Lady Greyhounds upend Mapletown, 35-34
Darnell Graham
Monessen’s Sydney Canterino (2) has a step on Mapletown’s Abby Antill (5) and Taylor Vanata (15) as she dribbles to the basket during Friday’s Section 2-A game at Monessen high School.
Mapletown's Kelsi Smith (2) makes a shot during a Section 2-A game at Monessen High School on Feb. 2.
Monessen's Marqula Green (13) goes up for two as teammate Jahnell Jackson (14) and Mapletown's Taylor Vanata (15) watch the play during Friday's Section 2-A game at Monessen High School.
MONESSEN — The Mapletown girls are headed to the WPIAL Class A playoffs, but it was Monessen that picked up a 35-34 Section 2-A win Friday night.
Legendary Monessen coach Major Corley was happy with how his team played, while first-year Mapletown coach Steve McIntire was upset.
“We are playing our best ball of the season right now and tonight was the best we have played,” said Corley, who won three WPIAL titles and one PIAA championship as the head coach of Monessen. “It took a while, but the girls are finally putting things together and hopefully we finish the season strong.”
McIntire did not mince words.
“(The girls) choked and are not mentally tough yet,” he said. “We were flat to start the game.
“Then they got caught up worrying about the ref’s calls, whining and complaining and you lose your focus when you do that.”
Each team committed 24 turnovers, but each team also went on big runs. It was Monessen’s 13-3 run over the length of the fourth quarter that eliminated a 29-19 Mapletown lead in the third quarter and a nine-point deficit heading into the fourth.
The Lady Maples (8-13, 4-5) used a 14-2 run in the third quarter to take the 10-point lead by taking advantage of 11 Monessen turnovers in the quarter, but Monessen (3-16, 2-8) channeled its championship teams of yesteryear on Senior Night to play solid defense in the fourth quarter as the Lady Greyhounds forced eight Mapletown turnovers and held the Maples to one basket and a free throw in the quarter.
“That was the difference for us,” Corley said of the defense. “It allowed us to get some fast break baskets.”
Monessen trailed 1-0, but then led the rest of the first half as it took an 8-6 lead into the second quarter and a 19-15 lead into the half before Mapletown’s Morgan Williamson gave the Lady Maples a 21-19 lead with 6:37 to play in the third quarter.
Monessen did not lead again until Marqula Green hit a basket with 51 seconds to play.
Sidney Caterino paced Monessen with 15 points, while Kelsi Smith led Mapletown with 10 points. The Lady Maples’ Kayla Smith just missed a triple double with nine points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks.
McIntire said that his team has taken their collective foot off of the gas since clinching a playoff berth.
“Once they knew we clinched a playoff spot, they haven’t kept the intensity up all four quarters,” he said. “I need to make things a little bit tougher at practice so they know they won’t have their way and need to learn to get over not getting calls and just play.”
Both teams are on the road for section games Monday, as Monessen travels to Geibel Catholic and Mapletown is at Jefferson Morgan.
Section 2-A
Mapletown 6-9-16-3 — 34
Monessen 8-11-7-13 — 35
Monessen: Sidney Caterino 15. Mapletown: Kelsi Smith 10. Records: Monessen (3-16, 2-8), Mapletown (8-13, 4-5).