Trib HSSN rewind: A look back at the 2018-19 girls basketball season
By:
Friday, July 12, 2019 | 8:47 PM
Peters’ Makenna Marisa drives past Norwin’s Brianna Zajicek during PIAA second action at Keystone Oaks High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Megan McConnell hugs her dad, coach Tim McConnell, after the Lady Colts defeated Bishop Carroll in the PIAA Class 5A girls state championship game Saturday, Mar. 23, 2019, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Peters Township and Chartiers Valley championed the cause for perfection.
Thirty up and 30 down.
The Indians and Colts put together two of the most impressive runs by a WPIAL girls basketball team — in Class 6A and 5A, respectively — on the way to district and PIAA championships, making them the centerpiece of the girls hardwood season on this end of the state.
Only three other girls teams have won state hoops titles with perfect records.
State champ vibes.
Congrats again to @PetersTwpSports, @MoonTigersAD, @CVSDcolts and @LPPACS1 on bringing home the ?
Read more about their wins at https://t.co/m599BYX0KE!#WPIAL #TribHSSN pic.twitter.com/ZFOw136RmB
— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) March 24, 2019
Star guard Makenna Marisa, selected later as the state player of the year and an All-American, averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists to orchestrate the run for nationally-ranked Peters Township.
The Penn State recruit scored 29 points in Peters Township’s 62-49 win over Garnet Valley in the PIAA championship game.
Junior guard Megan McConnell, meantime, led the way for Chartiers Valley, which won its first state title in any sport. She averaged 10.9 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 steals.
Other WPIAL champions were: North Catholic (4A), Neshannock (3A), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (2A) and Rochester (A).
Peters Township, Neshannock, OLSH and Rochester all were first-time champions.
The other PIAA champions: Bethlehem Catholic (4A), Delone Catholic (3A), Bellwood-Antis (2A) and Berlin (A).
Marisa was a first-team all-state selection, joining North Allegheny standout Rachel Martindale on the 6A team.
Tim McConnell was named the state’s Class 5A Coach of the Year.
Chartiers Valley’s Mackenzie Wagner and Megan McConnell were named to the Class 5A first team, along with Thomas Jefferson senior Jenna Clark and Mars senior Tai Johnson.
Junior Mackenzie Amalia and senior Mady Aulbach of Blackhawk made the 4A all-state team, while juniors Kylee Lewandowski and Tess Myers were all-state picks from North Catholic, a state runner-up in 4A.
Rochester sophomore Alexis Robison made the Class A first team.
Hitting the links
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Chartiers Valley, Neshannock, North Catholic, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Peters Township, Rochester
More Basketball
• Derry boys basketball team looking for big season with key players coming back• Experienced Belle Vernon boys basketball team eyes deeper playoff run
• ’80s game-breaker Willie Jordan to join Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame
• Imani Christian says ‘unique quirk’ in enrollment process may have violated PIAA transfer rules
• WPIAL launches investigations into Baldwin, Imani Christian over ‘possible recruiting violations’
