Wash High avenges loss, beats Chartiers-Houston
By Jonathan Guth
Staff Writer
jguth@observer-reporter.com
What a difference a month makes.
Washington suffered a 24-point setback to Chartiers-Houston in the first meeting between the two on Jan. 4, but a different Prexies team came out Monday night at Washington High School in Class 2A Section 4 girls basketball action.
Washington improved to 8-1 in section play and 10-8 overall while the Bucs lost their first game of the section to sit at 9-1 and 13-5.
“I just don’t think that we did a good job of taking care of the ball,” Chartiers-Houston coach Laura Montecalvo said. “The first time we played, we were poised with the ball and made good decisions.”
Washington finished the third quarter on a 12-0 run and held off a furious rally by the Bucs in a 42-37 victory.
“The intensity was completely different tonight,” Wash High coach Josh Wise said. “They caught us a little bit off guard the first time. We weren’t prepared for the triangle-and-two. I thought our trap was extremely aggressive today and they were very disciplined, so our girls did a really good job of sticking to the gameplan, not getting flustered, and they took and made good shots, and I think that was the biggest difference.”
Ava Capozolli’s 3-pointer with 5:05 left in the third quarter extended the Bucs’ lead to 23-19 before Taraysia Finley scored for the Prexies to cut the deficit to 23-21.
Olivia Woods’ layup tied the game at 23-23 and Teyler Barnes made a layup and converted on the and-one for a 26-23 lead with 3:10 left.
Finley’s three-pointer extended Washington’s advantage to 29-23 and Woods made 2-of-3 at the foul line after being fouled at the buzzer for a 31-23 lead heading into the fourth.
“We can’t be held to three points in a quarter and expect to win,” Montecalvo said.
Chartiers-Houston made a run in the fourth, as Capozolli recorded five of her game-high 18 points in the frame, and the Bucs got within two and had possession with 31 seconds remaining, but Kaprice Johnson converted on a layup after a steal and made 1 of 2 at the line.
“We just told the girls it’s a game of runs and you have to just move on to the next play,” Wise said. “I thought our girls did a good job of weathering the storm.”
Capozolli went on a 5-0 run in the first quarter for a 9-4 lead with a three-pointer and putback. Kyndra Wynn responded with a layup and Taraysia Finley’s jumper cut the Wash High deficit to 9-8 heading into the second period.
The Prexies went on a 6-0 run to take an 18-13 lead in the second quarter, but the Bucs scored seven of the next eight points for a 20-19 halftime advantage.
Capozolli’s made seven field goals, including four 3-pointers. Teammate Amelia Brose added 9 points.
Woods scored a team-high 13 points on four field goals and was 5-of-7 at the foul line. Johnson put in 8 points.
“Obviously, Olivia and Kaprice are my go-to players, but Taraysia Finley, Kyndra Wynn, Teyler Barnes and Shawnti Fuller played a hell of a game.”