LH girls top Uniontown
LH's Aaliyah Winfrey (23) shoots during the recent basketball season. She holds a top 10 rank in her class of 240.
Uniontown's Neeley Anderson (30) pushes to the hoop past Laurel Highlands' Aaliyah Winfrey (23) Monday during their game at Laurel Highlands.
Laurel Highlands' Emily Hartsek (50) tries to take a rebound away from Uniontown's Ayzia Winfrey (22) during their contest Monday at Laurel Highlands.
Laurel Highlands' Ashley Galderisi (2) drives past Uniontown's Neeley Anderson (30) and shoots the ball during Monday's game.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standa
Laurel Highlands’ Ashley Galderisi (2) battles with Uniontown’s Arielle Winfrey (24) for control of a loose ball at Laurel Highlands Monday.
After losing their first two games by a combined 10 points, the Laurel Highlands girls’ basketball team took control early Monday night on the way to a 51-32 non-section home win over Uniontown.
The victory was the team’s first after going through a winless season last year and it gave new head coach Ken Riddell his first varsity coaching win.
Afterward, Riddell said, “This was a good one to win and get the monkey off our backs. We wanted to set the tone from the opening tip off and let them know we wanted to run the floor, play our game and not (Uniontown’s).”
Laurel Highlands (1-2) led from start to finish as Olivia Crutchman scored all five of her points to go with six points from Emily Hartsek to boost LH to an early 13-4 lead. Khia Harris and Juanita Harris had Uniontown’s only baskets in the early going and the pair combined for all but seven of the Lady Raiders’ points for the entire game.
The Fillies led 17-8 after one quarter and used a 7-3 second-quarter edge to lead 24-11 at halftime.
Khia Harris and Ayzia Winfrey combined to score Uniontown’s first three points of the second half to cut the lead to 24-14. But Haley Moreland scored twice for LH and added a free throw after Juanita Harris scored a basket for a 29-16 lead.
Aaliyah Winfrey sank two free throws for LH and Hartsek added a free throw before Juanita Harris made a free throw and scored a three-point basket to cut the lead to 32-20.
But Taylor Large ended the period with an LH basket and the Mustangs started the fourth quarter with a 6-1 run to build an insurmountable 40-21 advantage.
Moreland led LH with 13 points and Ashley Galderisi came on strong to score seven second half points to finish with nine points.
Khia Harris led all scorers with 17 points and Juanita Harris added eight points to lead the Lady Raiders.
Khia Harris missed some of the second half with an injury and coach Jason Winfrey said she momentarily tweaked a prior injury.