Stars come out in Class 2A quarterfinals
Alexa Williamson is one of the best players in the state.
The Chartiers-Houston senior and Temple recruit is averaging 30.4 points per game, scored a jaw-dropping 51 in her team’s PIAA playoff opener and has 80 total in her past two games.
But when the Bucs (21-6) face Bellwood-Antis (25-3) in a PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal Friday at Johnstown, Williamson won’t even be the marquee attraction.
That label belongs to a 10th-grader on the opposing team.
Alli Campbell is considered one of the top sophomores in the country. ESPN HoopGurlz ranks her No. 19 in its class of 2020 rankings. A 6-foot-1 point guard, Campbell is averaging 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals per game. She already has 1,265 career points.
“Her ball-handling skills are some of the best I’ve seen, and she has the ability to beat you inside and out,” Chartiers-Houston coach Laura Montecalvo said. “She has a good 3-point shot. She’s a threat to score from everywhere on the floor.”
Montecalvo has seen Campbell play in person a few times, including Tuesday when Bellwood-Antis and Chartiers-Houston played in a doubleheader at Plum. Campbell scored 34 points in a 70-53 win against West Middlesex. She had 25 points to help Bellwood-Antis beat Chartiers-Houston, 80-66, in the second round of last year’s PIAA playoffs. Karson Swogger scored 32 points in that game, but is now playing at Saint Francis, which takes on undefeated Connecticut Saturday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Speaking of UConn, the Huskies are among the many teams recruiting Campbell, who has more than two dozen Division I offers. She has offers from defending national champion South Carolina, Pitt and Penn State.
“My phone is ringing all the time. You name them, they’re interested in her,” Bellwood-Antis coach Jim Swaney said.
Campbell is one of three sophomore starters for Bellwood-Antis, and Swaney said she is as good as any player he has seen in his 26 seasons as the team’s coach.
As good as Campbell is, Chartiers-Houston has its own star in Williamson, who at 6-1 is the same height as Campbell, but plays center. She averages 14 rebounds and seven blocks a game. BellwoodAntis had little success containing Williamson in last year’s meeting, as Williamson finished with 35 points.
“She’s a full-grown woman. There’s no doubt about that,” Swaney said. “I say this in a very complimentary way: she’s a beast in the box. I don’t mean anything derogatory by that. She’s just a really good player and we’re going to have our hands full.”
Williamson, one of five senior starters for the Bucs, has bounced back in a big way after being limited to 15 points in a loss to Vincentian in the WPIAL championship. She collected 29 points in a 64-51 secondround win against Bishop McCort, this after her school-record 51 against Cambridge Springs in the first round.
The Villa Curse
In one way, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic has to feel good about its Class 4A quarterfinal matchup against Villa Maria Saturday at North Hills. The Trojanettes (24-3) dealt Villa Maria (21-4) a 40-34 loss in the season opener.
On the other hand, you can’t blame North Catholic if it approaches this game with at least a little bit of trepidation. After all, Villa Maria has dominated WPIAL teams in the PIAA playoffs the past three seasons, going 9-0 against District 7 teams in that time.
Villa Maria reached the PIAA championship game in 2016 and 2017. That first year the Victors, then in Class 3A, eliminated Blackhawk, Hampton, South Fayette and South Park. Last year they took out South Park, Blackhawk and then North Catholic, 57-41, in the quarterfinals. This year the Victors have already beaten Blackhawk, 46-27, and Beaver, 55-40.
Two of Villa Maria’s top players are Richmond recruit Molly Mraz and Bowling Green recruit Sydney Palermo. The Victors lost Madison Demski, a Holy Cross recruit, to a seasonending knee injury in the first matchup against North Catholic.
North Catholic’s Tess Myers scored a team-high 14 points in the first meeting. She had 12 points and 10 assists Wednesday in a 68-40 win against Ambridge.
In the final regular-season state rankings, North Catholic was No. 3 and Villa Maria No. 4.
Moving on
How would North Allegheny fare without leading scorer Rachel Martindale? That was the question after Martindale (15 points per game) was lost for the season after tearing the ACL in her right knee in the WPIAL Class 6A championship win against Peters Township.
So far the answer has been “very good.” North Allegheny (27-0) kept its perfect record in tact after beginning the PIAA playoffs with wins against Upper St. Clair, 46-21, and Altoona, 5550. Piper Morningstar has stepped up in Martindale’s absence, averaging 19.5 points in the two wins. And Brynn Serbin has stepped into Martindale’s starting position at point guard.
Next up for North Allegheny is Bethel Park (19-6). The teams meet Friday at Baldwin. North Allegheny beat Bethel Park, 57-43, on Jan. 27. Martindale scored 25 points in that game and tallied 23 when North Allegheny beat Bethel Park in last year’s WPIAL championship.
North Allegheny moved up two spots in the USA Today national rankings this week, and is now ranked No. 16.