WPIAL trio earns top honor

Stars from Pine-Richland, Trinity and North Catholic players of year in class

Pine- Richland’s Amanda Kalin (23 points per game), Trinity’s Sierra Kotchman (19 ppg) and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s Sam Breen (23 ppg) each were voted player of the year in their respective classifications by Pennsylvania sports writers who determine the 2016-17 all-state girls teams. All were previously named to the Post-Gazette’s Fabulous Five.

Kalin also was named to the Class 6A first team. Penn Hills’ Desiree Oliver (18 ppg) joined Kalin on the first team, and North Allegheny’s Rachel Martindale (13 ppg) and Haley Zeise (10 ppg) made the 6A third team. Oliver was a Fabulous Five selection. North Allegheny beat Bethel Park, 50-39, for the WPIAL 6A title before falling to Boyertown in the PIAA title game.

In 5A, Johnasia Cash (18 ppg) of McKeesport and Michaela Porter (15 ppg) of Obama Academy joined Kotchman on the first team. Megan McConnell (15 ppg) of Chartiers Valley made the second team. Chartiers Valley defeated Oakland Catholic, 52-36, in the WPIAL 5A championship.

Breen made the 4A first team and Blackhawk’s Mady Aulbach (14 ppg) and Beaver’s Bella Posset (20 ppg) made the second team. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic beat Blackhawk, 65-36, for the WPIAL 4A title.

In 3A, East Allegheny’s Amani Johnson (31 ppg), another Fabulous Five selection, made the first team. Bishop Canevin’s Brionna Allen (14 ppg) made the second team and West Shamokin’s Olivia Fusaro (18.4 ppg) made the third team. West Shamokin coach Frank Nagy was named coach of the year. Bishop Canevin defeated Neshannock, 65-36, for the WPIAL 3A championship before losing to NeumannGoretti in the PIAA title game.

Alexa Williamson (23.5 ppg) of Chartiers-Houston made the 2A first team, and Mikayla Lovelace (23.5 ppg) of Leechburg and Olivia Sirnic (21.1 ppg) of Jeannette made the 2A third team. Chartiers-Houston defeated Vincentian Academy, 47-35, for the WPIAL 2A championship.

In 1A, Cornell’s Daeja Quick (22.9 ppg) and Winchester Thurston’s Ayanna Townsend (19.2 ppg) were named to the first team. Winchester Thurston’s Gian Thorpe (20.3 ppg) made the second team and West Greene’s Madison Lampe (18 ppg) made the third team. Winchester Thurston beat Cornell, 5241, for the WPIAL 1A title.