Inexperienced Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team eager to ‘prove themselves’

By: Michael Love
Monday, November 22, 2021 | 6:11 PM

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Veteran Apollo-Ridge girls basketball coach Ray Bartha said he is cautiously optimistic about what direction his Vikings team can take this winter.

“We’ve been working and practicing pretty hard,” said Bartha, who enters the second year of his second stint as coach.

“Some things look pretty good some days, and other days we realize we have a long way to go. But the girls are excited for the opportunity to prove themselves.”

Apollo-Ridge has no seniors and graduated three starters – Emily Bonelli, Morgan Gamble and Madi Marks – from last season.

“They were all very much basketball people and dedicated players,” Bartha said. “They are going to be tough to replace. Right now, we’re still looking for that starting-five combination. “We’re moving some things around, hoping to fit some people and finding out what is going to work in certain situations.”

Bartha does know his foundation — junior point guard Brinley Toland, junior 5-foot-8 forward Sydney McCray and sophomore guard Sophia Yard.

Toland averaged a team-high 11.5 points last season for Apollo-Ridge, which went 8-5 overall and 5-2 in Section 4-2A.

“We come in to practices every day with pretty positive attitudes and are ready to work,” Toland said. “We lost three seniors who were really big parts of the team. We are trying to fill those spots left by them, and it has created a lot of competitiveness in practice. We’re all just focusing on what we need to do to be ready for the season.”

The Vikings last year suffered a WPIAL first-round loss to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Yard averaged six points, and McCray checked in at 5.6 points last season. Both earned starting opportunities.

Bartha said a lot of the scoring will need to come from those three.

“They will be our foundation,” Bartha said. “We’re counting on Brinley to be that quarterback and that general and get us lined up on offense. We need her to score and also penetrate and distribute. We think Sydney can give us an inside game, and she can also play a guard. We are counting on Sophia to knock down some shots. She’s a good shooter and is quick, so we want to take advantage of her athletic ability the best we can.”

Bartha said that several additional players have competed for starting spots and playing time.

Those hoping to make an impact include junior forward Delaney Fitzroy, and sophomore guards Jaden Mull and Malea Veneziani.

Bartha said he likes the potential for junior newcomer April Earnest at a guard spot. Earnest, who played basketball at the youth levels, has been a major player on the Vikings softball team the past couple of seasons.

“April’s a little rusty, but she is getting better every day,” Bartha said. “She brings quickness and ability on defense.”

Also hoping for breakout seasons are freshman guard/forward Paige Crawford and freshman forward Ava Remaley.

“We’re going to have to rely more on quickness than power and size inside,” Bartha said.

Without any seniors on the roster, Bartha said that while he’s thinking in the present, he hopes it also is a stepping stone for the future.

Ellis School, a perennial playoff contender, returns to Section 4-2A after not participating last year because of covid concerns.

Apollo-Ridge also will have to contend with section foes Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Springdale and Winchester Thurston, which made it to the WPIAL semifinals last year. Greensburg Central Catholic was a quarterfinalist.

“Greensburg and Winchester Thurston will be tough,” Bartha said. “Ellis, I am not sure about because l we didn’t see them last year. Springdale is coming on strong. They have numbers for a change, and they should be more competitive. I don’t think we will have an easy game. We’re still working on things.”

Apollo-Ridge will scrimmage at Deer Lakes on Nov. 30 before visiting Yough on Dec. 7 ahead of its season opener against Valley at the Springdale Tip-Off Tournament.

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.

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