South Fayette showcases depth in win
Maddie Webber (34) was the driving force behind South Fayette’s stellar season. Webber, a Villanova recruit, helped the Lions to the most successful year in school history.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Erica Hall (32) and Ava Leroux (2) of South Fayette battle Faith Walker (3) and Landyn Angell (35) from West York for a rebound during PIAA Class 5A girls' basketball action.
Ryan Oldaker (24) maneuvers her way around West York defender Faith Walker (3) during South Fayette's first-round PIAA playoff win.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Despite the defensive efforts of Faith Walker (3) from West York, Maddie Webber (34) of South Fayette puts up a successful shot during first-round PIAA Class 5A girls’ basketball playoff action.
Erica Hall (32) goes up for a basket against Faith Walker (3) during South Fayette's first-round PIAA playoff win against West York.
McDONALD – The South Fayette girls basketball team returned to the court Saturday for the first time since winning its second consecutive WPIAL championship, and the Lions showed their depth as they jumped out to a 27-10 first quarter lead and never looked back en route to a 73-33 PIAA first-round win over West York.
“I am really pleased with how we played,” said SF coach Bryan Bennett. “At times, we looked rusty, and I think not playing for a week had an impact. But the kids played extremely hard, and when disciplined, we looked like the team I expect us to be.”
West York coach Jason Getz knew his team was in for a challenge.
“We saw a lot of tape and knew they were a really good team,” he said. “They have some really good players and then they have pieces around those players.
“They have pieces around those pieces and then more pieces around those pieces.”
Maddie Webber finished with 22 points, six assists and five rebounds, Erica Hall had 21 points, five rebounds and five steals and Ava Leroux tallied 13 points and five rebounds.
While Webber is headed to Villanova and Leroux is off to Elon, Bennett knows what Hall, a junior, brings to the team.
“Erica doesn’t get enough credit and is our unsung hero,” he said. “We have a lot of really talented kids and she is one of them.
“If you watch our games, she does the little things night in and night out. She is tough defensively, she scores, handles the ball, and a lot of the stats you don’t see, she makes those plays.”
Hall said she doesn’t mind doing the little things.
“It is important to hit shots, but defense and rebounding are so valuable in the game of basketball,” she said. “I value the basketball.”
Another advantage South Fayette had was obvious as soon as fans saw the teams warming up.
West York (13-14), the eighth place team out of District 3, had one player taller than 5-8 while SF had eight, and the Lions took advantage as they had seven players grab at least five rebounds: Webber, Hall, Leroux, Lainey Yater (five plus four assists), Sydney Burns (five offensive), Ryan Oldaker (five) and JuJu Leroux (five).
Webber (11) and Hall (10) paced SF in the opening quarter, and the Lions turned the Bulldogs over 10 times.
“It was a great start, and we prepared well,” Hall said. “We watched a lot of film.”
When asked about his team’s depth, Bennett instantly got a gleam in his eye.
“I think the future is bright here,” he said. “Our whole underclassmen group is talented and hard workers. I know we are losing four outstanding seniors this year, but I think we will be OK.”
West York, which had a three-hour and 40-minute bus ride for the game, is also losing four seniors, but it returns Faith Walker.
The junior has already received some Division I offers and is expected to be named all-state for a second consecutive year. She led the Bulldogs with 15 points.
“We have four seniors, but as far as experience goes, they were young,” said Getz, who is a Waynesburg University graduate. “We wanted to give it our all for the program and use it as a learning tool.”
Reagan Doll added 10 points for West York.
South Fayette (25-2), which has won 19 in a row and its two losses were by a combined four points, is back in the PIAA second round for a second year, and it plays Mechanicsburg (20-7), the third-place team out of District 3, Wednesday at Altoona High School. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m.
“We have film on them but have not looked at it,” Bennett said. “We don’t look ahead but my assistants and I will come up with a game plan. We approach it one game at a time.”