PITTSBURGH - Monessen High basketball fans have been waiting 15 years to return to Hershey for the PIAA championship.
The wait is over.
It ended Wednesday when the Lady Greyhounds (28-2) coasted to a convincing 59-41 win over two-time defending state champion Bishop Carroll (23-7) in a Class A semifinal at the Palumbo Center.
While the Monessen boys won back-to-back state titles in 1988-89 in Hershey, the Lady Greyhounds will be making their first appearance ever in Chocolate Town at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Giant Center against Pottsville Nativity BVM (25-7).
Pottsville Nativity - which clobbered Marian Catholic, 54-35, in the other semifinal - is no stranger to Hershey appearing in four of the last five finals. Pottsville won in 1999 and 2000 and lost in 2001 and 2002.
To the surprise of probably no one, senior Charel Allen was the story for Monessen.
Allen showed why she's the WPIAL's No. 2 all-time leading scorer behind Monessen assistant coach Gina Naccarato by pouring in 36 points.
"We knew they couldn't stop Charel," said Monessen coach Major Corley. "Our game plan worked to attack and take the ball to them. We got a little lackadaisical in the second quarter but picked it up in the third quarter."
Allen, who raised her career total to 3,088 points, outscored the Huskies in the first quarter with 11 points as Monessen took a 15-8 lead but made only one of five shots in the second period when the Huskies trimmed the deficit to 21-18.
Any chance Bishop Carroll had of eliminating Monessen from the state playoffs for the third straight year ended in a four minute span of the third quarter.
Leading 25-20, Monessen went on a 16-2 run with Allen scoring 11 including nine-in-a-row, assisting on a Perriel Pearson fast break basket and sophomore reserve Charrisse Bassett throwing in a three-pointer.
"I looked up and we're leading by eight and the next time we're up 20," said Corley.
"The third quarter was the key," admitted Bishop Carroll coach Bob Gongloff. "We got baited and tried to run with them."
Besides nearly matching the Huskies' point total, the 5-10 Allen displayed her versatility with a game-high 12 rebounds, four assists, five steals and three blocks.
Monessen held a commanding 36-17 advantage on the boards.
Pearson backed Allen with 12 points including four of Monessen's six points in the second period.
"We just couldn't stop Allen and Pearson makes a difference underneath," added Gongloff.
Leah Shrift, a 5-8 junior, provided most of the Huskies' offense with 18 points, all in the first three quarters.
The 18 point victory margin didn't come as a surprise to Corley.
"I thought we'd win by 20," he said. "We're probably 20 points better."
The victory was the 355th in his 18-year career.
Is it his best?
"No," he answered. "Our second WPIAL championship this year was the biggest because it came against the No. 1 team in the state Serra. We were No. 1 coming into the state playoffs."
Allen didn't have the same sentiments.
"This is bigger than the WPIAL," she smiled. "Carroll knocked us out twice and this time they didn't stop us from going to Hershey."
LEFTOVERS: Allen made 15 of 30 shots including five of 10 in the first quarter and six of nine in the decisive third period when Monessen outscored the Huskies, 23-8. All has scored 30 or more points nine times this season. Her high was 37 against Perry. Monessen finished 26 of 60 while Carroll went 16 of 45 including one of 12 from three-point range. The win was the 15th straight for Monessen. Monessen's losses were to Class AAAA Bethel Park and Class AAA North Catholic. Corley will turn 57 Sunday. Monessen will be attempting to be the first public school to ever win a state Class A title. The WPIAL had had only two state Class A champs in Mount Alvernia (1983) and St. Francis (1989). The Lady Greyhounds will leave for Hershey at noon Friday.
