New season, same results

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, February 12, 2018 | 12:11 AM

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Preseason pressure is nothing new for Hampton girls basketball, but this season was different. In a loaded WPIAL Class 5A field, the Talbots weren't the only team considered championship-caliber.

Still, Hampton navigated the regular season with typical success, and it secured another share of the Section 4-5A championship with Mars.

It was the sixth section title in seven seasons for the Talbots (17-4, 11-1). Four of those six titles were split with the Planets.

The Talbots had a chance to win the section outright at home last week, but, just like last year, the Planets squeezed out a 59-52 victory. Still, coach Tony Howard is proud of the team's continued success, and he appreciates the rivalry.

“This is about six years in a row I've felt like we had to win every game,” said Howard, who coached eight years at Mars before coming to Hampton in 2015. “If you trip up one time, you're going to be out of it because Hampton or Mars is winning all of their games.”

Last year, Hampton enjoyed one of the better regular seasons in its history. The team went 20-2 and spent the majority of the season in the state rankings.

It came into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed but lost to Oakland Catholic in the semifinals.

Howard said there might have been some unspoken pressure. This year is different as Hampton finds itself in a wide-open field, with more experience from its standout seniors, Laryn Edwards and Ali Collins, who average 22 and 20 points, respectively.

“The thing about 5A is everyone is good,” said Edwards, who scored her 1,000th point Jan. 11 against Kiski Area. “There's not going to be predicted wins and losses. … I think last year we were first seed. Going into that being the team everyone wants to beat, you get pressure on you. Everyone's watching you, seeing what you're doing.”

If the Talbots are to push past the WPIAL semifinals for the first time in Howard's tenure, it will need secondary scoring. Seniors Brooke Fuller and Natalie Rydzak and freshman Olivia Bianco, who earned a starting spot the past six games, could provide additional offense.

“She knows what she's doing,” Edwards said of Bianco. “Makes smart basketball plays. As a freshman, she's nervous, but it doesn't show much on the court.”

In a nonsection loss to Peters Township, Hampton's role players accounted for 23 of its 37 points.

“If we can get 17 to 22 points from three or four other girls, we're in pretty good shape offensively,” Howard said.

Regardless of outcome, Howard thinks the team battled odds and obstacles, and he hopes that can make a difference moving forward.

“At the beginning of the year, I don't think anybody said Hampton is going to win the section,” he said. “For our girls to be there in the fourth quarter with the chance to win outright was impressive. I know we were disappointed with the result, but after a couple days, we're starting to realize what a good accomplishment we had.”

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hampton