Capozzoli takes over young, talented Lady Raiders
Waynesburg Central’s girls basketball team has a talented group coming in but a highly successful veteran coach going out.
Chris Minerd stepped down after completing his 10th year as a head coach in the offseason.
Minerd was 50-20 at the helm of the Lady Raiders, including 10-12 last year when Waynesburg fell one win short of qualifying for the playoffs. Minerd leaves with a career record of 173-86 at Waynesburg and California. He has won four section championships, including 2023 and 2024 at Waynesburg, and his teams have qualified for the PIAA tournament four times.
Mark Capozoli takes the reins from Minerd and inherits a team with a strong freshmen class and a youthful roster overall.
“The team consists of 10 players,” Capozzoli said. “Two seniors, one junior, three sophomores and four freshmen. The freshmen are Addonae Johnson, guard, Emma Blair, forward, Kendall McKay, guard, and Tess Pauley, guard.”
Three of those freshmen have already worked their way into the starting lineup.
“The starters will be (senior center/forward) Peyton Cowell, (junior guard) Chatham Knight, Tess Pauley, Emma Blair and Addonae Johnson,” Capozzoli said.
Cowell is the top returning player.
“Peyton averaged 10 points and nine rebounds per game,” Capozzoli said.
The Lady Raiders’ other senior is forward Olivia Mills, and the sophomore class includes forward Hava Griffoen, guard Larsyn Huffman and forward Addison Cowell.
Waynesburg got off to a hot start with wins over Frazier, 75-38, and at West Greene, 67-51, and the freshmen have already made an impact.
Against Frazier, Pauley scored a team-high 16 points, Johnson followed with 15 and Blair had 14. Cowell added 12 points.
Against West Greene, it was Blair leading the way with a game-high 20 points with Pauley right behind with 19. Cowell tallied 15.
Capozzoli still feels his team has a way to go, however.
“This will be a rebuilding year for the program,” he said. “However, I am looking to improve our record.
“Although this is my first high school coaching position, I have experience coaching a successful AAU girls program.”
Waynesburg will again compete in Section 3-3A along with defending co-champions Keystone Oaks and Seton LaSalle, playoff teams McGuffey and Brownsville, and Washington and Charleroi.
The Lady Raiders began section play on Dec. 11 at Brownsville with their first home section game scheduled for Dec. 18 against Washington.