Majors scores 29 as Monessen ends playoff drought
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Monessen’s Mercedes Majors splits two Riverview defenders after making a steal in Monday night’s WPIAL playoff game at Monessen.
Monessen's Hailey Johnson looks for an opening as she dribbles the ball against Riverview during Monday night's WPIAL playoff game at Monessen.
Monessen's Sidney Campbell (15) flings a pass to Mercedes Majors during Monday night's WPIAL playoff game at Monessen.
Monessen's Mereceds Majors puts up a shot in the lane against Riverview during Monday night's WPIAL playoff game at Monessen. Majors scored 29 points in the Lady Greyhounds' 51-16 victory.
Monessen's Kinsey Wilson drives past a Riverview defender during Monday night's WPIAL playoff game at Monessen.
Monessen coach Janine Vertacnik signals to her players during a WPIAL playoff game against Riverview at Monessen on Feb. 21. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
MONESSEN — Janine Vertacnik put it best on Monday night.
“Let’s get that monkey off my back,” the Lady Greyhounds coach said.
Monessen had gone 10 years without a WPIAL girls basketball playoff win and Vertacnik was 0-2 in the postseason in her first three years as coach there.
The fifth-seeded Lady Greyhounds (12-8) put a resounding end to both streaks with a dominating 51-16 first-round victory on their home court over Riverview.
Mercedes Majors rang up a game-high 29 points for Monessen which advanced to Thursday’s Class A quarterfinals at fourth-seeded Aquinas Academy.
The Lady Greyhounds’ last playoff win before Monday night was 60-52 over Rochester on Feb. 18, 2012, when former great Gina Naccarato was their coach. Monessen lost to, ironically, Riverview in the quarterfinals that year which began a string of five straight postseason defeats.
The program had been struggling until veteran coach Vertacnik took over before the 2018-19 season following stints at Yough, Jeannette, Greensburg Salem and the University of Pitt-Greensburg.
“They won three games in two years before I got here,” Vertacnik pointed out. “We missed the playoffs that first year by one game. I think we’ve come a long way. I’m just excited for this program.”
The playoff losses under Vertacnik were 39-24 at home to Union last year and 34-30 to Aquinas Academy at Peters Township two years ago. The latter loss came in a game the Lady Greyhounds led 13-0 after one quarter and 17-3 at halftime.
“Aquinas, we’re looking for that game now,” Vertacnik said. “It’s been haunting me. I just looked at the film again the other day.
“I think it’s going to be a hell of a game. They’re good. I think we’re good. Whoever has the ball last could be the winning basket. I think it’s going to be that close. I know we want revenge.”
The Lady Greyhounds took control against Riverview right from the start, outscoring the 12th-seeded Lady Raiders 15-2 in the first quarter.
Majors tallied seven points in the opening frame while teammates Hailey Johnson, Avanti Stitch, Kinsey Wilson and Myasia Majors each dropped in two points.
“Mercedes has come a long way,” Vertacnik said. “We ride her back. And Kinsey being that ballhandler, it’s tough to take the ball off her.”
Riverview’s lone basket of the first quarter came at the 3:40 mark by Kat Tsambis. The Lady Raiders (5-14) wouldn’t get on the board again until Lily Bauer made a free throw with 3:26 remaining in the third quarter, ending a scoring drought of 16:14.
Monessen led 25-2 at halftime and 40-4 after three periods.
“I really felt like we should’ve won these last two years,” Vertacnik said. “We just didn’t want to let up tonight.”
The Lady Greyhounds dominated the boards thanks in large part to Johnson and Myasia Majors.
“When I saw them on film I thought we could box them out,” Vertacnik said. “I thought we were a little bit bigger and a little more physical. We pride ourselves on defense and boxing out and rebounding. That’s got to be our strengths right now.”
Wilson wound up with eight points for the Lady Greyhounds, Stitch had six points and Johnson and Myasia Majors added four points apiece.
Tsambis and Maddie Deem each scored six points to lead Riverview.
After the game the players gave Vertacnik a Gatorade shower of sorts.
“It was water,” she said with a smile. “I told them they could. They’ve been waiting to do that.”
Vertacnik was pleased with her team’s performance for the most part.
“We started off so-so then we got that momentum going,” she said. “My kids never let up. They played hard from the beginning to the end. I was able to get everybody in the game which is nice because we don’t have any JV. I think everybody contributed.
“We always pass the ball to the open girl. That’s one thing about this team, they’re very unselfish. They make that extra pass if they need to.”
Vertacnik dedicated the win to her former players who came up short in the playoffs.
“The last two years the kids that aren’t here now,” Vertacnik said. “We did it for them.”