Not since the days of Mercer Christian Academy has there been a dominant performance throughout the Class A girls basketball ranks like that from St. Joseph this season.
By Grant Traylor
The Herald-Dispatch
Not since the days of Mercer Christian Academy has there been a dominant performance throughout the Class A girls basketball ranks like that from St. Joseph this season.
The Irish finished off their fifth consecutive Class A title in impressive fashion, winning their state tournament games by a record average of 44.3 points and capping a 25-1 season with a 73-32 win over St. Marys in the championship.
Leading the way for the Irish was Mychal Johnson, a junior who is already committed to Notre Dame.
In 2013, Johnson's play not only led her to verbally committing to the scholarship offer from the Big East champion, it also led her to being named the captain of the Class A all-state team for the second consecutive year.
"We really couldn't have accomplished much more this season," Johnson said. "To win 25 games against our schedule, dominate the state tournament like we did and win the fifth straight title, it is special. It capped a great year."
Johnson, who was also named Gatorade West Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year last week, averaged 21.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and five steals per game on the season.
Her scoring numbers dipped slightly in the state tournament, but her complete game was on display with a pair of triple-doubles. She averaged 17.3 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and seven steals on West Virginia's biggest stage.
Johnson was joined on the first team by St. Joe teammate Griffin Dempsey, a first-team returnee who combined with Johnson to forge one of the state's top tandems.
Dempsey's final performance of the season was a 26-point effort against St. Marys in which she knocked down a state tournament-record seven 3-pointers.
Dempsey finished the year averaging 18 points per game with 81 3-pointers and a 40 percent average from beyond the arc.
The St. Joe duo was not the only returnees from the 2012 Class A All-State team. In all, five of the eight first-team members were first-team returnees.
By Grant Traylor The Herald-Dispatch
Not since the days of Mercer Christian Academy has there been a dominant performance throughout the Class A girls basketball ranks like that from St. Joseph this season.
The Irish finished off their fifth consecutive Class A title in impressive fashion, winning their state tournament games by a record average of 44.3 points and capping a 25-1 season with a 73-32 win over St. Marys in the championship.
Leading the way for the Irish was Mychal Johnson, a junior who is already committed to Notre Dame.
In 2013, Johnson's play not only led her to verbally committing to the scholarship offer from the Big East champion, it also led her to being named the captain of the Class A all-state team for the second consecutive year.
"We really couldn't have accomplished much more this season," Johnson said. "To win 25 games against our schedule, dominate the state tournament like we did and win the fifth straight title, it is special. It capped a great year."
Johnson, who was also named Gatorade West Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year last week, averaged 21.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and five steals per game on the season.
Her scoring numbers dipped slightly in the state tournament, but her complete game was on display with a pair of triple-doubles. She averaged 17.3 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and seven steals on West Virginia's biggest stage.
Johnson was joined on the first team by St. Joe teammate Griffin Dempsey, a first-team returnee who combined with Johnson to forge one of the state's top tandems.
Dempsey's final performance of the season was a 26-point effort against St. Marys in which she knocked down a state tournament-record seven 3-pointers.
Dempsey finished the year averaging 18 points per game with 81 3-pointers and a 40 percent average from beyond the arc.
The St. Joe duo was not the only returnees from the 2012 Class A All-State team. In all, five of the eight first-team members were first-team returnees.
Audra Clark led St. Marys to a 25-2 record on the season and returned to the first team after a year which she finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Parkersburg Catholic's Leah Hughes averaged 17 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game to earn repeat honors as well.
Wheeling Central's Emily Bucon averaged 15.3 points per game while shaking off a leg injury to led the Maroon Knights to the state semifinals.
In addition to the returnees, Valley Fayette's Alexis Payne, Notre Dame's Molly Angotti and Fayetteville's Jessica Brown round out the first team. All three were second-team selections a year ago.
For the second-straight year, Wheeling Central's Colleen McCormick captained the second team honorees.
Joining McCormick as a second-team returnee is Trinity's Jackie Halapy.
St. Joe's Asia Petitte was named a second-team selection, along with Buffalo's Chelsey Parkins and Williamstown's McKenzie Smith. All three were third-team selections in 2012.
Rounding out the second team was St. Marys' Kendra Walker, Clay-Battelle's MaKayla Wilkins and Magnolia's Mallory Chapman.
Tyler Consolidated junior Sophie Kinnard was named the captain of the third team.
Third-team returnees from 2012 include Huntington St. Joseph junior Rachel Lee and Meadow Bridge senior Chandra Harrah.
Also on the third team were St. Joe freshman Mychelle Johnson, Gilmer County junior Julie Bishop and a trio of seniors - Man's Summer Sword, Tucker County's Amber Evans and Tygarts Valley's Shanda Howell.
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