Thursday WPIAL girls championship preview: Top-seeded Shenango, No. 2 Freedom to meet for third time this season

Freedom girls basketball John Kaercher understood the perception.

When a player such as junior Shaye Bailey suffered a serious injury to her collarbone just before half time of the Bulldogs’ regular-season finale, Kaercher knew some would begin to wonder about his team’s chance to return to the WPIAL championship game for a second consecutive year.

“A lot of people wrote us off once Shaye went out of the lineup,” he said of his four-sport standout guard who led Class 2A in scoring during the regular season at 22.3 points per game. “I told them, ‘Hey, don’t count the Bulldogs out.’”

There was at least one person who never did.

Ricci LaRocco, coach of the Shenango girls team, said he wasn’t surprised Freedom overcame the loss of its leader.

Top-seeded Shenango (21-4) will now face No. 2 seed Freedom (20-4) at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Class 2A championship game at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center.

Both teams, which shared the Section 1 championship, will be vying to win something that can’t be split — the first WPIAL title in their school’s history.

“She’s all that,” LaRocco said of Bailey. “She created problems offensively and defensively, and when I heard about (her injury) I was sick for her just because the two times I met her she seemed like a great kid. She plays hard. She’s what high school athletics is all about.

“They are different without her,” LaRocco added. “(Julia) Mohrbacher’s picked up the slack. I give them all the credit. They won three games to get here. It’s something we can’t take lightly.”

Considering the recent history between the two teams, neither one will be taking their opponent for granted.

Freedom notched the first blow against Shenango with a 56-48 victory on Dec. 22.

Shenango exacted a measure of revenge on Jan. 23 with a 62-57 win.

“I kind of thought this might be the final, so what better way to break the tie than at the Petersen Events Center,” LaRocco said. “They’re obviously very good. They were here last year.”

Both coaches are expecting the grudge match to be equally as close.

“You can take that No. 1 selection and put it either direction you like,” Kaercher said. “They beat us once and we beat them once. All things being equal, I think we’re pretty equal teams across the board.”

Senior guard Emilee Fedrizzi, who averaged 16 points per game during the regular season, paces the Shenango offense along with classmates forwards Kylee Rubin and Janie Natale.

“I’ve got a veteran team,” LaRocco said. “I’ve got three girls that have started since freshman (year), so this has been a goal for them throughout their careers. I don’t think the moment is too big for them.”

Kaercher said his team will focus on throwing multiple defensive sets against Shenango, including its signature 2-1-2 full court trap, to keep their section rival in check. He said his team can’t afford to let Fedrizzi repeat her performance in Shenango’s semifinal win against Burgettstown during which she made eight 3-pointers.

“We’re always defensive-minded first,” Kaercher said. “Defense controls the offense and the pace for us.”

And that’s where Mohrbacher comes in.

The 5-foot-10 senior forward averaged 17.8 points per game during the regular season, to go along with 13 rebounds and 10.5 steals.

“She brings everything to the table,” Kaercher said. “She gives you 100%, 100% of the time. She’s the calm one out there on the floor. She rallies the troops. She’s a seasoned leader and a seasoned veteran, being a four-year starter for us. She’s the floor leader out there. The coach on the floor for us.”

Mohrbacher scored 30 points in Freedom’s first-round victory against Carlynton, 22 against Chartiers-Houston in the quarterfinals and added 33 points and 11 rebounds against Aliquippa in the semifinals.

“They’re probably not as dangerous in transition without Shaye, but in the half court Mohrbacher is taking over,” LaRocco said.

Freedom is now hoping it can get over the hump and win a WPIAL title after falling to North Catholic in the championship game a year ago.

“The success from last year carried over to this year,” Kaercher said. “We had 22 girls on the team this year and not one of them have missed a practice.

“To say that it wouldn’t be a big deal or mean a lot to bring that gold back I think it would be a lie to outright say that,” he added. “It’s a great feat and accomplishment for the players, the staff and the community and the school district as a whole.”

The same is true for Shenango.

“It’s been pretty special around our community and we’ve received a lot of support,” LaRocco said. “They’re getting the celebrity status. It’s been awesome to see that for these kids.”