Third round goes to South Fayette; FC boys advance
By Joe Smeltzer
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
McMURRAY – Kathy McConnell-Miller, the Trinity girls basketball team’s head coach, had every reason to believe her team could beat South Fayette.
There were a few reasons for this.
McConnell-Miller is inarguably a good coach.
Not many WPIAL coaches in any sport have led a Power Four program, which McConnell-Miller did at the University of Colorado, and she’s also part of arguably the area’s royal basketball family.
In her five seasons at Trinity, the Hillers have been a perennial power, and this year’s team was good, too, finishing the regular-season 17-5 and winning its first playoff game.
Perhaps the biggest reason to believe Trinity could beat South Fayette was that it had already done so in the regular season.
Twice.
But, Friday evening at Peters Township, it just didn’t work.
South Fayette started fast and Trinity never fully answered, and the two-time defending WPIAL champion moved onto the district semifinals with a 53-39 win.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Fort Cherry boys defeated Bishop Canevin, 59-44.
“I just think they came out in the first quarter and just really took a swing at us,” McConnell-Miller said. “We missed layups early on and gave them the momentum and you can’t do that against a good team.”
South Fayette (17-8) is a good team, but coach Bryan Bennett didn’t feel it was one that consistently put complete games together in the regular season.
Friday was different.
“We found a way to put together four quarters,” Bennett said. “When we played them the first two times, the first time at our place, we didn’t execute, the second time, they took advantage of us inside and that was the difference in the game. I thought we played maybe a quarter and a half at their place. They jumped out on us early and then we came back and then kind of ran out of gas.”
A big reason for South Fayette’s win was Haylie Lamonde.
Lamonde, only a sophomore, scored a game-high 19 points.
“My shots were falling,” Lamonde said. “Sometimes they are and sometimes they aren’t. Tonight was just one of those nights.”
Indeed.
Also for South Fayette, Erica Hall had 12 points and Lainey Yater had 10.
South Fayette got off to the start it wanted, leading 13-7 after the first quarter. The Lions kept it up in the second quarter, leading 28-10 with 2:43 left in the half.
Trinity hung around, but South Fayette still had a solid 14-point lead at the break
Early in the third quarter, South Fayette stayed up by double digits, leading by 17 with three minutes left and by 15 going into the fourth.
Trinity never made a serious comeback run.
Ruby Morgan ended with 11 points for Trinity. Maddy Roberts had 9.
“I’m not frustrated,” McConnell-Miller said. “I believe in these girls. I think they’re a WPIAL championship-caliber team. Unfortunately, we just didn’t make great decisions tonight and we didn’t do the things we needed to get us there.”
Trinity’s season isn’t over yet. The Hillers have a chance to make it into the state tournament through the consolation bracket beginning Monday.
South Fayette’s quest for a three-peat will continue in the semifinals against No. 2 McKeesport Tuesday.
Fort Cherry, 59-44
Fort Cherry took care of business against Bishop Canevin, 59-44, in the Class 2A boys quarterfinals.
The Rangers led 24-14 at the half and didn’t let up in the second half. Fort Cherry had pushed the lead to 15 by the end of the third quarter, and Canevin wasn’t able to get off the mat in the last eight minutes.
For Fort Cherry, Allan Traolli let the way with 16 points and Blake Sweeder added 14. Jackson Maddix led Canevin with 15.
Fort Cherry is now onward to the semifinals, where it will play top-seeded Aliquippa.