蘑菇视频

Dec 18, 2023 By Bill Hughes 3 min read

Rarely does one high school sport affect another, but that is exactly what happened to the Charleroi girls basketball program, and not in a good way.

When the Charleroi girls soccer team was eliminated from the WPIAL playoffs, it wasn’t the only loss the team faced that day.

McKenna “Boots” DeUnger suffered an injury during the match that will keep her out for the entire 2023-24 basketball season, and also the softball season, for that matter.

First-year head coach Bobby Zynosky talked about losing DeUnger, who is four points shy of 1,000 for her career.

“Losing McKenna was a huge blow to the team, and not only was she our leading scorer, but she was one of our two team captains,” Zynosky said. “She was first team All-Section last season.

“We tentatively have a plan for senior night for her to get the four points (to hit 1,000). No one player is going to be able to replace what Boots brings to the team.”

Zynosky had to make schematic changes due to the injury, but DeUnger is still around, even after recent surgery.

“I was forced to change our offensive game plan completely with the loss of her,” Zynosky said. “She had successful surgery two weeks ago and has already returned to practice and has remained a leader despite not being able to play.”

Even with DeUnger out, the Cougars return four senior starters with plenty of experience.

The quartet includes point guard Bella Carroto, who was an All-Conference player a year ago and averaged 16 points per contest, forward Ella Sypolt, an All-Conference Honorable mention player, and guards Cam Musser and Addison Conrad.

Another senior, Riley Jones, started the first two games last season before stepping away from the team.

“Bella, who sat out her sophomore year, has a shot at 1,000 points, and had Riley played last season, she would have scored 1,000,” Zynnosky said. “The class had a chance to have three 1,000-point scorers, and Boots would have had a chance to be the all-time leading scorer.”

Zynosky and assistants Kevin Parker and LA Ross will look to Carroto to fill DeUnger’s loss.

“Bella will be our most important player and I am hoping she will take the next step with the increased usage she is going to have with Boots being gone,” said Zynosky..

Zynosky also mentioned freshman Kaylee Sypolt, senior Zoe Duhon, and sophomore Anna Kondratowicz as three other players that could see key minutes.

The Lady Cougars are in Section 4-AAA along with Brownsville, McGuffey, South Park, Waynesburg Central and Yough.

“Waynesburg and McGuffey should be the teams we are competing with for the section,” said Zynosky. “Our goals are to win the section as well as win the (programs) first playoff game in a long time.”

In his first year as a head coach, Zynosky was an assistant on Vincentian’s 2019-20 WPIAL championship team as well as last season with Charleroi. Prior to that, he coached 12 years in the Monessen youth league.

“We will have a good season if we can remain healthy and continue to use our team chemistry that we built playing with just six players last season,” said Zynosky..