Charleroi moves up in class with veteran team
Charleroi’s Maria Claybaugh and Kaitlyn Riley try to grab a rebound against Freedomin a WPIAL playoff game last season. Both Claybaugh and Riley averaged 14 points per game last year.
Charleroi’s Adrianna Gottheld, center, is one of five players with starting experience returning for the Cougars.
A year ago, head coach Kevin Lee guided the Charleroi High School girls basketball team to the program’s first postseason win in more than 20 years.
This season, the second-year coach has to learn a lot of new opponents as Charleroi has moved up to Section 2-AAA after the PIAA expanded basketball from four to six classifications.
“Right now, I don’t know a lot about most of the teams,” Lee said. “Regardless, I am looking forward to a good year.”
The other teams in the section include Brownsville, East Allegheny, McGuffey, South Allegheny, South Side Beaver and Waynesburg. Only Waynesburg played with Charleroi in Section 4-AA last season. Brownsville is coming off a 19-win season in Class AAA and East Allegheny was a playoff team in Class AA.
While Lee will be learning about a lot of new opponents, he won’t have to worry about getting to know many new players on the Cougars’ roster..
All five starters will be entering at least their second season as a starter, and this is a team that will have only two seniors who will see significant playing time.
Two juniors, forward Kaitlyn Riley (14.4 points per game) and point guard Aislyn Lee, enter their third season as starters while junior guard/forward Maria Claybaugh (14.2 ppg), junior power forward Sierra Short and senior guard Adrianna Gottheld enter their second years in the lineup.
Riley, Lee, and Short all started two years ago as freshman, and had Short not missed last season after having surgery she would be a three-year starter as well.
In one game as a freshman, Short had 30 points and 20 rebounds.
“We have a lot of experience back,” Lee said. “This will help us as experience is the best teacher.”
Junior guard Maggie Albert also started games last season and will be in the rotation as will sophomore forward Larissa Usher, freshmen Bella Skobel and Kate Wagner, and senior Mackenzie Skobel.
Charleroi had a 16-8 record last season and defeated Freedom 43-36 in the preliminary round of the WPIAL playoffs before losing to Neshannock.
Lee talked about what some of the returning players bring to the team.
“Maria and Kaitlyn averaged double figures a year ago and Sierra averaged double figures in points and rebounds as a freshman,” Lee said. “Maggie started half the season last year and it is like having another starter.”
What does Lee see as a key for the team to be successful this year?
“We have to improve off of what we did last season,” Lee said. “We want to win the section title.”
Charleroi is again hosting a tip-off tournament and will play rival Monessen Friday night (6 p.m.) in the opening round.