Feb 20, 2024 3 min read

By Joe Tuscano

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

The first mistake you can make sizing up the Woodland Hills girls basketball team is thinking that because only seven players are on the roster it will be an easy game.

After all, the cheerleading squad at Woodland Hills has twice as many members as the girls varsity basketball team.

For a few minutes at the end of the game, when Trinity was clinging to a three-point lead, it was time to get serious about winning. Maddie Roberts and Sam Horne came through at the free-throw line, making 7 of 10 down the stretch to put away a 59-54 victory in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs Tuesday at Hiller Hall.

The win moves Trinity’s record to 18-5 and sends the Hillers into the quarterfinals Friday against South Fayette. Woodland Hills’ season comes to an end with a 7-11 record.

“We thought that since they only had seven players that they might get tired,” said Ruby Morgan, who had 12 points. “They definitely put up a really good fight and they gave us a good game. We’ve definitely been battle-tested and we finally overcome these tough close games. It was a great team win. We hit our threes in the first half but then they shut that down in the second half so we used other things.”

Woodland Hills power forward Hope Hawkins had 17 points and 17 rebounds. She finished her career with 977 points.

“They’re a very talented team,” said Trinity head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller. “They have five really, really good basketball players. They have lots of weapons. They have an inside presence in Hope Hawkins. They have guards who can shoot the ball. There was no doubt in my mind that they were seeded lower than the talent on that team.”

Trinity came into the game as the No. 3 seed and Woodland Hillls was No. 14. A 9-0 run by Trinity at the start of the fourth quarter pushed the lead out to 52-41. A 10-0 run by Woodland Hills cut Trinity’s lead to 54-52 with 46 seconds left to play in the game. That’s when Horne and Roberts hit the crucial free throws.

“We struggled a little bit in the fourth quarter,” said McConnell-Miller. “We gave our all down the stretch. It was a great team effort. We have five seniors who have contributed four years to this program and this wasa testament on how far they have came.”

Trinity sank nine three-point field goals in the first half to take a 35-27 lead. Morgan did most of her damage in the first quarter, sinking three three-pointers and finishing with 12 points. Morgan sank two three-pointers in a 9-0 run by Trinity that gave the Hillers a 15-11 lead after the first period.

Roberts sparked the Hillers in the second quarter with nine points, including a layup during a 7-2 run that gave them a 24-13 lead.

“We should have won the game,” said Woodland Hills head coach Theron Pitts. “We’re definitely small in numbers. The adversity we’ve seen just makes you stronger. We had our opportunities. We missed some early free throws and dug ourselves a hole.”

Pitts was not happy with the officiating.

“I have to say this and I have to say this unapologetically, the Big 5/6 should be ashamed of themselves to have such incompetent officials. These guys are less than JV guys. They were never in position.”

Roberts finished with 17 points, Macie Justice added 11, and Horne had 10 for Trinity.

Jhalynn Wilson scored 20 points and Mylee Young had 11 for the Wolverines.