Statement made: Blackhawk dominates North Catholic in non-conference battle

With seven WPIAL titles in the last 25 years, the Blackhawk High School girls’ basketball team has earned the right to be considered one of the best around.

In fact, only one program has won more – North Catholic has won nine in the same time period. Adding to the comparison, it had been a loooong time since Blackhawk had won a face-to-face matchup between the teams – a factoid not lost on this year’s unbeaten team. The fans knew the situation, too, as there was a large crowd in the stands at John C. Miller Court for a Saturday afternoon game.

“We knew we hadn’t beaten them since 2013,” said Blackhawk’s Quinn Boroni. “That didn’t make us nervous, though, it’s more like we were excited.”

That excitement bore fruit quickly, too. North Catholic scored first but that proved to be the Trojanettes’ only highlight. Before the game was five minutes old, Blackhawk had a dominant 11-3 lead

By halftime, the lead had built to 42-16 and in the final minute of the third quarter, Blackhawk had tripled North Catholic’s score at 54-18.

At the final horn, Blackhawk had improved to 11-0 with a 63-37 win. North Catholic is 9-4.

"North Catholic has been a thorn in our side,” said coach Steve Lodovico. “To win the way we did made it special, too.

“We preach balanced scoring so teams can’t focus on one girl – we seem to have a different leading scorer every night. And we focus on defense, too.”

Both focal points were obvious in the win over North Catholic – seven different players scored at least five points for the Cougars led by Boroni with 15 and Alena Fusetti with 13. North Catholic had three players in double figures – Dacia Leandowski with 14, Anna Waskiewicz with 11, and Alyna Rocco with 10 – but the rest of the team combined for two points.

“We have a different leading scorer every night,” said Casey Nixon, who had nine points. “But it’s not about us as individuals, it’s about all of us.”

“It’s not about even the starters, either,” said Boroni. “We use a lot of girls so we can wear the other teams out.”

For Lodovico, his team’s description was not new at all – in fact, he’s been hearing is all his life. Before the game, he was presented with a special basketball commemorating his 300th career win at Blackhawk before the game. The ball was presented by John Miller, who coached Lodovico as a player, on the court named for Miller. Also present were former Blackhawk girls coach Dori Anderson Oldaker and long-time athletic director Jack Fullen.

“That was unexpected,” said Lodovico. “I was congratulated when I got the 300th win a few weeks ago but to get the ball from Coach Miller was special. I wouldn’t be here without him, he taught me the game and we talk almost every day, definitely after every game.

“He gives me his thoughts and he’s one of the best ever, who wouldn’t I pass it along.”

Obviously, the message has gotten through even, this time, to North Catholic.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Statement made: Blackhawk dominates North Catholic in non-conference battle