Act II: Williamstown, Wheeling Central meet in Class AA state quarterfinals
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WILLIAMSTOWN - When Williamstown and Wheeling Central met the final week of the regular season, Yellowjacket boys basketball coach Scott Sauro had a premonition the two teams would hook up again in the near future.
The outcome would basically solve one question. Would Williamstown wear white or dark uniforms?
In an instant classic at Wheeling Central Catholic High School, the Maroon Knights defeated the Yellowjackets, 71-65, in double overtime.
As a result, Wheeling Central (19-5) received the No. 4 seed for this week's Class AA boys state tournament in Charleston. Williamstown (22-3) followed at No. 5, so a rematch is in order for quarterfinal game set for 9 p.m. on Thursday at Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
"We kind of figured we would play Wheeling Central from the way Class AA was looking in the coaches' poll and where they had us and them - we were both in the same place all year long," Sauro said.
"I told the guys just because we lost to them, all that game means is that we wear dark uniforms instead of our whites,:" Sauro continued."We are happy to have the opportunity to play them in the state tourney. They are a familiar opponent. We understand their tendencies and they understand ours as well. So it should be another good ballgame."
In the first meeting, Max Olejasz led Wheeling Central with 20 points. Three of his teammates also scored in doubles - Quinton Burlenski (13), Jeremy Ratcliffe (13) and Troy Anthony (12). Williamstown's Jayden Bryant scored a game-high 29 points, while Parker Schramm and Cruz Isaly pitched in 14 and 10 points, respectively.
"Wheeling Central has really good guard play," Sauro said. "They have a bunch of guys on the perimeter who are difficult enough to guard, then you have the big guy in Olejasz. Honestly, they made one play more than us."
Members of the Williamstown boys basketball team were in full force supporting the Yellowjacket girls basketball team last week at the state tournament which resulted in a runner-up finish. They sampled the atmosphere that awaits them when they take the floor for their turn to try and bring home a state title for the first time since 2021.
They have a coach who has experienced winning at an extremely high rate. Since the 2013-14 season under Sauro, Williamstown boys basketball has piled up 219 victories while winning at an 82% rate.
"You see the support throughout all our sports at the school," Sauro said. "The guys went to watch the volleyball win a state title and the girls vice versa when the football team won a state championship. The culture of the school is important. It's a good community with really supportive families. That's where it starts.
"The coaches put a lot of time and energy into the kids, When you combine that with the support of the administration and the talent of the athletes, that's how we create that culture."
Last week's run by the girls basketball run under coach Fred Sauro was bittersweet for the Williamstown athletic family. Scott's father coached his final game following 54 seasons with the girls program and 64 seasons overall.
Countless individuals and coaches were aware of Fred Sauro's decision, but he wanted to keep the information under wraps and keep the attention on his team.
"That was the worst kept secret - everybody knew," Scott Sauro laughed. "My dad has been invaluable to me as a coach. There is so much I've learned, and not just with X's and O's because he knows everything in that area. It's almost ridiculous - I tell him he knows too much.
"The thing about my dad is his relationships with people, players, assistant coaches, league coaches and officials. It's also with administrators, he is so good with that. People love the guy. He has done it right at Williamstown since 1984. Growing up, he never changed. So when he went on that run last week, I can't think of anybody who should have this much success than my dad.
"When November rolls around next season, trust me, he will be coming to my practices and my games and telling me what we are doing wrong."
As for the Class AA boys field for this week's state tournament, Sauro feels as many as six schools have a legitimate chance at winning a state title.
"I tell people, it always starts with defense down there," Sauro said. "Sometimes, teams can be sporadic offensively. You can't guarantee you will shoot well, but you can guarantee kids go after every ball hard and guard well, and communicate as well as they can.
"Those are things you can do to have control over what you can control."