Charles’ return boosts McKeesport’s chances
Tigers meet Cathedral Prep on Tuesday in Class 5A semis
Kaylee Charles had only one day of practice after she was medically cleared to rejoin the McKeesport girls basketball team for the winor-go-home game against Armstrong in the state quarterfinals Saturday.
All the 5-foot-10 Charles did was come off the bench and score six points, tie teammate Rachael Manfredo with 11 rebounds and help the team make it back to the state semifinals for the second time in three years.
It was such a big moment that, when she came off the bench and took the floor midway through the first quarter against the River Hawks, the Tigers fans erupted in deafening applause.
“I told them I wanted a standing ovation,” Charles laughed afterward. “I know the McKeesport fans were waiting for this and it’s something we can all be happy about.”
With Charles in the lineup, McKeesport (24-4) was a machine. The Tigers were 18-2 with her and fellow senior and Edinboro recruit Rachael Manfredo working off each other. Guards Madison Hertzler, Brooke Evans and a rotation of Madison Miller and Madeline Cherepko also contributed mightily in various ways to maintain well-oiled gears that had the team ranked No 1 in Class 5A coming into the season.
But Charles’ loss couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Her first game out was a home showdown with Oakland Catholic for the Section 3 title which turned into a 63- 47 loss. McKeesport could have certainly used her inside in a WPIAL semifinal loss to South Fayette when the Lions inside game dominated in a 49-41 defeat that ended McKeesport’s hopes for its first WPIAL title since Swin Cash was a senior in 1998.
But with Charles in the lineup, McKeesport showed its full capability. The Tigers limited Emma Paul, one of the top scorers in the WPIAL, to five second-half points and 15 overall and handed the WPIAL runnerup a 22-point drubbing.
“They can’t overplay Rachael so much. That’s been the hardest part (not) having another big you have to respect,” McKeesport coach Matt Miller said of having Charles back on the court. “Everybody’s been putting two, three girls on [Manfred] the whole time. We were playing with [Manfredo] and six or seven guards.”
Now, for McKeesport to make it to the Giant Center in Hershey for its first state championship game in school history, it will have to get past District 10 champion Cathedral Prep (22-3) in the PIAA Class 5A semifinals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Slippery Rock University.
“It feels great,” Manfredo said. “We are so motivated. We want to get to Hershey so bad.”
Cathedral Prep won’t be an easy out. The Ramblers have a 6-foot-2 inside presence in junior forward Addie Biel, while senior guard and Georgetown recruit Jayden McBride averages 16.0 ppg. They are also coming off a 3929 win against Oakland Catholic, albeit an Eagles team that had to play without junior London Creach.
Class 4A
There was a chance that Blackhawk (25-3) and Wyomissing (31-0) could have played in last year’s semifinals, but Wyomissing lost in the quarterfinals against North Catholic. Blackhawk then played North Catholic in a rematch of the 2023 WPIAL final. Wyomissing took care of North Catholic in the quarterfinals this year, however, despite 20 points from senior Alayna Rocco, to set up a matchup with Blackhawk at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Altoona High School.
Wyomissing is in the semifinals for only the third time in school history and has never played in a state championship game. The Spartans were also there in 1981 when they lost to Mid- Valley and 2004 when they dropped a 57-44 decision to eventual Class 2A champion Delone Catholic.
To get to this point, junior Amaya Stewart scored a game- high 24 points against the Trojanettes and senior Annie McCaffrey chipped in 13. For the Cougars to get back to the finals for the second consecutive year, they will rely on a combination of senior Alena Fusetti and sophomore Aubree Hupp, who scored 23 in the team’s quarterfinal romp against District 10 champion Fairview.
Class 2A
Greensburg Central Catholic is right where it was last year.
Same time. Same place. Same opponent.
Only this time the Centurions (23-6) are hoping for a different outcome when they take on District 10 champion Kennedy Catholic (23-4) on Monday at 6 p.m. at North Allegheny.
Last season when the two met, the Gaels got 22 points from dominant center Layke Fields in a 56-44 win en route to the state championship.
Fields, now a junior, has amassed 1,448 career points, averages 20.1 per game and is far and away the player Greensburg Central Catholic will have to slow down. But the Gaels also have four other players — junior Monique Vincent, sophomore Bella Magestro and freshman Tori Harvey — all averaging in double digits. Kennedy Catholic already has wins against Norwin, Blackhawk and North Catholic this year.