A-K Valley girls basketball notebook: Springdale sheds long losing streak

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | 4:23 PM

Two years ago Friday, the Springdale girls basketball team defeated Yough, 47-28, in the consolation game of the Valley Tournament. The team then experienced a losing streak that extended through the first six games of this season.

But Springdale put that 37-game skid to rest last Friday with a 31-18 nonsection victory over Leechburg.

For the Dynamos (1-6, 0-2 Section 2-2A), a 14-1 advantage in the second quarter was the difference. Senior guards Katlyn Nagy and Anna Harmon led the way with nine and eight points, respectively.

“I think it was extremely important for the girls to get this win,” coach John Broderick said. “So far this year, we were scoring more than we had in the past, but the other teams put some of the same numbers up against us that they had in the past.

”But I am really encouraged by the way the team has stuck together, and it was a great feeling to see them get that win and gain more confidence.”

Broderick said he hopes his team can build off the victory starting Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Valley at the Valley Tournament.

Springdale will play Yough or Clairton on Saturday in the consolation or championship game.

Staying the course

The Leechburg girls basketball team started the season with a young lineup of eight players: two seniors, a sophomore and five freshmen.

One player left the team after its 43-42 victory over Valley on Dec. 12, and senior guard Maddie Ancosky was limited in the game because of injury and didn’t play in the team’s two games last week.

In last Friday’s 31-18 loss to Springdale, 5-foot-10 freshman power forward Madeline Mastalerz left the game in the third quarter because of injury, reducing the team to five players for the rest of the game.

The Blue Devils will be without Ancosky and Mastalerz for this weekend’s Apollo Trust Company Christmas Tournament at Apollo-Ridge.

Coach Andre Carter said despite having just five players available — sophomore Maggie Hack (guard) and freshmen Christine Guo (guard), Hannah Henry (guard/forward), Taylor Hill (forward) and Alanna Smith (forward/center) — the group will press on.

“This team is all heart,” Carter said. “We knew the numbers were going to be low, but these girls have worked so hard just the same. They are willing to work through this adversity, and they are there for each other.”

Hack (nine points) and Guo (seven) led Leechburg (1-3) in scoring against Springdale.

Carter said he hopes to have Ancosky and Mastalerz back when the Blue Devils open January’s schedule at Section 3-1A foe Clairton.

Let’s play two

While high school baseball and softball teams often play doubleheaders during their spring seasons, it is rare to have one in basketball.

But the Highlands and North Catholic girls will play a Section 1-4A doubleheader Jan. 23 at North Catholic.

The Golden Rams were scheduled to play the Trojanettes at North Catholic on Dec. 19, but many of Highlands’ players were battling through illness at the time, coach Courtney Udanis said, so the teams decided to postpone the game.

“It was a struggle to get the girls on the court, and we even had to cancel practice for a couple of days,” Udanis said. “We had a few players not feeling well for the Freeport game (62-34 loss on Dec. 16), but they sucked it up and played through it.”

The game has been added to a regularly scheduled contest. Udanis said the teams will utilize their varsity and JV players for the first game at 6 p.m. and the second at 7:30.

Highlands (1-3) returns to action Friday against Saltsburg at 3 p.m. at the Apollo Trust Tournament.

Holiday hoops

There is a full schedule of girls basketball tournament games this weekend, with 14 Alle-Kiski Valley Teams in action Friday or Saturday.

Fox Chapel (3-3) and Knoch (3-3) kick everything off Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Shady Side Academy tournament, and Freeport (4-2) will play District 9’s Redbank Valley at 3 p.m. Friday at the West Shamokin tournament.

The two-day Apollo Trust Company and St. Joseph tournaments have a local flair. Apollo-Ridge (3-3) hosts Highlands (1-3) and Leechburg (1-3), as well as Saltsburg. St. Joseph will welcome Deer Lakes, Riverview and South Side Beaver.

Deer Lakes (3-3) and Riverview (3-4) meet Friday at 4:45 p.m. in a rematch of a 37-30 Riverview victory Dec. 6.

Burrell (0-6) and Kiski Area (4-4) will test their mettle at the Hempfield tournament Friday and Saturday, and Plum (3-3) will play a single game against District 6’s Forest Hills at the North Allegheny tournament Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Section play resumes Jan. 2.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, St. Joseph, Valley