We have spent the season saluting to top efforts on the basketball courts of Western Pennsylvania with the KDKA Radio Super 7 Watch List. But today, as we approach next week’s WPIAL Championship games, we honor the coaches.
KDKA Radio is proud to announce the winners of the Super 7 Basketball Coach of the Year Awards, given out to the top coaches from each WPIAL boys and girls classification and the Pittsburgh City League.
“We are privileged to honor these phenomenal leaders every year,” said Michael Spacciapolli, senior vice president and market manager of Audacy Pittsburgh. “I know how difficult it is for our panel of 12 coaches, writers and analysts to select the winners as there are so many great coaches across the WPIAL and city league.
“Coaches have a significant impact on the results on the court but more importantly their impact off the court is profound and KDKA has a deep respect for what they mean to these student athletes and communities they coach in.”
Below are the winners of the KDKA Super 7 Coach of the Year Awards.
BOYS
Class 6A: Brian Urso, Central Catholic - Maybe the best coaching work in all of the WPIAL happened in Oakland. After losing four starters from last year’s title-winning squad, including one of the WPIAL’s top players in Dante DePante, Urso rebuilt the Vikings and won the Section 1-6A title with a new cast of characters and some incredible work on the sidelines.
Class 5A: Gino Palmosina, Moon - The Tigers increased their regular win total by seven games from last season, going 19-3 while finishing Section 4-5A play with an unbeaten mark and earning the top overall seed in the Class 5A postseason. Moon’s defense was the third-best in the class.
Class 4A: Joe Lafko, Hampton - Lafko, in his 27th season, was able to lead the Talbots to an undefeated mark in an extremely competitive Section 1-4A while earning the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Hampton’s defense allowed just 46.2 points per game, the top mark in Class 4A.
Class 3A: Albie Fletcher, Deer Lakes - With targets on their back following last season’s WPIAL title, the Lancers handled that pressure swimmingly, going 17-4 in the regular season and grabbing the top spot in the Class 3A postseason while scoring 64.6 points per game.
Class 2A: Nick Lackovich, Aliquippa - Aliquippa had to wait for almost its entire roster to finish off its run to a state football title, but was able to transition well en route to a 17-5 regular season and unbeaten mark in Section 1-2A and top seed. The Quips let up only 42.5 points per game, one of the WPIAL’s best marks.
Class 1A: Sean Keaton, Rochester - A year ago, the Rams finished under .500 with an 11-14 record and first round postseason exit. A year later and Rochester has become a power, going 15-6 in the regular season and 9-1 in Section 1-1A.
City League: Devin Crummie, Allderdice - The Dragons were able to seamlessly defend their City League crown by going 19-4 and toppling Obama Academy in the title game behind another strong defensive showing.
GIRLS
Class 6A: Steve Limberiou, Peters Township - With talented players like Natalie Wetzel and Gemma Walker, Limberiou and the Indians won their first 20 games, going from a 13-win season last year to a 21-1 regular season and Section 2-6A crown.
Class 5A: Eddie Benton, Jr., Oakland Catholic - In his second year leading the Eagles, Benton’s team capped off the program’s first unbeaten regular season in over two decades, earning the top seed in Class 5A with a 22-0 record. Oakland Catholic led Class 5A in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
Class 4A: Stewart Davis, Laurel Highlands - One of the better turnarounds in the WPIAL occurred at Laurel Highlands, where the Mustangs went from 11-12 last season to an 18-2 record this year, doing so behind a defense that surrendered only 28.6 points per game.
Class 3A: Chris Minerd, Waynesburg Central - Waynesburg was able to put together a second straight 20-win season by going 20-2 in the regular season. The Raiders led Section 4-3A in points per game scored and allowed while sharing the section title with South Park.
Class 2A: Dwight Lindsey, Aliquippa - A year after putting together a respectable 12-12 season, the Quips’ girls team matched the success of the boys squad, going 19-3 in the regular season and claiming the Section 1-2A title while sporting a stifling defense. Give Lindsey double credit — his son, Cam, is the top player on the Quips’ boys team.
Class 1A: Anna Leonard, Jeannette - No coach in the WPIAL went through what Leonard did this year, as the Jayhawks regularly took the floor with only five players available. Jeannette had to postpone multiple games when a player was in a car accident, but still managed to reach the playoffs.
City League: Ellen Guillard, Allderdice - A year after getting blasted by 46 points in the City League girls championship, Guillard and the Dragons got revenge by running away with the title over Obama Academy, 62-39, to move to 14-9 on the season.