Observer-Reporter All-District Girls Basketball Team
Courtney Dahlquist
Riley DeRubbo
Journey Thompson
Bella Skobel
Wise
First team
Courtney Dahlquist, Trinity: On a guard-oriented team, Dahlquist added a dimension of height for the Hillers. The 6-3 forward used her athleticism from soccer to fit right into the Trinity up-tempo attack, averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Trinity’s season is still on hold with it in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals.
Riley DeRubbo, Trinity: Eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for her career in mid-January, DeRubbo helped guide the Hillers back to an appearance in the WPIAL finals. She reached 1,000 points despite missing nearly all of her junior year with a knee injury. She averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 assists, 5.7 rebounds and two steals per game.
Bella Skobel, Charleroi: The do-everything guard was the main reason the Cougars stayed in the thick of Class 3A Section 2 race and eventually earned a playoff spot. On a team that averaged 43 points per game, Skobel finished the season with 19 points per game. She also averaged 6.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 steals.
Journey Thompson, Peters Township: The defending state champs were ravaged by graduation and injury. Thompson turned into the focal point for the Indians a year after making a huge impact on their run to the PIAA title. A highly recruited sophomore, she ended the year averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Jersey Wise, West Greene: With an enhanced role this season, the junior stepped up in a big way for the Pioneers. Wise led West Greene, which finished the regular season undefeated and played in their third straight WPIAL Class A championship game, by averaging 17.2 points, four steals and 3.7 assists. She also made a team-high 49 three-pointers and grabbed 4.3 rebounds per game.
Second Team
Anna Durbin, West Greene: Typically running the show from her point guard position, Durbin shot a team-high 42% from the field en route to an average of 11.2 points per game. She also hauled down 4.9 rebounds and had 2.4 steals per game.
Qitarah Hardison, Monessen: Finishing a solid career at Monessen, Hardison witnessed her hard work pay off as the Greyhounds clinched a playoff berth for the first time in five years. She was a big reason why, a double-double machine who averaged 12.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.2 steals, each a team best. She grabbed 1,018 rebounds in her high school career.
Clara Paige Miller, Waynesburg: It wasn’t the season the Raiders wanted but that was to no fault of the sophomore. Paige Miller was third in Class 3A Section 2 in scoring by averaging 15.9 points, earning her first-team all-section honors.
Avana Sayles, Peters Township: A promising sophomore season was cut short for Sayles, but she made an impact in the games she did play. In 13 games prior to a season-ending injury suffered in a game against Baldwin Jan. 16, Sayles proved to be capable of playing every position on the court and averaged 13 points and eight rebounds.
Rachel Wobrak, Belle Vernon: The senior allowed the Leopards to stay in the thick of things in Class 4A Section 3. A solid presence underneath, Wobrak averaged 14 points and 7.2 rebounds for Belle Vernon, which won 16 games. She was efficient in doing so, shooting 49% on two-point field-goal attempts.
Third team
Elizabeth Brudnock, West Greene: A third player that stepped into a primary scoring role for the Pioneers, Brudnock was voted first-team all-section. She averaged 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals to help West Greene go undefeated in the regular season.
Brianna Jenkins, Avella: Last year, Avella advanced to the state tournament for the first time in program history. The Eagles did it again this year behind Jenkins, who averaged 10.9 points and 4.7 rebounds. She scored in double digits 12 times.
Dominique Mortimer, Chartiers-Houston: Leading the Bucs in scoring with 10.5 points per game, Mortimer was just as big on the defensive end by limiting the opponent’s best players. She also had 34 steals, 59 assists and 89 rebounds in 20 games.
Keira Nicolella, McGuffey: A threat from long range, Nicolella helped the Highlanders battle in a difficult section. Nicolella led McGuffey in points (12.3), rebounds (4.4) and steals (3) to a 9-11 record.
Emily Prasko, Burgettstown: The senior’s point total might not have mirrored last year, but she was just as important to the Blue Devils’ 16-win season. Averaging 8.6 points and 7.6 rebounds, Prasko also helped Burgettstown get many easy looks with her defense by forcing 3.8 steals per game. She also averaged 3.6 assists.