North Catholic girls going to WPIAL title game again
MONROEVILLE — The way they play resembles a well-oiled machine, but the girls that contribute to North Catholic’s sustained success aren’t made of wires and cold metal.
After all, robots don’t have emotions.
The Trojanettes weren’t characteristic on the offensive end early in Tuesday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal matchup with Section 1 foe Highlands. Two quarters in, they re-calibrated their shooting in a 63-45 win that sends them to yet another title contest on Saturday against Blackhawk.
“I think tonight was us with a little bit of jitters,” North coach Molly Rottmann said. “We just were playing a little nervous to start. It happens and we’re not going to come out that way Saturday. We definitely are not. We’re going to come out and we’re going to be ready to go.”
There’s more that goes into a 15-game winning streak such as the one the Trojanettes (21-3) are riding. No one wanted to trip on the doorstep.
“You know, it’s nerve-wracking, the game to go to the Pete,” senior guard Dacia Lewandowski said. “We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get there ... It’s definitely always in the back of our heads. You never know what could happen.”
Her team made only one field goal in the initial 6:49 and seemed to have trouble penetrating the Golden Rams’ interior defense, which conceded only 27 points to No. 3 Elizabeth Forward in its quarterfinal victory.
“My assistant had a good point,” Rottmann said. “She’s like, ‘We’re playing to not lose.’ ... I thought they had a different attitude in the second half. I thought we played with more confidence, obviously shot the ball better.
“But even if we hadn’t, I felt like what we were doing defensively and on the boards was going to help us be successful.”
As she alluded to, North forced 18 turnovers in three quarters and decisively out-worked Highlands (16-8) on the offensive glass, 15-3. Many of those rebounds created second-chance opportunities down low that allowed them to open a gap.
“Our mentality is if the shots don’t fall, there’s always other ways we can contribute to the court,” said Lewandowski, who bucketed just one shot from the floor all night. “That can be offensive rebounding, getting defensive stops.
“If they don’t score and we don’t score, the score still stays the same.”
Junior Alayna Rocco took charge in the third frame, totaling a dozen points in that eight minutes and a game-high 19 overall. It spurred a 41-point second half for her crew.
“I think just all of a sudden hitting one or two, it sometimes becomes contagious,” Rottmann said. “Like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t shoot.’ And then you become tentative, like, ‘Should I shoot it? Should I not shoot it?’ So I think, just having her hit those shots opened the floodgates for everyone else.”
“We had to switch up at halftime with who was guarding Rocco,” Golden Rams coach Shawn Bennis said. “We prepared them to know who you’re guarding, know your player. So just having that little switch ... I just think that is the difference.
“They (North) just wait for you to make your mistake.”
Anna Waskiewicz had 14 points for the Trojanettes and Ava Walker 13. Katelyn Myers led Highlands with 14.
The Trojanettes have now gone 19-1 in WPIAL postseason games dating back to the 2016-17 go-round. They last fell short against Mohawk in 2021’s Class 3A title game and will return to the Petersen Events Center, where a win would mean North’s sixth WPIAL crown in seven tries.
“Every year, it’s better,” Rottmann said. “This group is excited and they’re a great group. I’m super proud of them and I’m excited for their opportunities.”
HIGHLANDS 45
Katelyn Myers 4 2-2 14, Kalleigh Nerone 4 4-5 13, Jocelyn Bielak 3 2-3 8, Tyarah Woody 1 4-5 6, Shelby Wojcik 1 1-2 4. Totals: 13 13-17 45.
NORTH CATHOLIC 63
Alayna Rocco 7 2-2 19, Anna Waskiewicz 3 7-8 14, Ava Walker 5 1-2 13, Tori Drevna 3 1-1 8, Dacia Lewandowski 1 3-4 5, Sarah Loughry 1 0-0 2, Kaitlyn Tavella 0 2-2 2. Totals: 20 16-19 63.
Highlands 9 9 13 14 — 45
North Catholic 8 14 22 19 — 63
3-point goals: North Catholic 7 (Rocco 3, Walker 2, Drevna, Waskiewicz); Highlands 6 (Myers 4, Nerone, Wojcik)
