South Fayette’s Leroux named 5A Player of the Year
Four Lions make All-State; Bennett Coach of the Year
The two-time defending PIAA champion South Fayette girls basketball team was well-represented on the Class 5A All-State team.
Juliette Leroux was named the Class 5A Player of the Year, Lions coach Bryan Bennett received Coach of the Year, and three other players made the All-State teams, which were revealed Tuesday afternoon.
Ryan Oldaker made the All-State first team. Haylie Lamonde was on the second team and Lailah Wright made the third team.
The All-State teams are compiled through a statewide vote of high school sports writers.
Leroux, who was also the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year, capped off a successful career by averaging 14 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists. She eclipsed 1,000 points for her career. In the state championship game, Leroux scored 10 points. She’ll play in college at Florida Atlantic.
She was a second-team All-State nominee last year.
Bennett guided the Lions to a 30-1 record and a second consecutive state title with a 45-35 win against Archbishop Wood. Under Bennett, the Lions have appeared in five consecutive WPIAL championship games and have won four. They’ve also competed in three state championships in four years.
This season, the Lions did not lose to a team from Pennsylvania. Their only loss was to Miami Country Day during the Tampa Bay Christmas Tournament.
Oldaker paced the Lions with 14 points in the state championship game and joins Leroux on the first team after being a second teamer last season.
After recovering from a knee injury that sidelined her for nearly her entire sophomore season, Oldaker was a force for the Lions the last two seasons. She is headed to Marist to continue her career.
Lamonde completes the senior trio with Oldaker and Leroux and secured second team honors to make the All-State list for the first time.
She is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc and had a game-high 19 points in the WPIAL championship win against Thomas Jeferson. Lamonde is a USC Upstate recruit.
The three seniors finished their careers with a 106-15 record at South Fayette.
Wright, a junior, received All-State honors for the first time as a member of the third team. She drove the offense as the Lions’ point guard and is one of two returning starters with Ella Vierra. Both have multiple Division I offers.
Class 5A All-State Team
Player of the Year: Juliette Leroux, South Fayette, 5-11, Sr.
Coach of the Year: Bryan Bennett, South Fayette
First Team
Juliette Leroux, South Fayette, 5-11, Sr.
Lily Fatool, Shikellamy, 5-7, Sr.
Ryan Oldaker, South Fayette, 5-11, Sr.
Jackie Gallagher, Crestwood, 5-9, Jr.
Jayla Koser, Middletown Area HS, 5-11 Sr.
Second Team
Maggie Spell, Thomas Jefferson, 5-10, Sr.,
Alexis Cashdollar, Mars, 5-9, Sr.,
Haylie Lamonde, South Fayette, 5-8, Sr.
Molly Walsh, Dallas, 5-10, Sr.,
Keira Dougherty, Crestwood, 5-6, Sr
Third Team
Lailah Wright, South Fayette, 5-7, Jr.
Colleen Besachio, Archbishop Wood, 5-10, Sr
Aierra Jenkins, Uniontown, 5-11, Sr.,
Bailey Balkir, Gwynedd Mercy, Sr.
Natalie Burkett, Punxsutawney, Jr., 5-4