Young Sewickley Academy girls roster has plenty of potential

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, December 1, 2024 | 11:01 AM

No fewer than 14 players on the Sewickley Academy girls basketball team this season are underclassmen.

Sewickley’s third-year coach Jill Capozzi is unfazed.

“After only six practices, I can see the effort of this very young squad,” Capozzi said. “We will take it one game at a time and give our best for each other.

“The players are working extremely hard together and are enjoying the process of learning. It should be fun watching them grow.”

Sewickley’s returning starters are sophomore guards Emma Eannarino and Grace Jardini and senior forward Skylar Nocito. Eannarino, the team’s second-leading scorer in 2023-24, will start at point guard.

“We are definitely looking forward to the season with a very new team,” Eannarino said. “While we have some returning players from last year’s core group, we are also thrilled to welcome many new underclassmen, including eight freshmen and two sophomores, to the team.

“This year, we will face new competition in a different section, which is adding to our enthusiasm. Over the past few weeks, we have been training hard and setting team-oriented goals for the upcoming season. As a sophomore, I am looking forward to my second high school basketball season, but our focus this year is on the team’s success rather than individual achievements. Overall, I feel more confident and connected to my teammates than ever, and we can’t wait to put our new jerseys on and compete in Class A.”

Jardini and Eannarino hope to make the Panthers’ backcourt a team strength.

“I’m expecting to see a lot of growth from the team this season,” Jardini said. “I know we graduated a major contributor, but we have many eager freshmen who have been dedicated to making themselves better.

“I think our team will see a lot of success this year with the strong returning players we have and with our new additions to the team.”

Nocito is a fourth-year player

“This season is going to be very exciting,” Nocito said. “We have a very young team with most players being freshmen. As a senior being on this team for four years, we have never had such a young team with such potential. With our hard work and commitment, I believe we will have a great season.

“I am proud of the team. Everyone has brought passion, energy and enthusiasm, which are key to success in this sport. This being my last year on the team, I am looking forward to being a leader as a captain and help bring success to our team.”

Others looking to make an impact for the Panthers include senior guard Josie Whitcraft, sophomore forward Layla Miller, freshmen forwards Molly-Anna Cephas and Gabby Edmunds and freshman guards Lisette Niepa and Bella Walsh, who also can play point guard.

Nocito and Whitcraft, who started some games in the backcourt last year, are the only seniors on the squad.

“We are extremely young with only two seniors,” Capozzi said. “We are building a team based upon caring, commitment and connection.”

The Sewickley girls won three of their final four games last season to finish 8-12. The Panthers were hampered by a pair of four-game losing streaks, one early in the year and one late.

Capozzi has two new assistants in 2024-25 — Sarah Schweitzer and Paige Neeley.

“Our athletic department and coaching staff have undergone big changes, bringing a new dynamic to the team,” Eannarino said. “We are excited about these organizational changes, with our new athletic director, Mike Scerbo, and the addition of coach Sarah and coach Paige to the SAGB family.”

Jardini also has been impressed by Schweitzer’s and Neeley’s roles on the team.

“We have two new amazing assistant coaches who in a short time have become great role models for us,” Jardini said. “In the first week of practice, they already pushed us to the next level, and the improvement in our ball-handling alone shows how effective they are.”

Sewickley was led last winter by Libby Eannarino, a 5-foot-8 guard/forward and the only senior on the squad. She was one of the WPIAL’s leading scorers with a 21.5 ppg average and is now attending Vanderbilt.

Libby Eannarino’s high game last season was 33 points; Emma hit for a season-high 19.

The older Eannarino sister was a multi-year starter in basketball, lacrosse and soccer at Sewickley. She played a midfield position in lacrosse and soccer.

Eannarino led the girls basketball team in scoring the past two seasons; she also participated in field hockey in her first two years of high school at Upper St. Clair.

She was selected to play for the Class 2A/District 10 girls all-star team at the annual Roundball Classic at North Allegheny following the 2023-24 season.

Sewickley ended up 4-8 in Section 1-2A a year ago; Aliquippa won the section with a 12-0 record.

The Panthers are members of Section 1-A this season along with Aquinas Academy, Eden Christian Academy, Leechburg, Springdale, St. Joseph, Union and Western Beaver.

“We will play teams we haven’t played before, so it will definitely be a change,” Jardini said, “but I have no doubt we will be able to have a strong season.”

Tags: Sewickley Academy