Crusaderettes ahead of schedule

Catholic girls stand at 10-1 at halfway point

PARKERSBURG -- A two-point home loss to a Class A Top 10 Trinity group remains the only blemish on the record of the Parkersburg Catholic girls' basketball team as Marty Vierheller's squad enters the second half of the campaign at 10-1.

Vierheller's team was due for a mid-term exam against perennial state tournament participant Tucker County Saturday, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather.

Despite the postponement, the young Crusaderettes, featuring zero seniors, so far have passed every test laid before them. Namely overcoming the loss of three seniors, including 2018 second leading scorer Olivia Ullman, and intergrading a talented freshmen class into the roster.

Wins over top 10 teams in Williamstown, reigning state champion Wheeling Central (with Maroon Knights' glue player Hannah White healthy into the third quarter), Notre Dame and Madonna place this group ahead of schedule, according to its head coach.

Even the loss to the Warriors was a learning experience. The Crusaderettes battled through a down first half for a shot to tie the game on Madeline Huffman's 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The never-say-no attitude extended from the program's first-round state tournament loss to Summers County last season.

A Bobcats' six-point lead disappeared in the third quarter before Summers ultimately won the game, 67-65.

Still, the drive to win no matter the odds remains embedded within the of the culture of the program despite the new arrivals.

Credit Vierheller spreads to his returning players.

"I contribute that to our veterans," he said during an interview. "If you watch practice and take a good look at what is happening there is such a lack of individualism on the team and such a desire to make everybody better that it has allowed the young players to progress more quickly then what we (Coach Tom Carr and Vierheller) anticipated because the players are doing the teaching.

"Coach Carr or I will stop practice to speak to an individual player. Then, somebody else is making a point about something else they have seen and that just helps our young players play like they aren't young."

No better example exists of the youth raising their game than Leslie Huffman.

Madeline's younger sister announced her arrival with a 17-point effort against Ritchie County on opening night and has yet to look back. Through the first 11 games, she is averaging 12.2 points per game on 46 percent shooting (including a career-high 24 points against Trinity) , 3.1 assists and an MOV-leading 5.8 steals per game. Her ability to hit the 3 or drive the lane has taken pressure off her sister and leading scorer Aaliyah Brunny.

"I could have never expected what she has done to this point," said Vierheller when pressed on Leslie. "I knew what kind of skillset she had but I really thought it would take her longer to progress than it has. She has learned our system so quickly and is so fundamentally sound she just doesn't make a bunch of mistakes."

The two remaining parts of PC's new Big 3 are benefitting from her emergence. Brunny tallies 18.1 points per contest on 48 percent shooting (up from her 14.5 markers per game last season). Madeline scores 14.8 markers per game (slightly down from her 15 last season) on 45 percent from the floor.

Each also concentrates on expending energies on aspects other than scoring the basketball. Both are averging over 2.5 steals per game (Brunny 4 and Madeline 2.6). Madeline dishes out 5.4 assists per game, while Brunny pulls down six rebounds from her guard/forward position.

Sophomores Madison Ross and Jenna Boice along with freshman Lainie Ross have taken inspiration from their teammates. Each making an impact with their team needing it the most.

Six of Madison's 10 points against Notre Dame came in a pivotal second quarter after a rough first eight minutes of action. Lainie has scored 10 points three separate times, while Boice's four free-throw conversions in the closing 1:30 of the Trinity game set-up Madeline's game-tying attempt at the horn.

Continuing to grow as a team remains the main priority, as the Crusaderettes turn their attention to the bulk of their Little Kanawha Conference schedule. Vierheller was quite blunt, as his team plans on another trip to the LKC Night of Champions.

"We are coming after the league title hard," said Vierheller. "We are also making a series push every day to prepare for section time. You cannot win a state title if you don't get there."

It has been a yellow brick road to Oz so far as no LKC West opponent has finished a contest within 14 points of the Crusaderettes. Fred Sauro's Yellowjackets' 61-46 loss back on Jan. 4 proved the closest margin of victory.

If there are a few things the Catholic head man wants to see his team improve on it is overall patience. Two or three passes followed by a shot doesn't always lead to the best available look.

"At times, we have a tendency to be a little impatient even with all of our experience," he said. "Sometimes, the girls trust in their own individual skills and trust one and other so much, that they feel as though they can make something happen very quickly.

"It is an area of improvement we have focused on, and we need to continue to build on the value of patience."

"Other than that, I love coaching this team," added Vierheller. "They remind me so much of last year in terms of chemistry it is uncanny. Granted, a lot of them are back, but not all of them are back, and we have a whole bunch of freshmen who have come in and bought in, and I love coaching them."