Williamson’s foul trouble insurmountable
Vincentian rolls past Chartiers-Houston for 6th title in 7 years
Slowing down the WPIAL’s scoring leader is a team effort, and Vincentian proved that Thursday. When Chartiers-Houston star Alexa Williamson got the ball, two or three defenders often swarmed to her.
Even that sometimes didn’t work. It turns out the best way to keep Williamson from filling the basket is keeping her on the bench, and that worked to perfection.
Williamson, who averages 30 points per game, was in foul trouble throughout and finished with 15 points, and Vincentian won its sixth WPIAL title in the past seven years, beating Chartiers-Houston, 62-47, in the Class 2A girls championship at Petersen Events Center.
It was the 11th championship overall for Vincentian (23-1) and coach Ron Moncrief became only the fourth coach in WPIAL history to win seven titles. Chartiers-Houston (19-6) fell short of winning its second title in a row.
Caroline Elliott and Marina Eyster each scored 14 points for Vincentian, which also got 13 points from Olivia O’Brien.
Chartiers-Houston beat Vincentian, 47-35, in the title game last season. Williamson dominated that game, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. The same could not be said in the rematch.
Williamson, a 6-foot-1 center and Temple recruit, sat out the final
3:39 of the first half after picking up her third foul, was whistled for her fourth with 1:13 left in the third and fouled out with 6:19 remaining in the fourth. She finished with five rebounds.
“She’s a great player, one of the best players in this area. Anytime you can get her out of the game, it’s a big momentum switch for us,” Moncrief said.
Shortly after Williamson got her third foul, Vincentian went on a 7-0 run to close the first half and took a 25-22 lead. The Royals led the rest of the way.
With Williamson saddled with four fouls and Chartiers-Houston trailing, 38-32, heading into the fourth quarter, Bucs coach Laura Montecalvo elected to send Williamson back into the game. She scored a quick basket to cut the deficit to 38-34, but moments later fouled out.
Montecalvo said her decision was a no-brainer.
“I didn’t want us to get in a position where they went on a 8- or 10-point run on us and we’re playing from behind,” she said.
Free-throw shooting was critical to the outcome. Vincentian was 20 of 26 and Chartiers-Houston 5 of 16.
Chartiers-Houston got 11 points from both Keaira Walker and Maddie Simpson, and 10 from Jules Vulcano.
Elliott, a senior who will play at Duquesne next season, won WPIAL titles her first two seasons, but said this one was more meaningful.
“I think so just because everyone expected us to win those first two years of high school,” Elliott said.
“But people doubted us this year. We lost our point guard. We lost in WPIAL’s last year.
“I think it’s a much sweeter feeling now.”