Lady Mikes knocked out by defending WPIAL champions
JEFFERSON HILLS-For one quarter of the first round Class A girls playoff game on Saturday, it looked like Carmichaels could hang with the defending WPIAL champions from Monessen. Trailing just 12-7 after the opening period with the Lady Greyhounds’ lightning quick offense struggling, it looked like there was a chance the Lady Mikes could pull a huge upset.
However, the Lady Hounds quickly brought their opponents’ dreams back to reality and secured a trip to the quarterfinals with a 53-33 victory at Thomas Jefferson High School.
Monessen accomplished the feat despite missing one of its top players, Christina Chukwuedo.
In the end, it came down to Monessen’s speed and stamina wearing down a bigger, more physical Mikes’ team, something that the Lady Hounds are used to doing.
“We played them twice this year and we try to run everybody we play, that’s our game,” Monessen coach Major Corley said. “We try to make teams tire out and it looked like they were getting a little winded towards the end.”
Carmichaels coach Jim Lane seemed to agree with his counterpart.
“That’s the thing that makes them so good,” Lane said. “You have to play at Monesen’s speed and that’s easier said than done. I’m proud of my girls. They gave a valiant effort, they didn’t quit, they kept coming after them. Monessen’s a good team and they’re very well coached.”
Early in the first, the two teams were tied 3-3 before the Lady Hounds ripped off a 9-0 run behind their three-point shooting. However, Carmichaels was able to come back thanks to their star Megan Stuvek. The senior center was finally able to establish herself in the low post and get a couple of baskets over her smaller defenders.
As almost every coach that has played Carmichaels during Stuvek’s four years knows, Corley understood that slowing the senior down is the key to getting a win over the Lady Mikes.
“The first time we played them, she torched us for 27, the second time she only scored 10,” Corley said. “We always want to play her man up and have everyone else play a loose man for help. That’s what we try to do.”
In the second period, the Greyhounds outscored the Mikes, 18-6.
Carmichaels was able to trim into the lead thanks to an ugly, foul-filled third quarter, which made the score 38-23. However, Monessen closed the game with a 15-10 fourth to finish the contest.
During that final period, Stuvek fouled out with 4:17 left. However, before she did, she reached one last milestone in a career full of broken records.
Thanks to her 15 points, Stuvek passed J.L. Lechner to become Carmichaels’ all-time leading scorer, boy or girl, with 1,778 points.
“She left it out there,” Lane said. “She’s the all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks and steals. It says a lot.”
She also pulled down 13 rebounds.
Monessen was led by Kelly Mornak’s game-high 19 points. However, she had plenty of help from Carly Cocciolone and Briana Salvino who scored 10 and eight points, respectively.
For the Lady Mikes, fellow senior Cortney Newland helped Stuvek out with eight points and Jordan Duke chipped in six.
With the win, Monessen moves on to play the winner of the Mt. Alvernia and Mapletown game Tuesday at Southmoreland.