Dec 3, 2014 6 min read

Monessen boys basketball coach Joe Salvino is accustomed to roster turnover. In 30 seasons as the Greyhounds’ head coach, Salvino has been tasked with molding underclassmen into quality players.

The results speak for themselves. Monessen has made the WPIAL playoffs every year with Salvino.

Coming off a season in which the Greyhounds reached the WPIAL Class A championship game before losing in the second round of the PIAA playoffs, Salvino must replace the foundation of last year’s team – Clintell Gillaspie, the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year, Justice Rawlins and Javon Brown.

Insert sophomore Justice Rice, junior Lavalle Rush and sophomore Jade Altomore. All three played a key role in last year’s perfect section record and postseason run.

During preseason practices, Salvino witnessed his young team calling out adjustments during practice and showing the same bravado of the strong senior class from last season.

He hopes to see it carry over when the Greyhounds’ season tips off Friday night against Upper St. Clair at 7:30 p.m. at the Panthers’ tip-off tournament

“We’re young, but with some experience, simply because our young people played a lot for us last year,” Salvino said. “We have game experience. They know the system now, they feel comfortable and during the summer leagues, you saw their confidence growing constantly. When we opened practice, it was there.”

After opening with USC, Monessen will face another Quad-A opponent, Chartiers Valley, Saturday and the rest of the non-section schedule doesn’t get easier. The Greyhounds will also face Franklin Regional, North Allegheny, New Castle, the defending champions in Class AAAA, Clairton, Aliquippa and Belle Vernon.

Although some coaches would cringe at that list of opponents, Salvino could not be more excited to measure his team against some of the WPIAL’s best. He purposely scheduled the games, calling his strategy “a win-win situation.”

It’s nothing new. Last season, the Greyhounds played a schedule featuring several Class AAAA teams.

“I think that we can be competitive against the teams we play if we play the type of ball we are capable of playing,” Salvino said. “If not, well, you know, we are going to get our butts kicked, but that’s a learning experience. You have to be at the top level of your game constantly and I think (the kids) welcome the challenge of playing some of these schools.”

Rice, Rush and Altomore will be joined in the starting lineup by senior guard Noah Rullo and senior forward Noah Yartin. All five received extensive playing time in 2013 and Salvino plans to use an 11-man rotation.

Although Gillaspie’s 518 total points are gone, all five players are capable of shouldering the workload and keeping Monessen among the top programs in WPIAL Class A.

Learning from a strong senior class that never shied away from adding a physical brand to Salvino’s fast-paced system is paying off.

“I definitely think our leadership last year helped these young kids be ready for this year,” Salvino said. “They saw what was expected and what you really have to do to be a quality team. They learned a lot from those guys.”

Avella

The Eagles replace all five starters from last season, but Cody Dobbins, CJ Norman and Keith Painter are back. Avella finished with a 3-18 overall record in 2013 after making the playoffs the year before.

California

Head coach Bruno Pappasergi went 10-12 in his first year at Cal, but the Trojans are back in Class A. They lost three starters from last season. Atrayo Matthews, Kass Taylor and Malik Jackson will be asked to fill the void.

Jefferson-Morgan

The Rockets are one of the teams in watch in Class A. They are dropping down from Class AA to Section 3-A and senior forward Rece Henneman, a O-R First Team All-District selection last season, returns after averaging 20.4 points per game.

Mapletown

The Maples made the WPIAL Class A playoffs as the 16th seed before losing to Lincoln Park, but three starters who averaged double figures are gone. The good thing for Mapletown is senior Ben Boone, who averaged 10.8 points per game, is not one of them. Matt Hein and Alix Gennette are the other key returners.

West Greene

The Pioneers lost leading scorer Ben Carlisle, but Craig Weaver, who almost averaged a double-double, and Bray Jackson will lead the charge. West Greene was youthful in 2013 and finished with a 2-12 record in section play.

Girls

California

The Trojans had an improbable run in the WPIAL Class A playoffs last season, which ended with a loss to Serra Catholic in the semifinals, and the PIAA playoffs where they fell to Kennedy Catholic. Cal went undefeated in section play and finished 19-5 overall.

Once again, the Trojans will be a force in Class A. Sophomore Kylie Huffman, an O-R First Team All-District selection as a freshman, averaged 15.6 points and 11.2 rebounds last season. Although Tristen Conaway is gone, Jenna Miller and Dominique Gaston are back. Senior Lyndsey Huhn, a 6-0 transfer from Waynesburg who averaged more than 10 pointers per game last season, will join Huffman in the post.

Avella

The Eagles lost their entire starting lineup after reaching the WPIAL playoffs last season. Jade Goergetti, Joelle Gossett, Grace Lengaver and Raneisha Brown will be counted on to return Avella to the postseason.

Fort Cherry

Replacing Rachel Bellhy and Jenna Lucas will be difficult, but the Rangers dropped to Class A and have one of the better players in the section back. Tina Bellhy developed into a solid post player last season with 5 points and 8 rebounds per game, while Hannah Greene is also tough inside.

Shannon Relihan, Sydney Relihan and Brianne Shaffer will be in the rotation.

Jefferson-Morgan

Chris Niemiec takes over the Rockets’ program that returns Ally Bogden and Kayla Yorko. J-M has experience with three seniors and six juniors on the roster.

Mapletown

The Maples went 1-20 last season without a senior on the roster and only nine players overall. They will have their hands full in the highly competitive Section 3-A.

Monessen

The Mikes were eliminated in a WPIAL Class A preliminary round playoff game against Carmichaels and finished with a 4-17 overall record.

The Greyhounds return senior Teraee Bradford, junior Sidney Fincik, and senior Tashyra Reid.

West Greene

The Pioneers finished 11-11 last season and lost a preliminary round game. Madison Raber, Alyssa Raber and Emily Courtwright are gone. Sarah Courtwright, Emily Hoag, Rachel Carrico and Brittany Bonnema are among the key returners.