Lady Pioneers turn to Crouse as new coach
West Greene's Lexi Six pump fakes to get Portage's Ashlyn Hudak up in air during a PIAA playoff game at Mount Aloysius College last sesaon.
West Greene鈥檚 Kasie Meek battles two Portage players for a loose ball during a PIAA playoff game at Mount Aloysius College last season.
West Greene鈥檚 Austin Crouse directs traffic as he dribbles the ball against Jefferson-Morgan during a game in the 2019-20 season. Crouse has taken over the head coaching job of the West Greene girls basketball team this year.
It has been one of the highest performing programs in the WPIAL the last handful of years.
The fact is the West Greene High School girls鈥� basketball team entered the 2022-23 season with six consecutive section championships, 71 straight section victories and four trips to the WPIAL Class A championship in five seasons.
The Lady Pioneers nearly did so without a coach.
Former Coach Jordan Watson resigned just a few weeks after last season.
According to West Greene Athletic Director Bill Simms, two separate job opening announcements did not produce one applicant.
Finally, Austin Crouse, 21, and a 2020 West Greene graduate, stepped up and then stepped in after the district鈥檚 school board hired him last month 鈥� close to the start of this season.
Said Simms: 鈥淲aynesburg (High School) can advertise and get 30 applicants, we鈥檙e eight miles down the road and nothing. When you consider what this program has done鈥� it鈥檚 somewhat humbling.鈥�
Simms said getting Crouse keeps the program going and expects him to do well.
Crouse isn鈥檛 stepping in with hesitation.
鈥淲e did lose a lot,鈥� Crouse. 鈥淲e still have a lot of talent. I鈥檓 confident in our younger girls and the seniors we have now. They get their shot to do pretty good.
鈥淚 expect another good year and winning the section title again. I expect this team to win it. Once we get rolling, and play together, I feel we can repeat.鈥�
West Greene will compete in Section 2-A with Avella, Geibel Catholic, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and Monessen.
The Lady Pioneers roster is highlighted by senior guard Lexie Six and junior forward Kasie Meek. Other seniors are Taylor Karvan and Ally Campbell; junior Brooke Miller; sophomore Marissa Tharp and Jazmine Scott; and freshmen Courtney Main, Kendra Tharp and Eyka Hackney.
Crouse is assisted by Zoie Smith.
鈥淚 decided to take the job because I鈥檝e always wanted to coach sports,鈥� Crouse said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been my dream to take charge of a program and throw my style into a program. And, honestly, I wasn鈥檛 surprised because of the reputation West Greene had built up. It is big shoes to fill but once I got work figured out so I could coach, I jumped right on it. 鈥�
Crouse said Six and Meeks will be 鈥渢aking on a big leadership role.鈥�
鈥淎t the beginning when I came in, I sat them down to talk with them. As for the others, it鈥檚 not what they are used to (in terms of opportunity and responsibility). No one of them has anyone above them, they are now the players that must rise above.
鈥淭his is their first varsity action. It鈥檚 a big jump up. I definitely feel pressure to keep winning.鈥�
Crouse said he wants to introduce his ideas that can help the team create better shots and produce more in the half court, where he felt the team struggled last season.
Crouse said he expects Avella and Monessen to be top challengers for the section crown.
The Pioneers lost two of their first three games this season. West Greene defeated California, 46-31, after falling to Fort Cherry and Bishop Canevin in the Fort Cherry Tip-Off Tournament.