THRILL OF VICTORY
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s Cassie Foster wraps her arms around Emma Pospisil after their team defeated Beaver, 50-49, at the buzzer during the WPIAL championships Friday at the Petersen Events Center. Details, other games in
A year ago, Gia Thorpe 3). helped Winchester “I was kind of shocked Thurston make school history that he didn’t pull his girls by claiming its first out of the press,” Winchester WPIAL championship. Thurston coach
Friday, Thorpe made Monica Williams said. some history of her own by “Usually, you put a press leading the Bears to a second on to slow people down. It consecutive title. She didn’t do anything but help racked up a triple-double of us. I was thinking he was 36 points, 14 rebounds and going to pull out, but he 10 steals to lead the Bears to didn’t, so we just kept pushing.” a 76-57 victory against West Greene, 76-57, at Petersen A 3-pointer by West Events Center. Greene’s Elizabeth Brudnock
Thorpe's point total was cut the Bears’ lead to the second-highest all time 25-20 near the midpoint of in a Class 1A girls final and the second quarter. the fourth highest in any The Bears proceeded to girls championship. pour in the next 11 points,
“She’s the best player nine of which came from we’ve ever played against,” Thorpe. West Greene coach Jordan “We couldn’t lose,” Watson said. Thorpe said.
Thorpe, a senior guard “Not this year. Not my senior who has not yet decided on year.” a college, scored six points Nya Nicholson added 18 early as the Bears (19-5) points and seven rebounds built an 11-0 lead to start the for Winchester Thurston. game. Xavier recruit Ayanna
West Greene wanted to Townsend contributed nine pressure the Bears from the points and nine rebounds. start, and they were happy Junior twin sisters Madison to run with the Pioneers (22- and McKenna Lampe led West Greene with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Brudnock and Jersey Wise chipped in 10 apiece for the Pioneers.
The bigger Bears held a 47-23 rebounding advantage and forced 22 turnovers.
The WPIAL championship marked the fourth time in the past two seasons these teams have met, with Winchester Thurston winning every matchup.
“I knew he was thinking on a bigger court it might be different,” Williams said. “I knew that when you have a Gia Thorpe it wouldn’t matter.
Thorpe was 9 of 15 from the floor and 18 of 21 from the free-throw line as the Bears made 27 of 57 shots and 21 of 29 free throws.
“We threw a lot of skip passes this season, but we didn’t play a lot of Winchester Thurstons this season,” Watson said.
“They were just able to pick them off. Gia Thorpe is really quick, she’s the fastest girl we’ve ever played against.
“It’s hard to simulate that in practice.”