By DEAN DELLAMALVA JR.
MVI Sports
After seven losing seasons, Monessen girls basketball finally got back to its winning ways last season.
The success can be traced to a group of seniors who steadily improved during their time in high school. Another reason is head coach Janine Vertacnik, who is entering her third season with the Greyhounds.
The perseverance through difficult seasons helped build Monessen (15-8, 8-4 in Section 2-A) into a better team. Through the difficulty of a winless 2016-17 season, they learned how to win and found success.
“I never use the word failure, because you can always find something good and positive to take from a season from every player,” Vertacnik said. “If I can’t do that, then I have let them down as their coach.”
The Hounds suffered three key graduation losses in Jahnell Jackson, Zykavia Hairston and Qitarah Hardison, who snared 1,000 rebounds over her high school career.
“Qitarah will be very hard to replace, she was a leader, played with passion and was determined to lead us to the playoffs,” Vertacnik said. “Any time you lose a player like that, there is a gigantic hole to be filled. She had a great understanding on how to get position for those rebounds, along with scoring over 12 points a game for us.”
However, Vertacnik has three returning players from last year who started at times. Senior guard Sydney Caterino is back, along with juniors Mercedes Majors, Kinsey Wilson and Zalendria Hardison.
“Majors has been working non-stop in the off season with a trainer to get stronger and build up her stamina to play a 32-minute game,” Vertacnik said. “She will also be relied on to teach and discipline her teammates and has worked hard on her offensive game. I expect big things from Mercedes this year.
“Wilson will be relied upon heavily to lead our pressing defense and will also run the point position to spell Caterino. I’m expecting all three of them as captains to become great mentors as we grow throughout the season. Hardison, will be called upon to provide offense to this unit and to perfect her three point shot.”
Depth will once again be a challenge for the Greyhounds, but the short bench is young and talented. Sophomore Aaliyah Rice, along with freshmen Avanti Stitch, MyAsia Majors, Hailey Johnson, and Sidney Campbell will need to get up to speed and be ready when called upon.
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