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Wash High, Monessen boys battle-tested entering postseason

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GREEN TREE – Tradition will keep the Washington and Monessen high school boys basketball teams from sneaking up on anybody.

While neither team is the favorite in their particular classifications – Washington in Class 3A with charter school Lincoln Park and private schools North Catholic and Seton-La Salle, and Monessen in a deeper than usual Class A – they might have already played their best competition.

In the WPIAL playoffs for a record 63rd time, Washington earned the fifth seed and Monessen received the fourth seed and a first-round bye when the pairings were released at Tuesday night at the DoubleTree Hotel in Green Tree. Washington will play Keystone Oaks in a first-round game Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at Peters Township.

But similar seeds aren’t the only thing comparable with the Prexies and Greyhounds, who are making their 38th straight trip to the postseason.

Washington enters the playoffs with a misleading 13-8 record. Seven of the Prexies’ eight losses were against teams not even in Class 3A, six to teams that qualified for the playoffs. In a tough non-section schedule, Washington lost to Canon-McMillan twice, Upper St. Clair, Peters Township, Uniontown and Monessen. They also lost to Trinity.

“We played a pretty solid schedule, but I’m not going to lie to you, I wish we had more wins. It looks a lot better,” said longtime Washington coach Ron Faust. “Let’s not deceive ourselves either. Lincoln Park, Aliquippa and some of the others have played competitive schedules too and beat some of those teams.”

The only loss for Monessen (14-8) to a Class A opponent was against Greensburg Central Catholic, 63-59, in the season opener. Not only was first-year head coach Dan Bosnic thrust into a difficult task with replacing Joe Salvino, who left to coach Belle Vernon, he also had to tackle a grueling schedule and the transfer all-state guard Lyndon Henderson.

“I feel like we’ve gotten much better throughout the year,” Bosnic said. “It’s a credit to the kids because they’ve put in the effort to improve. We started the season 0-3 but eventually found our footing.”

Similar to Wash High, seven of the Greyhounds’ losses were against teams from a larger classification in the WPIAL or in the Pittsburgh City League, including New Castle, North Catholic, Seton-La Salle, South Side Beaver and Belle Vernon, all playoff teams.

“Those games have prepared us to face quality teams in the playoffs,” Bosnic said. “Gina Naccarato (the school’s athletic director) has always done a good job putting together a competitive schedule. Our nonconference schedule is a huge advantage for us. Whoever they put in front of us we will be ready to play.”

Both teams also found their stride in the second half of the season. Monessen went undefeated in its section for the sixth consecutive season (65-0), while the Prexies won nine of their last 11 and had its six-game winning streak snapped by Canon-McMillan on Monday night.

“I feel like we have more depth (entering the playoffs) than last year,” Faust said. “We’ve presented some challenges to our players and hopefully they will pay in tight situations. Our younger players have benefited more than anyone but you don’t know how people are going to actually react until you get into a playoff game.”

Washington and Monessen are two of 10 boys teams to reach the playoffs.

In Class 6A, No. 7 Canon-McMillan (14-8) will play North Allegheny (13-8) 8 p.m., Tuesday at West Allegheny. It is the second consecutive year the Big Macs were slotted into the seventh seed, despite entering last year’s playoffs with the best record in their classification. Peters Township (15-7), the ninth seed, will play No. 8 Penn-Trafford (14-8) at 8 p.m., Tuesday at Mt. Lebanon. The winner will advance to play top-seeded Pine-Richland.

The only local team in Class 4A, No. 12 Belle Vernon (8-14), plays fifth-seeded Highlands (15-7) at next Wednesday at North Hills (8 p.m.). The Leopards started the season 2-12 before ending it winning six of their last eight.

Joining Washington in the Class 3A bracket are 10th-seeded McGuffey and No. 11 Charleroi. The Highlanders, who went 15-7 overall, play No. 7 Neshannock (17-5) at 2:30 p.m., Saturday at Sewickley Academy. Charleroi (11-10) takes on sixth-seeded Deer Lakes (15-6) Saturday at Keystone Oaks (3 p.m.).

California, the No. 10 seed in Class 2A, will be shorthanded before the playoffs start. The Trojans, who will play No. 7 Sto-Rox at 1:30 p.m., Saturday at Keystone Oaks, will be without top scorer Malik Ramsey because of the new PIAA transfer rule. The rule, passed in July by the PIAA, created a postseason ban for athletes in 10th grade and beyond to transfer after Aug. 6 and complete in the playoffs. Ramsey transferred from Laurel Highlands to California after the Aug. 6 deadline.

West Greene (7-14) will need to upend fifth-seeded St. Joseph (17-5) in the opening round to get another crack at Monessen. The Pioneers open the postseason Friday at Mt. Lebanon (8 p.m.).

For a complete list of the playoff pairings, see Page C2.

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