Behind ‘defense first and team ball’ mantra, Monessen girls among Class A’s top squads

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 | 2:41 PM

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From Dec. 2-15, Monessen’s girls basketball team scrimmaged each other so much they started to reach low levels of apathy.

Three teams canceled games against them.

The thumb-twiddling commenced. Stale practices needed creativity.

“We were getting bored only having practices,” coach Janine Vertacnik said. “I tried some fun challenge things with them and had them take one of my four freshmen under their wing over Christmas break on the same team.

“It was a fun time and brought them closer together.”

With the team more closely bonded, the Greyhounds let loose when they finally returned to action. They won four straight games and vaulted into the No. 4 spot in the Trib HSSN Class A rankings.

They were 5-1 overall and 2-0 in Section 2, tied with Mapletown, as they prepared to visit Eden Christian on Wednesday night.

They play at Mapletown on Thursday.

Monessen won the section title last year, finishing 17-7 after a run to the WPIAL quarterfinals and a second straight spot in the PIAA playoffs. (Remember the Pittsburgh Penguins initially footing the bill for the team to travel four hours to Otto-Eldred in the first round?)

Monessen won back-to-back games in the consolation tournament to qualify for states.

“This always has been a close, tight-knit group, for four years,” Vertacnik said. “Many of them play multiple sports together, and a few are related.”

Six letterwinners returned, meaning an eight-girl rotation is chock full of experience.

“Not having to teach new things every year is nice,” Vertacnik said. “We’re still trying to work on our foul shooting. Right now we are hovering around 53%. That seems to be the one thing I haven’t been able to get them to improve on.”

A number of players have contributed to the scoring column, including seniors My’Asia Majors and Hailey Johnson, sophomores Madison Johnson and Na’Jaziah Carter, and others.

As for the memorable state trip …

“The bus thing just made them more determined to prove to our school board that we are deserving of that,” Vertacnik said. “The season is long, and when you are one of the teams that do qualify for the state playoffs, you deserve the best. We are representing our school district and community.”

Monessen has one of the best scoring defenses in the WPIAL, allowing just 27.8 points, while scoring almost double that.

“We still play pretty good defense and have a pretty good edge in rebounding,” Vertacnik said. “They share the ball, that’s the most fun thing about them. No one cares about scoring the most points in a game. No one averaged more than 9 points last season.”

Freshman Rayniya Lyons also shows promise and recently made her first start.

“She hustles, rebounds and gives me an extra guard to sub in,” Vertacnik said.

Vertacnik recently registered her 350th career win, 63 at Monessen. She won 100 times when she coached Yough, and 100 more at Greensburg Salem and at Jeannette, including a WPIAL Class 2A title.

She has a history of turning programs around in her 38 years on the sidelines.

She helped flip Yough in her second stint there after the team went 0-22. Greensburg Salem was 5-17, while Jeannette was 1-18 the year before she took over.

Monessen had won three games in two years when she arrived in the Mon Valley.

“I like to challenge myself, and that is why I chose to go to those schools,” the coach said. “I know the kids there are willing to work hard and really want to win. They always seem to buy into defense first and team ball. It makes me so happy and satisfied to see their faces light up when they accomplish even the small things. That’s why I coach.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Monessen