Top-seeded Vincentian Academy girls top Chartiers-Houston to earn 11th WPIAL title

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, March 1, 2018 | 6:33 PM

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After losing to Chartiers-Houston in last season's WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball title game, Vincentian Academy standout Caroline Elliott was determined to change the result this season.

Elliott, a Duquesne recruit, scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half and shot 8 of 8 from the foul line Thursday as the Royals won the school's 11th WPIAL crown 62-47 at Petersen Events Center.

Vincentian was 14 of 16 from the line in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bucs, 16-3, down the stretch.

“I think we were so ready coming into the game,” Elliott said. “We were way more prepared this year, compared to last year. We knew what we were up against, but we knew the talent that our team had and how we could utilize it.”

It was the 23rd straight victory after an opening-night loss for the Royals, who dropped a 47-35 decision to Chartiers-Houston last year.

Though Alexa Williamson led the Bucs with 15 points, the Temple recruit was in foul trouble much of the game. She drew her third foul with 3 minutes, 39 seconds left in the first half, just in time for Vincentian to go on a 7-0 run to lead 25-22 at halftime.

Chartiers-Houston (19-6) had the lead much of the first half, but a trio of 3-point baskets came at opportune times for the Royals.

“Those big shots really helped us out a lot, especially when we were down 0-4,” Vincentian coach Ron Moncrief said. ”That broke the ice. The others 3s were timely as well.”

“Given that, it was still a three-point game at the half,” Bucs coach Laura Montecalvo said. “We felt we could make adjustments at halftime and be in a position to win the game.”

Williamson scored nine of her team's 10 third-quarter points to keep Chartiers-Houston within striking distance while picking up her fourth foul.

Montecalvo started the fourth quarter with Williamson on the floor, and she fouled out with 6:19 to play.

“It was a very tough call, but we have a very short bench,” Montecalvo said of her decision to keep Williamson in the lineup. “That's something we've battled; we're a very small school, and I didn't want to let us get in a position where they went on an eight- or 10-point run. We don't have any other post players.”

“It was really big when she went out,” Moncrief added. “She's a great player, one of the best in this area. To get her out of the game was a big momentum switch for us.”

With Elliott and Katie Bartlett guarded effectively early by the Bucs, Olivia O'Brien and Marina Eyster picked up the scoring slack with nine and seven points, respectively, in the first half.

“With our team, we score in the flow of the game,” O'Brien said. “People have their games when they do really great things. But we work great together as a team and sometimes that balance shifts to one person and it shifts back.”

Elliott and Eyster had 14 points each and O'Brien added 13.

Madison Simpson and Keaira Walker each had 11 points for the Bucs, while Jules Vulcano chipped in with 10.

Chartiers-Houston was just 5 of 15 from the foul line.

Williamson, now with 2,104 career points, passed Steel Valley's Kelly Dee for 29th on the all-time WPIAL list.

It was Vincentian's seventh title under Moncrief.

Both teams advance to the PIAA Class 2A playoffs and will open on March 9.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Chartiers-Houston, Vincentian Academy