Dec 21, 2014 5 min read

A junior varsity program is a vital component to basketball programs. It prepares younger players for the varsity and helps foster the development of younger players.

For some schools, having the numbers to support two high school basketball teams – a JV and varsity – is a luxury.

Washington High School girls basketball head coach Mike Maltony can attest to that. Days before the season began, the Prexies’ junior varsity program was suspended until next year.

With only 12 high school players, Maltony knew there was no choice. The issue was magnified in recent weeks with injuries to both Wash High’s starting guards and with another academically ineligible.

Maltony said there is only one way to approach the problem: “cautiously.”

“The hardest thing is trying to get scrimmage time together,” Maltony said. “We have girls who haven’t been around the program or played basketball in a few years that really aren’t sure what to do. They are kind of scared. We need them to push the varsity players. It’s definitely tough to practice.”

Despite the lack of numbers, Wash High is building off last season’s success, which included a preliminary round victory in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs over Shady Side Academy before losing to Neshannock in the next round.

The Prexies lost two seniors from last season but did return a nucleus that includes senior guard Taylor Ellis, junior guard Nicole Hoffman, junior forward Mikala Maltony and junior forward Tajah Gordon.

With new competition in Section 4-AA, including Carmichaels, Waynesburg and Frazier, Wash High is still favored. The Prexies are 3-2 with section wins over Carmichaels and Waynesburg.

Now, Mike Maltony has to reshuffle his lineup because Ellis and Hoffman are expected to miss time. With a tough schedule ahead, players will be trying new positions and freshmen will be counted on to make an impact.

“It’s a wait-and-see approach,” Maltony said. “We slowed the ball down a little bit. We try to run the offense a little more and be in control of what we’re doing. We don’t want to get into a running match as far as up and down the floor. When we have to, we’ll throw the dice out and go for it. Everything has been slow and steady right now.”

The emergence of senior forward Emmalea Beck has helped and freshman guard Alexis Strawn will be thrust into a more prominent role. Because they will be short-handed with a critical section game against Bentworth tonight, Maltony plans to deliver a speech to his players that holds a simple message: everyone will need to step up and work together to overcome situation.

The future is bright for Wash High. The eighth grade team has 13 players, most of whom Maltony expects to play next season, and the group went 16-0 against middle school competition.

He even had the middle school team face varsity competition in the Brownson House Summer League. The results were mixed, but introducing them to tougher opponents will ensure the return of a junior varsity program in 2015.

“It’s kind of tough now to have those girls play two games, especially three seniors and three sophomores,” Maltony said. “I figured cut the program for this year and next year we’re looking good. We have good numbers down below and we should be back and thriving with numbers.”

There is only one local undefeated girls basketball team remaining – Jefferson-Morgan. More important, the Rockets (3-0, 7-0) are the only remaining undefeated team in WPIAL Class A and they are doing it with a new head coach.

Jefferson-Morgan lost one starter from last season, but junior Kayla Yorko, junior Ally Bogden and sophomore Erin Confortini have the Rockets ready to compete for a spot in the playoffs.

“The real key is when I came in, I knew I had talent, but I never knew they’d play this well together,” Jefferson-Morgan head coach Chris Niemiec said. “They really accepted each other. They share the ball, and they always look for the open person.”

Yorko scored 19 points against Geibel Thursday to give Jefferson-Morgan its third win in Section 3-A. With Yorko’s strong shooting and the depth the Rockets have, Niemiec is confident they can compete against California, which went undefeated in section play last year before reaching the WPIAL semifinals and state playoffs.

“I would challenge most people in Class A to be able to shoot as well as Kayla,” Niemiec said. “You don’t get many players who can shoot the three ball that well. Anytime you can stretch a defense, especially in Class A, it’s really beneficial. People start stretching out and it really leaves it open for Ally and Erin Confortini.”

Peters Township senior linebacker Jake Scott has committed to play football at Lehigh University in Bethlehem.

Scott, a three-year starter for the Indians, was Peters Township’s leader on defense – recording 130 tackles, four sacks and 10 tackles for a loss this season.

The Mountain Hawks compete in the NCAA’s Football Subdivision as a member of the Patriot League. They finished with a 3-8 overall record in 2014.

Lehigh head coach Andy Coen has led the Mountain Hawks to three Patriot League titles in the past nine seasons.