1 win left on road to perfection
Undefeated Colts top TJ again, eye first state crown
Basketball runs in Tim McConnell’s blood, and he has done a fantastic job as both the Chartiers Valley boys and girls coach. But, when it came to motivating the girls team in his first season at the helm, he took a cue from the classic baseball movie, “Field of Dreams” and that famous line, “If you build it, they will come.”
The season has been a home run so far. Consider the program built, and the fans are definitely coming as evidenced by a packed house that showered McConnell and his players in Hershey Kisses Tuesday night. The Colts’ undefeated ride continues to Hershey, where it will culminate with a shot at a state championship.
“I told our girls, and I stole it from the movie, that if you build it they will come,” said McConnell. “We kept building, and they kept coming. Our fans have been great.”
Tuesday night, the Colts ran past Thomas Jefferson for the fourth time this season with a 50-44 triumph in a PIAA Class 5A semifinal at Peters Township. Chartiers Valley defeated the Jaguars twice in Section 1 matchups and again in the WPIAL title game.
Next up is the state final against District 12 winner Archbishop Carroll at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Giant Center in Hershey.
McConnell racked up 552 wins and six WPIAL titles in his 25 years as the Chartiers Valley boys basketball coach.
For a coach that has done just about everything, there’s still one trophy he hasn’t hoisted and that is a state championship. This team might be able to do it. McConnell said they are one of the very best squad’s he has coached.
“They’re right up there,” he said. “It’s very special, and these girls have answered the bell night in and night out. To accomplish what they have so far is tremendous. They deserve to have a trip to Hershey and try to win a state championship.
“We’re trying to go and do something the school’s never done. Girls basketball, boys basketball, they’ve never won a state championship.”
The Colts (29-0) had to fend off yet another stiff test from Thomas Jefferson (228). The Jaguars scored the first five points of the third quarter and a basket by Alyssa DeAngelo at the 6:28 mark gave Thomas Jefferson its first lead.
“Words can’t say how bad we wanted this game,” said Thomas Jefferson coach Lisa Fairman. “My girls came out and fought hard. We just fell short on the scoreboard.”
Just when it looked like the Colts were in trouble, Gabby Legister scored layups on consecutive possessions to give them the lead again. The Colts never trailed again.
“In all of our close games this year, that happens,” McConnell said of his team’s response. “That’s just says something about the leadership ... they knew what to do and they didn’t panic.”
Freshman Aislin Malcolm paced the Colts with a game-high 12 points. Mackenzie Wagner and Megan McConnell added 10 points each, while Legister and Perri Carlisle-Page had eight points apiece. Chartiers Valley shot 40 percent from the floor and was 12 for 19 from the free-throw line.
Jenna Clark and Shaylor Williams, both senior guards for Thomas Jefferson, netted 11 points each.