Apollo-Ridge girls basketball ready to take next step after strong run

By: Michael Love
Monday, November 13, 2023 | 8:33 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

The Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team won 19 games last year, finished runner-up to Shady Side Academy in Section 3-3A and hosted the first home playoff game by a Vikings basketball program, boys or girls.

There were a lot of things to be pleased about following the season, and the returning players, including three with starting experience, hope to make another run at it.

“There is a ton of excitement,” senior Sophie Yard said. “There are a lot of changes from last year. We have some younger players who are excited and are adding to our team. No matter what, the team gets a long really well, and we have each other’s backs. With new things we are learning, it is all coming together very well, which I love to see.”

That run back to the playoffs will be attempted under the tutelage of first-year coach Jeff Zelonka, a 2005 Apollo-Ridge graduate and three-sport athlete — football, basketball and track — with the Vikings who is a teacher in the district and a longtime A-R assistant football coach.

He takes over for legendary coach Ray Bartha, who stepped down last year after a total of 37 years at the helm over two stints. Bartha accumulated 579 wins, including 43 victories in 59 games over three years after returning to the job in 2020.

Zelonka has coached basketball at some of the lower levels, but this is his first opportunity to lead a JV/varsity hoops program.

Zelonka, who took over in the spring, said there were several positive moments and good progression in the offseason. A consistent group of nine or 10 players have put in work, he said, at open-gym workouts the past several weeks since the fall sports seasons came to a close.

“I look forward to the challenge,” he said. “Coach Bartha was an amazing coach, and he left the program in good shape. We met up to talk about some things. I am definitely learning a lot as we progress. I’ve learned a lot about the girls as they have learned about me. I look forward to the game-to-game tactical side of it.”

Official preseason practices begin Friday, and the Vikings will test their mettle with a pair of scrimmages — Leechburg on Nov. 25 and Yough on Nov. 28 — before opening the season Dec. 1-2 at the Leechburg Tip-Off Tournament. The host Blue Devils, Springdale and Nazareth Prep also will take part.

A trio of senior starters — Brinley Toland, Sydney McCray, and Delaney Fitzroy — graduated from last year’s playoff qualifier.

Zelonka said the three seniors this season, Yard, Malea Venziani, and Jaden Mull, will be key in uniting a rather young team.

“They have been with me right from the start and have provided great leadership, especially during the transition as I got up to speed with everything,” he said.

“They’ve been learning a lot about themselves, too, and what their roles can and will be. Now, their wings are going to be spread a little more. They’ve done a nice job with helping the team come together.”

Apollo-Ridge lost 28 points a game with the graduation of Toland and McCray.

Yard led the returnees in scoring at 13.4 points a game and added 2.7 assists and 3.4 steals per contest. Yard also shot a team-best 77 percent from the free-throw line.

Juniors Kylar Toland and Paige Crawford also contributed to the varsity success last season, and both, Zelonka said, will have to opportunity to build on that as the new season begins.

A strong group of five sophomores is expected to contribute.

“We’ve had a nice group show up every day hoping to get better,” he said.

“With what are numbers most likely will be, everyone knows that they need to be ready to go and ready to contribute. If we’re running a particular play or doing a drill, they each know they will be in there at some point to accomplish that successfully. With so few, there’s no sitting around and hiding. They are all in it and will find out if they can do it or not.”

Shady Side Academy earned the No. 1 seed for last year’s Class 3A tournament. The Bulldogs finished third and qualified for states.

Burrell and Mt. Pleasant also secured bids to WPIALs from the section.

Zelonka said he feels Apollo-Ridge again will be right there in the playoff mix.

Deer Lakes and Ligonier Valley also will be section foes for another season.

Zelonka said he is excited to have a younger coaching voice with fresh perspectives in assistant Makenzie Fello, a 2018 Leechburg graduate who was at the center of the Blue Devils’ resurgence for several years.

Fello is a new teacher in the Apollo-Ridge School District.

“With this team, were going to try and play fast,” Zelonka said. “We have the players to be able to go up-tempo. All of the girls are pretty smart, too, and that will allow us to do a lot of different things. We put things in, and within a short time, they’ve got it down pat. I like how things can come together.”

Apollo-Ridge girls basketball at a glance:

Coach: Jeff Zelonka (first year)

Last year’s record: 19-4; 8-2 in Section 3-3A

Returning starters: Sophie Yard (Sr., G), Kylar Toland (Jr., G), Paige Crawford (Jr., G/F)

Top newcomer: Josalin McCauley (Soph., G)

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge