
First published on February 21, 2008 at 12:00 am
EmailPrint