Lizzy Groetsch, Aislin Malcolm among 20 WPIAL girls basketball players named all-state
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Monday, April 26, 2021 | 1:00 PM
North Allegheny’s Lizzy Groetsch (left) celebrates with Paige Morningstar and Jasmin Timmerson after defeating Spring-Ford in the PIAA Class 6A state championship game on Friday, March 26, 2021, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Chartiers Valley’s Aislin Malcolm drives past Cardinal O’Hara’s Maggie Doogan during the PIAA Class 5A state championship game on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at Giant Center in Hershey.
North Allegheny head coach Spencer Stefko instructs his team during the PIAA Class 6A state championship game on March 26, 2021, at Giant Center in Hershey.
North Allegheny’s Lizzy Groetsch and Chartiers Valley’s Aislin Malcolm each added another statewide honor to their resumes.
Groetsch, a senior, and Malcolm, a junior, each earned Pennsylvania Player of the Year honors in their classifications when girls basketball all-state teams were announced Monday.
Groetsch was named the state’s top player in Class 6A. Malcolm won in 5A.
They were among 20 WPIAL players named all-state in a vote of sportswriters. Seven earned first-team honors: Groetsch, Malcolm, Bethel Park’s Olivia Westphal, Plum’s Kennedie Montue, Neshannock’s Mairan Haggerty, and Rochester teammates Corynne Hauser and Alexis Robison.
North Allegheny’s Spencer Stefko was named the top coach in Class 6A after the Tigers won WPIAL and PIAA titles.
Groetsch, a 5-foot-11 guard and Penn recruit, scored a game-high 24 points in the state championship game to defeat Spring-Ford, 55-40.
Malcolm, a 5-11 guard committed to Pitt, helped lead the Colts to a third consecutive WPIAL title and a PIAA runner-up finish. Chartiers Valley also set a state record this season for consecutive wins at 64 games.
Class 6A
First team
Talya Brugler, Nazareth, 6-1, Sr., 15.3
Lizzy Groetsch, North Allegheny, 5-11, Sr., 16.2
Julie Jekot, Cumberland Valley, 5-10, Sr., 15.9
Lucy Olsen, Spring-Ford, 5-9, Sr., 18.6
Ava Sciolla, Pennsbury, 5-11, Jr., 17.0
Olivia Westphal, Bethel Park, 5-9, Sr., 24.6
Second team
Lindsay Berger, Parkland, 6-2, Sr., 14.8
Emily Chmiel, Central Bucks East, 6-0, Sr., 16.2
Ashleigh Connor, Mt. Lebanon, 5-10, Jr., 21.7
Caroline Shiery, Central Dauphin, 6-3, Jr., 18.0
Emily Strunk, Stroudsburg, 6-2, Sr., 20.9
Third team
Jillian Jekot, Cumberland Valley, 5-11, Fr., 12.5
Anna McTamney, Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 5-10, Sr., 13.1
Paige Morningstar, North Allegheny, 6-1, Sr., 11.0
Grace O’Neill, Archbishop Carroll, 5-7, Jr., 12.8
Emina Selimovic, McDowell, 6-0, Sr., 13.8
Jasmine Timmerson, North Allegheny, 5-7, So., 11.0
Makiah Shaw, Red Lion, 6-0, Sr., 16.0
Player of the Year: Lizzy Groetsch, North Allegheny
Coach of the Year: Spencer Stefko, North Allegheny
Class 5A
First team
Anne Bair, Gettysburg, 5-7, Sr., 16.5
Maggie Doogan, Cardinal O’Hara, 6-2, Jr., 14.5
Talia Gilliard-Jackson, Mechanicsburg, 5-8, Sr., 14.7
Aislin Malcolm, Chartiers Valley, 5-11, Jr., 17.2
Kennedie Montue, Plum, 5-11, Sr., 23.6
Sydni Scott, Cardinal O’Hara, 5-7, Jr., 12.0
Second team
Laila Campbell, Spring Grove, 6-0, Fr., 15.9
Courtney Dahlquist, Trinity, 6-1, Sr., 17.4
Grace Niekelski, Mount St. Joseph, 6-0, Sr., 17.0
Perri Page, Chartiers Valley, 6-0, Jr., 15.2
Peyton Pinkney, Woodland Hills, 6-0, Sr., 15.0
Emma Ruhlman, Warren, 5-10, Jr., 14.7
Third team
Alexa Abbonizio, Springfield (Delco), 5-7, Sr., 13.9
Alexis Hess, Fleetwood, 6-0, So., 17.5
Maddie Knier, Manheim Central, 5-10, So., 21.2
Marin Miller, Hollidaysburg, 5-5, Jr., 24.5
Emma Theodorsson, Moon, 6-1, Jr., 18.0
Kourtney Wilson, Bethlehem Catholic, 5-9, Jr., 14.8
Player of the Year: Aislin Malcolm, Chartiers Valley
Coach of the Year: Chrissie Doogan, Cardinal O’Hara
Class 4A
First team
Ryanne Allen, Archbishop Wood, 6-0, Jr., 16.6
Anajah Brown, Baldwin (Philadelphia), 6-1, Sr., 17.4
Cecelia Collins, Scranton Prep, 6-1, Sr., 16.5
Moriah Murray, Dunmore, 5-9, Jr., 16.5
Kaitlyn Orihel, Archbishop Wood, 5-10, Sr., 16.1
Rachael Rose, Scranton Prep, 5-7, Sr., 16.5
Ciera Toomey, Dunmore, 6-3., So., 15.3
Second team
Gabby Casey, Lansdale Catholic, 5-9, So., 19.8
Taja Colbert, Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg), 5-5, Sr., 20.9
Kaylie Griffin, Gwynedd Mercy, 5-8, Sr., 15.3
Gianna Hoddinott, Delone Catholic, 5-9, Jr., 16.5
Lily Seyfert, Wyomissing, 5-8, Sr., 17.5
Skyler Searfoss, Jim Thorpe, 5-9, Jr., 17.9
Third team
Carissa Dunham, Villa Maria (Erie), 5-7, Jr., 9.9
Jaida Parker, Tyrone, 5-9, Jr., 13.4
Emma Pavelek, Beaver, 5-8, Sr., 15.8
Ava Waid, Villa Maria (Erie), 5-6, Sr., 7.1
Corinne Washington, Quaker Valley, 5-11, Sr., 15.5
Player of the Year: Kaitlyn Orihel, Archbishop Wood
Coach of the Year: Mike McDonald, Archbishop Wood
Class 3A
First team
Denae Carter, St. Basil, 6-0, Sr., 21.0
Kylie Lavelle, Riverside (Taylor), 6-1, Jr., 22.5
Destiney McPhaul, West Catholic, 5-8, Sr., 20.9
Summer McNulty, Loyalsock, 5-7, Sr., 14.6
Mariah Wilson, Lancaster Mennonite, 5-9, Sr., 23.6
Second team
Antonia Bates, Notre Dame (Green Pond), 6-0, Jr., 12.4
Erika Dubosky, Panther Valley, 5-11, Sr., 18.7
Paige Julian, Mohawk, 5-8, Sr., 20.5
Ava Stevenson, Trinity (Camp Hill), 6-0, Sr., 15.5
Trinity Williams, Palisades, 6-1, Sr., 20.9
Third team
Mihjae Hayes, Neumann-Goretti, 5-3, Jr., 18.1
Ciani Montgomery, West Catholic, 5-6, Sr., 18.0
Aslyn Pry, Moniteau, 6-0, Sr., 19.6
Haily Sherman, Susquenita, 5-9, Sr., 18.4
Janai Smith, Imhotep, 5-9, Jr., 14.7
Jordyn Smith, Forest Hills, 5-9, Sr., 17.4
Aleah Snead, Penn Charter, 5-11, So., 14.8
Lauren Trumpy, Trinity (Camp Hill), 6-5, Jr., 13.2
Player of the Year: Destiney McPhaul, West Catholic
Coach of the Year: Beulah Osueke, West Catholic
Class 2A
First team
Mercy Ademusayo, Linden Hall, 6-5, Sr., 14.5
Olivia Ciullo, Old Forge, 5-8, Sr., 22.4
Mairan Haggerty, Neshannock, 5-11, So., 19.0
Kaci Kranson, Holy Cross, 5-10, Jr., 21.5
Dani Rae Renno, Mount Carmel, 6-3, Sr., 20.7
Grace Sundback, Westtown, 5-10, So., 16.3
Second team
Alexis Brooks, Westtown, 5-10, Sr., 10.8
Claudia Clark, Mahanoy Area, 57, Sr., 13.7
Zahra King, Westtown, 5-10, So., 14.2
Maeve McErlene, Notre Dame du Namur, 5-10, Jr., 19.5
Neleh Nogay, Neshannock, 5-6, Jr., 17.5
Sanaa Redmond, Shipley, 5-6, Sr., 16.5
Third team
Brie Droege, Columbia, 5-7, Fr., 18.6
Maizee Fry, United, 6-0, Sr., 17.5
Genesis Meadows, Lancaster Country Day, 5-5, So., 18.7
Nadia Moore, Winchester Thurston, 5-10, So., 18.8
Kassidy Smith, Penns Manor, 5-8, Sr., 15.8
Alicia Young, Sto-Rox, 5-11, Jr., 19.9
Player of the Year: Mercy Ademusayo, Linden Hall
Coach of the Year: Lisa Varano, Mount Carmel
Class A
First team
Emily Garvin, Northumberland Christian, 5-6, Jr., 16.3
Teresa Haigh, Bishop Guilfoyle, 6-0, Sr., 18.0
Corynne Hauser, Rochester, 5-8, Jr., 20.0
Carly Mulvaney, Jenkintown, 5-10, Sr., 16.6
Kaliyah Myricks, George School, 6-2, Sr., 20.8
Andjela Pavicevik, Harrisburg Christian, 25.0
Alexis Robison, Rochester, 5-7, Sr., 19.6
Second team
Sarah Chambers, Coudersport, 6-0, Sr., 17.7
Bellah DiNardo, Kennedy Catholic, 5-9, Jr., 15.9
Samantha Heenan, Nativity BVM, 5-8, Sr., 17.7
Leah Homan, Bishop Guilfoyle, 5-11, Jr., 17.7
Merit Innocent, Harrisburg Christian, 6-2, So., 18.0
Zaniyyah Ross-Barnes, Abington Friends, 5-11, Sr., 11.5
Third team
Bree Garzel, Port Allegany, 5-8, Sr., 22.2
Serena Hartzler, Veritas, 5-7, Sr., 17.4
Katie McGrath, Jenkintown, 5-7, Jr., 14.1
Jenna Muha, Shade, 6-0, So., 20.5
Rylee Snyder, Shanksville Stonycreek, 6-0, Jr., 17.6
Player of the Year: Teresa Haigh, Bishop Guilfoyle
Coach of the Year: Kristi Kaack, Bishop Guilfoyle
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Beaver, Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Mohawk, Moon, Mt. lebanon, Neshannock, North Allegheny, Plum, Quaker Valley, Rochester, Sto-Rox, Trinity, Woodland Hills
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