Trib HSSN girls basketball team of the week for March 2, 2025

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, March 2, 2025 | 9:26 PM

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Trib HSSN girls basketball team of the week: Peters Township

Coach: Steve Limberiou (third season)

Record: 12-0 and first place in Section 4-5A, 23-3 overall

#Earned: The maturation and progression of a talented program was set to be on display as Peters Township coach Steve Limberiou entered his third season. In his rookie year, when the current Indians seniors were in 10th grade, the team made the WPIAL playoffs but lost to Upper St. Clair in the 6A quarterfinals. Last winter, Peters Township reached the 6A final four before losing to North Allegheny. The Indians got a taste of the state playoffs as well, beating Lebanon in the first round before a season-ending loss in the second round to Spring-Ford. With high expectations, Peters Township was ranked No. 2 in the preseason — after dropping to 5A behind — three-time champion South Fayette. The Lions and Indians remained 1-2 throughout successful regular seasons, but the Indians suffered a blow when a leg injury sidelined leading scorer Natalie Wetzel. The senior forward missed the first-round win over Fox Chapel but returned to help lead the Indians with a combined 29 points in wins over Indiana in the quarterfinals and Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals. That set up the much-anticipated showdown between South Fayette and Peters Township for the 5A district crown. The two powers played to an 11-11 tie after one quarter, and it looked like the Lions would take a four-point lead into the locker room when Haylie Lamonde hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to give South Fayette a 24-17 lead at the half. Following an evenly played third quarter, the Indians used a stifling defense to outscore the Lions, 13-3, in the finals quarter and win the programs second WPIAL girls basketball championship, 40-36, ending a three-year run on top for South Fayette.

Scoring stars: With Wetzel missing the first round and slowly getting back to normal afterward, others on the team stepped up, and a more balanced attack offensively was just what the doctor ordered for the Indians to secure gold. In the title game against South Fayette, Wetzel still led Peters Township with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. However, other contributions from the six Indians players who saw time in the finals included nine points and five assists from freshman Taylor McCullough, eight points and eight rebounds from senior Daniela Radulovich, six points and lights-out defense on the Lamonde by junior Brianna Morreale and a combined four points, four rebounds and two assists from junior Alina Sopko and freshman Jordyn Welsh.

Last year: In their final year in Class 6A, at least for now, Peters Township was dominant in the regular season, going 21-1 overall and winning the Section 2-6A title by four games over Chartiers Valley and Mt. Lebanon. In the eight-team Class 6A playoff field, the Indians were the No. 2 seed and opened the postseason with a victory over Pine-Richland in the quarterfinals, 58-46. Dreams of a district title, though, ended in the semifinals with a loss to North Allegheny, 43-30. In the PIAA playoffs, Peters Township traveled east to face District 3 Lebanon and came away with a convincing victory, 69-49. The season ended at 24-3 in the second round with a loss to eventual 6A runner-up Spring-Ford, 74-53.

Remember when: While the victory Friday brought home the first WPIAL Class 5A championship for Peters Township, it was the second girls basketball title after the Indians were perfect in Class 6A six years ago. Top-seed Peters Township downed Fox Chapel in the quarterfinals and rival Bethel Park in the semifinals that year, before coming back to win an overtime thriller. In the 2019 Class 6A title game, Peters Townshiop defeated traditional power North Allegheny, 43-40, for the program’s first district crown. In the state playoffs, the Indians racked up wins against Harrisburg, Bethel Park, Norwin and Upper Dublin in overtime to reach the finals in Hershey. There, Peters Township defeated District 1 champion Garnet Valley, 62-49, to add PIAA gold to go with their WPIAL title. The team’s leading scorer was senior Makenna Marisa, who tallied 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the state championship game, helping the Indians to finish 30-0.

2025 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Teams of the Week

Week 8: Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Week 7: Mars Fightin’ Planets

Week 6: South Fayette Lions

Week 5: Oakland Catholic Eagles

Week 4: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

Week 3: Penn-Trafford Warriors

Week 2: Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Week 1: Shaler Titans

Tags: Peters Township