Scholastic Notebook – 01/04/2013
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Friday, January 4, 2013 | 4:14 PM
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Inside the Vincentian Academy gymnasium this year, everything has been absolutely perfect – and it doesn’t matter the team.
After December, Vincentian was the only team in the entire WPIAL with a perfect boys basketball team and a perfect girls team. Heading into tonight’s home game against Eden Christian, the Vincentian boys had an 8-0 record.
After defeating Trinity Christian Thursday night, the Vincentian girls have a 9-0 record.
Both Vincentian have something else in common besides their undefeated records. They both score points in bundles. The Vincentian boys are averaging 83.4 points a game, tops in the WPIAL. The Vincentian girls are fifth in the WPIAL in scoring at 67.2 points a game.
Senior guard Tony DiNardo and sophomore guard Ryan Wolfe have been the leaders of the boys team while sophomore forward Brenna Wise has been a dominating force for the girls.
Can the perfection of the teams last long? Well, both the Vincentian boys and girls have big games coming up in the next two weeks. The biggest are against North Catholic.
Balanced Red Hurricanes
The New Castle boys have been one of the most impressive teams in Western Pennsylvania this season, going 9-0 and averaging 81 points a game. You would think a team that scores that much would have at least one big scorer.
But what makes New Castle so hard to defend is balance. Their leading scorer averages 17 points a game. Junior guard-forward Malik Hooker averages 17.8 points while senior forward Shawn Anderson averages 17.4. Guards Brandon Domenick and Anthony Richards also are capable of big games.
Put that offensive balance with terrific defensive pressure and it’s no wonder New Castle is outscoring teams, 81-53.
Warriors Make Impact
Penn-Trafford has turned into a team to watch in WPIAL boys basketball. The Warriors are 7-2 and knocked off previous undefeated Bethel Park last week.
One of the big keys to the team has been the play of senior forward Corey Stanford – and you can bet the Warriors are glad he decided to come back. Stanford led Penn-Trafford for a season to attend Kiski School, but came back to Penn-Trafford for his junior year. He is one of the best players in Class AAAA.
No One is Winning
Many have said Section 3 in Class AAAA is the best section in the WPIAL, from top to bottom.
What section is the worst? Well, Section 4 in Class A does not have a team with a winning record. Leechburg is 4-5, St. Joseph 4-6, Trinity Christian 2-6, Wilkinsburg 2-6, Winchester Thurston 1-3 and Imani Christian 1-6.
Two More Bellhys
Three members of the Bellhy family were 1,000-point scorers at Fort Cherry – Zach, Nate and Beka. Now, two more Bellhys are having impacts.
Rachel Bellhy is a junior who is averaging 15 points a game. Tina Bellhy is a sophomore who averages 8 points a game.
All three of the older Bellhy siblings are playing in college at Washington & Jefferson.
Fab Four From WPIAL
Two national all-star football games will be played Friday night and Saturday – and the WPIAL has a total of four players in both games. The all-star games have the top players around the country.
Clairton’s Tyler Boyd will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl tomorrow in San Antonio. Game time Saturday is 1 p.m. and the game will be televised by NBC.
Central Valley receiver Robert Foster, North Allegheny offensive lineman Pat Kugler and Belle Vernon offensive lineman Dorian Johnson will play in the Under Armour All-American Game Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., at 5 p.m. The game will be televised live by ESPN.
Another Coach Loses Job
Add Plum to the list of WPIAL schools looking for a new football coach.
Plum recently decided to open Frank Sacco’s job. Sacco coached the Mustangs for four seasons and had a 10-28 record.
That means Plum, McKeesport, Steel Valley, Deer Lakes, Canon-McMillan, Chartiers Valley, Shenango, Laurel and Imani Christian are now looking for coaches. Some of the jobs came open when the coach resigned, and some school boards opened the positions.
Tags: Canon-McMillan, Chartiers Valley, Clairton, Deer Lakes, Fort Cherry, Imani Christian, Leechburg, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford Boys Basketball, Vincentian Academy, Wilkinsburg, Winchester Thurston
More Basketball
• New coach looks to carry on Mt. Pleasant girls basketball tradition of toughness• Monessen girls basketball team sets sail under Schmidt
• With additions to roster, Leechburg boys hungry to turn program around
• Kiski Area girls basketball team putting in work to improve
• Latrobe girls basketball team hoping to contend