Lady Scotties feature many heroines on way to final
Most teams that are entering a WPIAL championship game with an undefeated record have at least one if not more superstars.
Not so with Southmoreland. The second-seeded Lady Scotties (24-0) have an array of good players with seemingly a different heroine every game.
That perfect mark will be on the line today when they face perennial power North Catholic (23-1) in the Class 4A final at the Petersen Events Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
The Lady Trojans鈥� lone loss was to another unbeaten team, Class 5A No. 1 seed Chartiers Valley, and NC鈥檚 lineup features NCAA Division-I stars Kylee Lewandowski (headed for Richmond) and Tess Myers (bound for Duquesne). North Catholic will be gunning for its 19th title while this is Southmoreland鈥檚 first appearance in the district final.
Southmoreland disposed of third-seeded Central Valley in the semifinals, 64-51, while North Catholic eliminated Blackhawk, 71-51.
Freshman point guard Olivia Cernuto sparkled against CV with a game-high 23 points, but she had a down game in the quarterfinals against Freeport. In that game, the team鈥檚 leading scorer during the regular season, Gracie Spadaro, had 17 points and Erika Sherbondy scored 14.
鈥淓very night somebody different for us can step up,鈥� said Lady Scotties coach Brian Pritts. 鈥淎gainst Freeport it was Erika Sherbondy who knocked down four threes in the first half. Olivia I think was a little down after that game because I don鈥檛 think she felt she played as well as she鈥檚 capable of playing, but her teammates stepped up.
鈥淭onight against Central Valley it was Sarah (Pisula) and Olivia pulling the weight, Gracie doing what Gracie does and we had Charity (Henderson) playing under control and being that second ballhandler.
鈥淓verybody that was out there contributed in this win.鈥�
Pritts is proud of the way his players lean on each other for support.
鈥淲hen one girl is sort of down the other girls pick her up, pick up the slack,鈥� Pritts said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes this team really special.鈥�
Pritts was especially pleased to see Pisula turn in a fine all-around performance against the Lady Warriors.
鈥淪arah was big early on,鈥� said Pritts, noting the senior鈥檚 two early 3-pointers after having made just one during the regular season. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a great kid. She works extremely hard. For her to have a game like this tonight, I couldn鈥檛 be happier for her.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e all put in the effort and the energy, but she鈥檚 the one that the kids kind of rally around. That鈥檚 how Sarah Pisula always plays. We celebrate deflections and blocks and steals and rebounds because that鈥檚 an important part of the game.鈥�
Even though his team is unbeaten, Pritts felt his team still wasn鈥檛 getting the recognition it was due until Monday鈥檚 win over CV.
鈥淭hat fact we鈥檙e the only girls team from Westmoreland County or Fayette County or the surrounding area, that鈥檚 why the people talk,鈥� Pritts said. 鈥淓veryone thinks Pittsburgh and Beaver County when they think basketball and for us to do this, it鈥檚 really been special.鈥�