Jan 9, 2024 5 min read

By Luke Campbell

For The Observer-Reporter

Immediately after Chris Minerd was hired, it was difficult for him to set any expectations.

Sure, the Waynesburg High School girls basketball team had talent after just coming off a 17-6 regular season and share of a section title under former coach Dave Sarra the year.

Without a section – Minerd was hired during the WPIAL realignment period prior to the 2022 season – he wasn’t steadfast on making promises of success from the Raiders.

A new coach at a new school, albeit the place he was already the athletic director, and with a new section still makes for a challenge.

It had also been a few years of being absent from coaching for Minerd, who stepped down from a successful tenure at California High School after the 2018 season to focus on his family and strictly being an athletic director.

But don’t think for one second Minerd wasn’t up for another challenge and didn’t circle this year.

“This is obviously the year we’ve been eyeing,” Minerd admitted. “You don’t get many seasons where everybody comes back. We have four seniors starting. We’ve won back-to-back section titles and these girls have played a lot of games in the last three years. That’s what we are relying on to get us over the hump. I’m always coaching to get this team to a WPIAL final, to win a state playoff game. I’m a little hard to play for because I’m a coach that’s almost never satisfied.”

How can you not be satisfied with his start at Waynesburg?

The Raiders won 21 games total last season and Class 3A Section 4 outright but many thought were shortchanged by the WPIAL after being given the No. 8 seed entering the district playoffs. They lost to top-seeded Shady Side Academy in the quarterfinals and then to District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep in the opening round of the state tournament.

Behind an experienced lineup led by the potent scoring of senior guard Kaley Rohanna, Waynesburg is trying to reach the elusive WPIAL finals. It lost to top-seeded North Catholic in the semifinals two years ago and were upended by Beaver Falls in the quarterfinals the year prior to that.

The Raiders, who defeated Yough in a section game Monday night, are 3-0 in section play and 12-1 overall. Their only loss came in the KSA Holiday Tournament in Orlando, Fla., to Big Walnut High School from Ohio.

“I obviously think the experience we have has been key, but you have to play some tougher competition,” Minerd said. “That KSA tournament gave us three quality opponents. Playing in something like that and being in the state playoffs have added to that experience. The only thing we can do is play the schedule that we have in front of us.”

Waynesburg could make another big statement Thursday night at South Park (3-0, 7-3) as the Raiders look to take a big step in defending – quite literally – its section title.

Minerd’s undersized group is fierce on the defensive end, allowing just 29 points per game. That is the lowest in all of Class 3A. Waynesburg is one of only six teams in the entire WPIAL that surrenders fewer than 30 points per game.

“I think a lot of teams in the WPIAL right now like the dribble drive,” Minerd said. “We focus on getting players into being in the best help position and force teams to kick it out. We aren’t the biggest team, so we have to play defense, be mentally tough and force other teams into issues with our quickness. The girls have done a good job at buying into that.”

Rohanna leads Waynesburg on the offensive end as she is also a few hundred points away from the school’s scoring record set by Tammy McIntire-Mandich (1,592).

“We go as she goes,” Minerd said. “That’s not a knock against anybody on our team because we have others that can score. Sometimes getting players in a mentality of shooting because they are that good is difficult. She’s looking to shoot more.”

Rohanna is averaging over 18 points this season. She had 16.7 points per game last season, also. Josie Horne, Emma Kindervater and Addison Blair are the other senior starters vital in aiding the Raiders’ experience as a unit. Sophomore Payton Cowell leads the team in rebounding and also is the third highest scorer (7.5). Junior Avery Davis, who is the first off the bench, is just above nine points per game.

“Everybody just has to continue to be on the same page,” Minerd said. “They just need to have faith in the system and what I’m trying to do. We have a chance against anybody. They have to maintain that same confidence. I’m always coaching to win that big game. You look for positives but there’s always something to improve on. That will matter once we get into those big games.”