PETERS TWP — Already rich in tradition, the Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic girls basketball team is starving for more riches.

The Trojanettes fed off that motivation Monday night at Peters Township High School, dismantling Jefferson Morgan, 67-27, to reach the WPIAL Class A semifinals.

“The history's there, but we haven't been to the WPIAL finals since these seniors were freshmen,” CWNC coach Molly Rottmann said. “These girls want to experience success like that themselves.”

“We really want to get there. It's all we've been thinking about,” sophomore forward Sam Breen said.

They played like it Monday.

Leading only 10-9 after the first quarter and 21-15 midway through the second, the Trojanettes (19-5) scored the final nine points of the first half. They scored the first five of the third quarter to take a 35-15 lead with 5:42 left in the third period.

The competitive phase of the game was over.

“They've got so much postseason experience and our girls were a little shell-shocked out there,” Jefferson Morgan coach Chris Niemic admitted. “This is new territory for us.

“The difference in experience was a big factor tonight.”

Freshman forward Mary Cassamassa led the surge for the Trojanettes, scoring 12 of her 14 points during the run that broke the game open.

Abby Goetz added 14 points, three assists and three steals for CWNC. Breen had 13 points and nine rebounds.

The Trojanettes had 15 steals as a team and Jefferson Morgan (20-3) had more than 20 turnovers.

“Our defense set up our offense tonight,” Goetz said. “We were able to get going in transition and got a bunch of easy layups.”

Jefferson Morgan entered the game allowing just 32.5 points per game. That figure led the entire WPIAL. The 67 points allowed by the Rockets Monday marked a season-high.

Jefferson Morgan won 12 games last season. In 18 of 20 seasons before that, the Rockets failed to win more than eight.

“I didn't expect a game like this,” Niemic said. “We couldn't stop their penetration and athleticism. Offensively, we never got going.”

Rottmann was not surprised the game wound up lopsided in her team's favor.

“I thought it might happen,” she said. “They were trying to shut down Sam (Breen) and we have a balanced attack. And I know what these girls are capable of doing.”

Having an extra two days to prepare — the game being postponed from Saturday — didn't hurt, either.

“We've been practicing against all of the plays they run and that extra two days helped,” Breen said. “We were prepared for this game.”

Erin Confortini led Jefferson Morgan with 13 points. None of her teammates scored more than five.

CWNC scored the final 23 points of the contest, blanking the Rockets 21-0 in the final quarter.

“We just had to settle down and play,” Rottmann said. “We had a lot of nervous energy early tonight. No matter how much postseason play you've had, you always battle nerves at the beginning of a playoff game.”

The Trojanettes will face a familiar foe in Riverview — a 42-38 winner over California — in the semifinal round Wednesday. CWNC defeated its section rival twice, 60-34 and 64-48 — during the regular season.

“We know them and they know us,” Rottmann said. “We're looking forward to it.”

CWNC is in the WPIAL playoffs for the 37th successful year. The program owns 34 section titles, 17 WPIAL championships and seven state crowns.

“We want to add to that tradition,” Goetz said.

JEFFERSON MORGAN 27

Morgan Simkovic 0 0-2 0, Ally Bogden 1 2-2 4, Jamie Lawrence 1 0-0 2, Erin Confortini 5 2-4 13, Nicole Vernick 2 0-0 5, Kayla Yorko 1 0-0 3, Shelby Rozinsky 0 0-0 0, Jessica Taylor 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 4-8 27.

CW NORTH CATHOLIC 67

Evelyn Brazil 2 2-2 7, Abby Goetz 5 4-4 14, Mia Palmer 2 0-0 4, Sam Breen 6 1-2 13, Kiki Palmer 3 1-3 9, Mary Cassamassa 4 6-9 14, Ashley Robbins 0 0-0 0, Amanda Bucklew 1 0-0 2, Lila Smyers 1 0-0 2, Malaya Franklin-Marshall 0 2-2 2. Totals: 24 16-22 67.

Jefferson Morgan 9 6 12 0 — 27

CW North Cath.10 20 16 21 — 67

3-point goals: Confortini, VBernick, Yurko; Brazil, K.Palmer 2

Wednesday: CW North Catholic vs. Riverview, WPIAL semifinals, site and time TBA