Dec 13, 2015 5 min read

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We are more than a week through the WPIAL basketball season and though there are still three months left, a few teams are starting to show what they’re made of. It’s no surprise that Monessen looks ready to make another championship run. Wash High starting 0-3 made me raise my eyebrows, but look at the losses: Latrobe, Canon-McMillan and Avonworth. Two of those three are guaranteed to be playoff teams and the other will compete for a spot in the postseason.

Two teams that few are talking about outside of Washington County are the boys and girls basketball teams at Peters Township. I covered the boys’ loss to Baldwin Friday night and though the Indians didn’t play a great game (shots weren’t falling and rebounding was an issue), I walked away incredibly impressed. They’re fast, physical and will give opponents fits. Like I said, it’s early, but they certainly look like a playoff team. The girls, meanwhile, defeated a very good Baldwin team Thursday night despite the Highlanders holding Madison Kerr to eight points. They have depth and will make noised in Quad-A this year.

Wash High bounced back with a win over Seton-La Salle Friday night, so the Prexies can breath a sigh of relief. Matt Popeck dropped 28 and Nate Swart had 17. Their starting five can compete with just about any team in Class AA, but players off the bench are a work in progress. They’re great athletes, but are still learning the game, so look for the Prexies to improve as the season progresses. What else did we learn through the first 10 days of the season?

• Canon-McMillan girls are as good as advertised. The Big Macs played well against Penn Hills then started section play with a win over Upper St. Clair. Cheyenne Trest is one of the best players in that section and C-M will play well defensively, especially with senior center Becca Turney, a Eastern Michigan recruit. They do plan on playing a lot of man-to-man though, which can be a challenge against teams such as Mt. Lebanon when you are still developing depth.

• Wash High girls will compete with Charleroi for the section title. The Prexies are improved from a year ago and watch out for the Cougars.

• West Greene boys and girls look like playoff teams. You read that right. Both play in sections that are pretty wide open (besides Monessen boys).

• Don’t analyze the Chartiers-Houston girls’ loss to Brownsville. This is a team that is still very young and is a work in progress. Jala Walker had a strong game against Avonworth Saturday, which bodes well for the Bucs, who have more than week until they have to face Bishop Canevin. The C-H boys team may surprise some people. A.J. Myers has been limited with a minor groin injury, but sophomore Cameron Hanley had a big first week. It will take a bit for this group to gel, but it has the talent to make the playoffs.

Through Dec. 13

Darton McIntire, Waynesburg 128 points (32 ppg)

Nick Valentic, Peters Twp. 108 points (27 ppg)

LaValle Rush, Monessen 103 points (25.8 ppg)

Sam Miceli, Charleroi 93 points (23.3 ppg)

Matt Popeck, Washington 83 points (20.8 ppg)

Cameron Hanley, Char-Houston 62 points (20.7 ppg)

Justice Rice, Monessen 79 points (19.8 ppg)

Cody Dobbins, Avella 73 points (18.3 ppg)

Joey Koroly, Trinity 53 points (17.7 ppg)

Shaun Sanders, McGuffey 44 points (17.7 ppg)

Devon Brown, Fort Cherry 68 points (17 ppg)

Jaden Altomore, Monessen 67 points (16.8 ppg)

Nick Silver, Bentworth 67 points (16.8 ppg)

Dakota Browning, Ringgold 66 points (16.5 ppg)

Craig Weaver, West Greene 64 points (16 ppg)

Mitch Warmen, Waynesburg 64 points (16 ppg)

Rob McAnany, Fort Cherry 61 points (15.3 ppg)

John Arnold, Charleroi 59 points (14.8 ppg)

Britton Beachy, Canon-Mac 58 points (14.5 ppg)

Kass Taylor, California 56 points (14 ppg)

D.L. Garrett, Jeff-Morgan 56 points (14 ppg)

Liam Shea, Carmichaels 42 points (14 ppg)

Colin Chapman, McGuffey 40 points (13.3 ppg)

RJ Bell, Canon-Mac 52 points (13 ppg)

Nate Swart, Washington 51 points (12.8 ppg)

Carson Miller, Canon-Mac 48 points (12 ppg)

Nathan Brudnock, West Greene 48 points (12 ppg)

Markel Pulliam, Washington 47 points (11.8 ppg)

Mike Cortese, Peters Twp. 44 points (11 ppg)

Zach McHenry, West Greene 40 points (10 ppg)

Ben Doyle, Peters Twp. 40 points (10 ppg)

Katie Demi, McGuffey 98 points (24.5 ppg)

McKenna Lampe, West Greene 73 points (24.3 ppg)

Kinlee Whited, Beth-Center 87 points (21.8 ppg)

Cheyenne Trest, Canon-Mac 86 points (21.5 ppg)

Alexa Williamson, Char-Houston 85 points (21.3 ppg)

Sierra Kotchman, Trinity 83 points (20.8 ppg)

Maria Claybaugh, Charleroi 76 points (19 ppg)

Madison Lampe, West Greene 49 points (16.3 ppg)

Kirsten Garber, Waynesburg 47 points (15.7 ppg)

Mary Dunn, Trinity 59 points (14.8 ppg)

Heather Chester, Bentworth 58 points (14.5 ppg)

Madison Kerr, Peters Twp. 57 points (14.3 ppg)

Alayna Cappelli, Trinity 54 points (13.5 ppg)

Kaitlyn Riley, Charleroi 53 points (13.3 ppg)

Kayla Yorko, Jeff-Morgan 65 points (13 ppg)

Kate Tarr, Burgettstown 62 points (12.4 ppg)

Shannon Relihan, Fort Cherry 48 points (12 ppg)

Jala Walker, Char-Houston 46 points (11.5 ppg)

Aislyn Lee, Charleroi 45 points (11.25 ppg)

Grace Marchezak, Bentworth 42 points (10.5 ppg)

Grace Lengauer, Avella 40 points (10 ppg)

Kaitlyn Rizon, West Greene 30 points (10 ppg)

Alyssa Konopka, Peters Twp. 41 points (10 ppg)

*Only includes teams who had all of their games called into the Observer-Reporter. Questions? Shoot me an email.