Record breaker
Lady Gators鈥� Larkin rising up scoring charts but covets WPIAL title
Emma Larkin had an unforgettable junior season and already a record-breaking senior year.
The Geibel Catholic girls basketball star broke Shelley Bortz鈥� program scoring record of 1,977 on Dec. 1 then went over the 2,000-point mark for her career on Dec. 4.
Still, although she admits the records and milestones are nice, playing for a WPIAL championship would be better. The Lady Gators won a section crown, went 22-4 overall and came one win short of playing in the Petersen Events Center for the Class A district title last season.
鈥淟ast year was everything I ever dreamed of short of winning a WPIAL title,鈥� Larkin said. 鈥淲e did so well, it was such a memorable year. But I still want to play at the Pete, I still want to win a WPIAL title.鈥�
Larkin, a 5-foot-5 versatile point guard, has helped resurrect a Geibel program, spearheading a charge to three consecutive playoff berths along with the section championship and WPIAL final four appearance, all while playing under her mother, Lady Gators coach Sara Larkin.
She still has another record within reach, that being the Fayette County girls basketball scoring record of 2,440 points held by Albert Gallatin graduate Loui Hall.
Emma Larkin is focused on her team, however, not her individual statistics. An outstanding all-around player, she realizes she鈥檒l need help to get to a WPIAL final, most notably in the form of 6-1 sophomore Mallory Clemmer, who鈥檚 coming off a strong freshman year.
鈥淣ow that she鈥檚 not a freshman and she kind of has a taste of what it is, how section games are what playoff games are like, I鈥檓 expecting a lot from her,鈥� Emma Larkin said. 鈥淗er ability and her height takes a lot of pressure off me because now teams can鈥檛 just box-and-one me. I see her taking big strides this year and hopefully help us get to the Pete.鈥�
Another key player is 5-9 junior Janiah Darnell.
鈥淓mma, Mallory and Janiah are our top three returning players,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淲e lost Ava Patridge, who was a senior, and we had two other upcoming seniors with Emma who aren鈥檛 playing this year now. Ava Henderson transferred back to Charleroi and Maddie Waggett鈥檚 got a knee injury so she鈥檚 out for the year.鈥�
That leaves two other starting spots open this season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 down to three girls right now, two freshmen, Emaliegh Horn and Alexa Morgan, who are both guards, and a sophomore, Nolace Petrosky, who is a forward,鈥� Sara Larkin said.
Clemmer is unique for someone her size in that she has an effective jump shot.
鈥淢y favorite thing is when other coaches say let her shoot,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淚 love that, because she may be 6-foot-1 but she shoots the ball well. She has worked a lot on her inside game during the summer because, of course, we need her there, too.
鈥淛aniah is a hustler. She rebounds like crazy and can put the ball up and in. And then both freshmen can shoot the ball. They鈥檙e going to have to respect other players offensively other than just Emma.鈥�
Emma runs the show.
鈥淪he鈥檚 my leader on the floor so that鈥檚 the expectation and she knows that,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淲e do have other girls who can score to take some of that pressure off of her. It鈥檚 always better when you鈥檙e not the sole person out there anyone is worried about stopping. Mallory can work the ball inside and shoot the ball outside.鈥�
Sara Larkin acknowledges everyone will be gunning for her team now after such a superlative 2024-25 season.
鈥淭he more success you have, the harder and harder it gets,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淲e talked about it preseason and the girls tell me what they want, what they鈥檙e expectations are, and it鈥檚 Pete or bust for us this year. That鈥檚 a big goal and a big target to put on their back but that鈥檚 what they want and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e trying to prepare for.鈥�
Besides the top six, the Lady Gators only have two other varsity players.
鈥淲e only have eight on our roster which has kind of been our number since I got here,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淚 keep trying to get to that magic 10 and we just haven鈥檛 been able to do it. The other two girls are (freshman) Paige Dolan and (sophomore) Maddie Barna. Paige has a little more experience than Maddie.鈥�
While reaching the WPIAL final is the main goal, the first step will be to repeat as champions of a very competitive Section 2-A.
鈥淐lairton lost (WPIAL scoring champion Ivanna) Wade to graduation so that鈥檚 big, obviously, but Serra Catholic really didn鈥檛 lose anybody and they were pretty tough competition for us last year,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淏ishop Canevin didn鈥檛 lose anyone either. West Greene is always tough, it doesn鈥檛 matter who they have. They play hard, physical, quick basketball and they have a great coach over there so you have to respect them as well. Monessen has a couple really good players, Maddie Johnson and (Na鈥檍aziah) Carter. It looks pretty competitive this year.鈥�
Bortz lifted her team to a pair of WPIAL finals and although they fell short both times she relishes the memories.
鈥淲hen I think about my playing days at Geibel, it brings back a flood of emotion,鈥� said Bortz, who is now an anchor/reporter at KDKA. 鈥淭hat gym became a second home to me. We worked hard, we pushed each other, and took so much pride putting on that uniform. The wins we shared were proof of that. Those were the glory days.鈥�
Sara Larkin can鈥檛 believe how fast her daughter鈥檚 high school years have flown by and both are trying to enjoy the final ride.
鈥淚t did go really fast,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淲e were just talking about that the other day, that you鈥檙e going to blink and this season鈥檚 going to be over and she鈥檚 going to be off to college.
鈥淚t鈥檚 bittersweet, but we鈥檙e excited for this year, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�