Baldwin girls embrace underdog role, ready to ‘surprise a lot of people this year’

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, December 7, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Peaks and valleys possibly best describes the performance of the Baldwin girls basketball team a year ago.

The bottom line, however, was that the Highlanders experienced a winning season.

Baldwin wrapped up its 2024-25 schedule 16-11 overall after advancing to the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals and PIAA first round.

“We are going to surprise a lot of people this year,” Baldwin coach Jamal Woodson said. “We have almost everyone coming back from last year and only lost one starter. Last year, we took a huge turn midway through the season and won a lot of our games. We are always the underdog, and everyone always counts us out and, honestly, that’s just the way we like it.”

The Highlanders started 4-1 last year, went to 10-2 and rode a six-game winning streak into the postseason. The Baldwin hoopsters were 14-8 overall heading into the playoffs and received the No. 9 seed for the district tournament.

Baldwin edged No. 8 Chartiers Valley, 73-72, in a nail-biter in the WPIAL first round then lost to top seed South Fayette, 67-31, in the quarterfinals. The Highlanders defeated No. 12 Bethel Park, 48-42, in the consolation round and lost to No. 3 Penn-Trafford, 70-69, in the fifth-place consolation game.

Cathedral Prep ran past the Baldwin girls by a 67-55 score in the PIAA first round at Hagerty Events Center in Erie.

Baldwin finished third with an 8-4 record in Section 4-5A behind Peters Township (12-0) and Thomas Jefferson (9-3) and two games in front of Bethel Park (6-6).

Most likely, there will be a Bernotas on the floor at all times during Baldwin games this season.

Lynsey Bernotas, a junior guard and all-section selection a year ago, and senior Laci Bernotas have been joined in the backcourt by, yes, little sister Alia Bernotas, a freshman guard.

There are four seniors back from the 2024-25 playoff team at Baldwin — Bernotas, guards Julianne Ott and Isabella Niles and forward Jacey Klingensmith.

Other players looking to contribute include junior forward Kelsey Meyer and sophomores Hannah Prilla, at forward, and Mia Schwarzmiller, at guard.

“I have very high expectations for this team,” Woodson said. “They work harder than any team we have had (at Baldwin), and they are all locked in. I am proud of their work and commitment to each other. We set high standards for each practice, and we make sure we complete every task.”

The Highlanders’ starting lineup in the early going consists of Ott at point guard, Lynsey Bernotas (shooting guard), Niles (shooting forward), Meyer (power forward) and Prilla (center).

“But we also have Laci Bernotas and Jacey Klingensmith who are both good shooters and will play a huge part in our season’s success,” Woodson said.

Tags: Baldwin