Lady Pioneers lead the way
West Greene蘑菇视频 Jersey Wise dribbles around a Kennedy Catholic defender in a PIAA Class A first-round game on March 7 at Peters Township High School. Wise is the Greene County Messenger Girls Basketball Player of the Year. (Photo by Luke Campbell)
West Greene coach Jordan Watson talks to his players during a timeout in a game against Beth-Center at West Greene on Jan. 24. Watson was named as the 蘑菇视频 Girls Basketball Co-Coach of the Year. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
West Greene蘑菇视频 Jersey Wise makes a pass through Rochester蘑菇视频 Bethany Barto and Makenzie Robison in the first quarter during the WPIAL Class A championship game at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh on Feb. 28. Wise was chosen as the 蘑菇视频 Girls Basketball Class 1A/2A Player of the Year. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Waynesburg Central蘑菇视频 Clara Paige Miller dribbles the ball against Frazier during the Carmichaels Lions Club King Coal Christmas Tournament girls championship game on Dec. 28. Miller is a first-team member of the Greene County Messenger All-County Girls Basketball Team. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
West Greene蘑菇视频 Anna Durban takes a shot around Rochester蘑菇视频 Jasmine Mack during the WPIAL Class A championship game at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. Durbin is a first-team member of the Greene County Messenger Girls Basketball All-County Team. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
West Greene蘑菇视频 Elizabeth Brudnock fends off Avella蘑菇视频 Jordan Rush in a Class A Section 2 game on Jan. 13. Brudnock is a first-team member of the Greene County Messenger Girls Basketball All-County Team. (Photo by Luke Campbell)
Carmichaels senior Kylie Sinn is a first-team member of the Greene County Messenger Girls Basketball All-County Team. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Many thought West Greene蘑菇视频 run as a dominant girls basketball team was over with the graduation of an outstanding senior class that included 1,000-point scorers Kaitlyn Rizor, Madison Lampe and McKenna Lampe, and a returning roster that included zero seniors.
If anyone did doubt the Lady Pioneers could replicate last season蘑菇视频 22-4 record, which included a second straight trip to the WPIAL Class A championship game at the Petersen Events Center, they turned out to be right.
Coach Jordan Watson蘑菇视频 2019-20 team did not match the success of the 2018-19 squad 鈥� it surpassed it.
Not only did West Greene make the program蘑菇视频 third consecutive trip to the WPIAL final and fourth straight appearance in the PIAA tournament, it did so with an unbeaten regular season and an overall record of 24-2.
Watson knew the cupboard wasn鈥檛 bare, especially with do-everything guard Jersey Wise back for her junior season.
Wise led the Lady Pioneers in scoring (17.2), assists (3.7) and steals (4.0) per game, while also sinking a team-high 49 3-pointers. She also pulled down 4.3 rebounds per game. Not only was Wise a sharpshooter from the outside, she was equally adept at driving to the basket. She was also one of the key components of the Lady Pioneers鈥� vaunted Press Greene defense.
Wise was the best player on the county蘑菇视频 best team which made her an easy choice as the the GCM Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Watson, who sports a career record of 139-78 that includes nine playoff wins, is the overwhelming pick at the GCM Coach of the Year.
The Lady Pioneers fell short of a district crown, falling to top-seeded Rochester in the final for the second year in a row, but with a roster full of underclassmen a fourth trip to 鈥淭he Pete鈥� certainly is a realistic goal next year.
When it comes to newcomers, the nod goes to Carmichaels鈥� Sophia Zalar as the GCM Freshman of the Year, although Mapletown蘑菇视频 Krista Wilson had a solid season as well.
Following is the complete Greene County Messenger All-County Girls Basketball Team:
Player of the Year: Jersey Wise, West Greene
Coach of the Year: Jordan Watson, West Greene
Freshman of the Year: Sophia Zalar, Carmichaels
First Team: Jersey Wise, West Greene; Clara Paige Miller, Waynesburg Central; Anna Durbin, West Greene; Elizabeth Brudnock, West Greene; Kylie Sinn, Carmichaels.
Second Team: Brooke Barner, West Greene; Sophia Zalar, Carmichaels; Autumn Gustovich, Jefferson-Morgan; Krista Wilson, Mapletown; Kaitlyn Walls, West Greene.
Honorable Mention
Carmichaels: Emma Hyatt, Mia Ranieri
Jefferson-Morgan: Abby Ankrom, Savannah Clark
Mapletown: Taylor Dusenberry
Waynesburg Central: Jules Fowler, Nina Sarra, Emma Mankey
West Greene: Katie Lampe