State No. 4 Archbishop Mitty girls win 31st Central Coast Section title going away

Super freshman McKenna Woliczko and 5-star junior Morgan Cheli combine for 40 points as the Monarchs knock off familiar foe Pinewood, 74-51

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Top-seed Mitty used height and depth to thwart third-seed Pinewood 74-51 in Friday night's Central Coast Section Open Division title contest at Santa Clara University. 

The Monarchs (26-2), ranked fourth in the state and 10th nationally by SBLive Sports, captured their 31st section title, while keeping the Panthers (16-11) from winning their 15th. 

Mitty led 21-11 after the first period and never looked back.

"I was proud of our girls," Mitty coach Sue Phillips said. "We were a little stagnant in the second period, but we played hard at both ends of the floor. We've been doing that all year. We got off to a fast start."

Super Mitty freshman McKenna Woliczko made three quick hoops to ignite the charge, though Pinewood managed to tie the score at 8 thanks to a 3-pointer by Alex Facelo, who had a game-high 23 points.

McKenna Woliczko goes up for two of her team-high 22 points. Photo: Darren Yamashita / File photo by Darren Yamashita

"That was Facelo's best game of the season," Pinewood coach Doc Scheppler said. "I was proud of our whole team. They played their hearts out. Mitty is a good team. They kill you on the offensive glass."

An intense fullcourt press by Mitty caused some early Panthers turnovers. It was 21-8 when Pinewood's Jolyn Ding threw one up from halfcourt. The ball hit the backboard and went in to beat the buzzer.

Three-pointers from Facelo and Ava Uhrich got the Panthers within 32-23 late in the second period. Phillips, though, rotated in a revolving door of talented players, which wore down the feisty Panthers.

Woliczko, an athletic 6-foot-2 post, had nine rebounds and eight second-quarter points to finish with 14 by the half. She finished with a team-high 22 points. 

Five-star Morgan Cheli, an excellent defender who missed most of the season with a knee injury, joined the party in the third period, contributing 10 of her 18 points. Cheli had two 3s in the fourth quarter to help finalize the rout. She just returned to action last week giving the Monarchs an even bigger boost. As if they needed one. 

Five-star junior Morgan Cheli (33) shows no signs she slowing down from a knee injury earlier in the season. She had 18 points on Friday. Photo: Darren Yamashita

Maya Hernandez was the third Monarch in double figures with 12 points.

Ding had 13 points in a losing effort. Pinewood center Ava Urich, who had a career-high 36 points in a recent West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division game, was held to six points and four rebounds. 

"We did a good defensive job against a red-hot Pinewood team and their red-hot scorer," Phillips said. 

This was the eighth straight year the two teams had faced off in the CCS Open finals. Mitty has won seven.