Girls' Basketball: North Girls Class A Preview
Section 2-A was the best in small-schools girls basketball a year ago. The section's top two teams -- North Catholic High and Vincentian Academy -- split two-regular-season games and also split in the postseason when Vincentian rallied from behind to win the WPIAL Class A championship over the Trojanettes, 54-50.
But North Catholic had the last laugh as the two teams met in the PIAA Class A Western Championship, and North Catholic took an early lead and never looked back in capturing at 71-58 victory at Ambridge High School.
It's now a year later, and Vincentian has solidified what could be a run for the top in both the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs.
The Royals return all but four players from a team that finished with an overall record of 28-2 and 11-1 in Section 2-A play. Their top returnee is swing player Brenna Wise, a 6-0 sophomore, who averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds a game. Other top returnees include 5-11 senior guard Abbey Bartoszewicz and junior swing player Ally Bartoszewicz. The Royals also picked up a solid player in Kayla Key, who transferred from Westinghouse.
Their top competitor likely will be the Trojanettes who had an overall record of 24-7. They return Division I recruit Lauren Wolosik, a 5-10 senior who will play for Division I Central Connecticut next season.
The rest of the starting lineup, however, played its last game in a 66-59 loss to Steelton-Highspire in the PIAA Class A championship game at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center. Courtney Wolosik, Sarah Goetz, Lynzi Mueller, Becky Stark, Angela Nowacki and Tina Ferrari either started or were one of the first players off the bench for Coach Molly Rottmann.
Both teams start their seasons with tough assignments.
North Catholic opens the season against defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AA state champion Seton-LaSalle at 6 p.m. on Friday in the Oakland Catholic tournament. The Trojanettes then meet WPIAL Class AA finalist Bishop Canevin the next day. Vincentian opens its season at 3:30 p.m. Friday against two-time defending City League champion Allderdice in the Serra Catholic Tournament.
The two teams meet in the regular season on Jan. 14 at North Catholic and on Feb. 7 at Vincentian. When Vincentian was the game's host a year ago, the two teams played at La Roche College's Kerr Fitness Center.
The rest of the section is similar to the one the two teams played in last year with Eden Christian, The Ellis School, St. Joseph and Trinity Christian all returning. One big change is the admission of Imani Christian to the section in its first full season of WPIAL competition. The Saints replace Riverview, which joined Section 3-AA.
Section 1-A: Sewickley Academy is the only North-area team in West-centric Section 1-A. The Panthers' top returnee is 5-10 junior center Katelyn Ripple. Six players graduated from last year's team.
But North Catholic had the last laugh as the two teams met in the PIAA Class A Western Championship, and North Catholic took an early lead and never looked back in capturing at 71-58 victory at Ambridge High School.
It's now a year later, and Vincentian has solidified what could be a run for the top in both the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs.
The Royals return all but four players from a team that finished with an overall record of 28-2 and 11-1 in Section 2-A play. Their top returnee is swing player Brenna Wise, a 6-0 sophomore, who averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds a game. Other top returnees include 5-11 senior guard Abbey Bartoszewicz and junior swing player Ally Bartoszewicz. The Royals also picked up a solid player in Kayla Key, who transferred from Westinghouse.
Their top competitor likely will be the Trojanettes who had an overall record of 24-7. They return Division I recruit Lauren Wolosik, a 5-10 senior who will play for Division I Central Connecticut next season.
The rest of the starting lineup, however, played its last game in a 66-59 loss to Steelton-Highspire in the PIAA Class A championship game at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center. Courtney Wolosik, Sarah Goetz, Lynzi Mueller, Becky Stark, Angela Nowacki and Tina Ferrari either started or were one of the first players off the bench for Coach Molly Rottmann.
Both teams start their seasons with tough assignments.
North Catholic opens the season against defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AA state champion Seton-LaSalle at 6 p.m. on Friday in the Oakland Catholic tournament. The Trojanettes then meet WPIAL Class AA finalist Bishop Canevin the next day. Vincentian opens its season at 3:30 p.m. Friday against two-time defending City League champion Allderdice in the Serra Catholic Tournament.
The two teams meet in the regular season on Jan. 14 at North Catholic and on Feb. 7 at Vincentian. When Vincentian was the game's host a year ago, the two teams played at La Roche College's Kerr Fitness Center.
The rest of the section is similar to the one the two teams played in last year with Eden Christian, The Ellis School, St. Joseph and Trinity Christian all returning. One big change is the admission of Imani Christian to the section in its first full season of WPIAL competition. The Saints replace Riverview, which joined Section 3-AA.
Section 1-A: Sewickley Academy is the only North-area team in West-centric Section 1-A. The Panthers' top returnee is 5-10 junior center Katelyn Ripple. Six players graduated from last year's team.
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