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Wash High done in by turnovers once again

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Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High’s Tajah Gordon struggles for possession of the ball against Our Lady of Sacred Heart during Tuesday night’s game in the WPIAL playoffs. Our Lady of Sacred Heart won 65-34.

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Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High's Mikala Maltony tries to get a shot off while Our Lady of Sacred Heart's Jacqueline matthews tries to block her shot during the first half of Tuesday night's game.

BRIDGEVILLE – The Washington High School girls basketball team’s biggest opponent this season has been itself.

Turnovers plagued the Prexies during the regular season. Despite the mental miscues, Wash High won its section and secured a WPIAL Class AA preliminary-round victory over Shenango.

Not protecting the ball finally caught up to Wash High Tuesday night.

The Prexies had 23 turnovers and Our Lady of Sacred Heart took advantage, running away with a 65-34 victory at Chartiers Valley High School in a first-round playoff game.

Wash High’s season ended with a 14-10 overall record.

The Chargers (19-3), who have won 12 of their last 13 games, advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face Carlynton Friday at a site and time to be determined.

The Prexies’ leading scorer, junior Tajah Gordon, fouled out in the fourth quarter and sat out most of the second with three personal fouls. Junior Mikala Maltony also was in foul trouble during the third quarter with three.

Wash High led 13-12 at the end of the first quarter. With Gordon sitting, OLSH fired back by outscoring the Prexies, 20-5, during the following eight minutes.

Wash High committed 11 turnovers during that span.

“If we get players with three or four fouls, we’re in trouble,” Wash High head coach Mike Maltony said. “We had a great first half, but that second quarter caught up to us with Tajah on the bench. They picked up some ground, but by then, it was too late.”

Trailing 15-12 early in the second quarter, OLSH head coach Don Eckerle switched to a full-court press. The Prexies could not handle the defensive pressure, forcing passes down low and allowing the Chargers easy points in transition.

“That’s been the story all season,” Maltony said of the turnovers.

The result was a 16-2 run to give OLSH an 11-point lead. Senior forward Heidi Langhorst, who finished with a game-high 18 points and 12 rebounds, led the offensive surge. The Chargers mixed her inside presence with a strong outside game, exploiting the Prexies’ zone defense.

OLSH’s guards thrived. Junior Courtney Alexander had 17 points and senior Jacqueline Mathews had 16.

“We like pressure and we knew it would be a big part of this game,” Eckerle said. “We knew it would cause Wash High problems with our speed. Offensively, we have three kids who can shoot and the rest know their roles. It’s a great mix.”

Wash High made just one field goal in the second quarter and did not score for more than five minutes. The Chargers took a 32-18 lead into halftime before starting the third quarter on another 16-2 run.

Gordon had seven of her nine points in the third quarter, but OLSH’s offense made easy work of Wash High’s defense, using Langhorst’s size – she’s 6-1 – down low. She also helped the Chargers secure second-chance points with her work on the block. OLSH outrebounded the Prexies, 36-21.

“We are usually much better at rebounding, but we were outnumbered with the foul trouble,” Maltony said. “We had to go with a shorter lineup at times. (Langhorst) is a very good player for them down low.”

The Chargers’ strong third quarter on offense was matched by more pressure against the Prexies’ guards. OLSH switched between the press and trap, but Wash High found room using Gordon and Mikala Maltony, who pitched in seven points. But the Chargers led by 22 points at the end of the quarter before holding on for the win.

OLSH started the game in the same fashion in which it finished, fast. The Chargers went on a 10-0 run by forcing turnovers, scoring six points in transition. Wash High would not be deterred. Senior guard Taylor Ellis, who finished with nine points, hit back-to-back three-pointers and Maltony’s put-back with four seconds left in the quarter gave the Prexies the 13-12 lead.

Though Wash High’s season is over, the future is bright for a program that returns a strong group of juniors and an impressive freshman class on the way.

“I told the girls how proud I am of them,” Maltony said. “They got this far and a lot of people wrote us off. It’s tough to see the seniors go. I told the ones coming back that if they work hard in the summer and get better, this team has a chance to take the next step.”

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