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1,000's are wild at NC

These three North Catholic girls basketball players, from left, Tess Myers, Kylee Lewandowski and Dani Short, reached the 1,000-point plateau for the Trojanettes this season.
Trojanettes' Myers, Short, Lewandowski hit mark this year

CRANBERRY TWP — Three 1,000-point scorers on the same high school team?

Such a scenario seems unheard of — unless that school is North Catholic and the team is girls basketball.

Tess Myers, Dani Short and Butler resident Kylee Lewandowski all hit the 1,000-point plateau for the Trojanettes this season.

“It may have happened here before,” coach Molly Rottmann said. “We might have had three when I played. But, yes, it is very, very rare.

“For three teammates to do that, each has to be an unselfish player, not caring about who gets the points when. And all three of these girls are exactly that way.”

Myers and Short reached 1,000 points in the same game this season.

“I've never seen that happen before,” Rottmann said, smiling.

North Catholic has won more than 430 games in Rottmann's 21 years as head coach. The Trojanettes are three-time WPIAL Class 4A champions and averaged 70.4 points per game in the regular season — most in the entire WPIAL.

Myers and Lewandowski average 15 points per game and are both juniors. Lewandowski scored 185 points her freshman year at Butler and has tallied 825 points in two years at North Catholic.

Short, a senior, averages 10 points per game. She carries a 4.84 grade point average and will continue her career at Brown University, where she will major in political science.

“I had no idea I was anywhere close to 1,000 points,” Short said. “When they said I got it, I was totally surprised. I never kept track of that stuff.”

Myers scored 25 points in the Trojanettes' PIAA quarterfinal win over Villa Maria. Myers and Lewandowski will likely crack the 1,500 point barrier next season.

“The game I reached 1,000 was supposed to be a surprise,” Myers said, laughing. “But I saw my dad's text about it and found out what was going on.

“I definitely want to play ball in college, but I haven't thought much about where. The Atlantic 10 would be nice, maybe Division I-AA ... It will have to fit my academics.”

Lewandowski scored her 1,000th point in the second round of the PIAA playoffs, during a furious North Catholic comeback that wiped out a 16-point deficit against Blackhawk.

“I knew I was getting close (to 1,000), but wasn't sure how close,” Lewandowski said. “When they announced (over the p.a. system,) that I got it, I was thrilled.

“It's been my dream for a long time to play Division I college basketball. I'm still working on my game, still trying to make that happen.”

Along with scoring points, this trio brings other things to the floor for the Trojanettes.

Short and Lewandowski grab rebounds and block shots. Lewandowski tallies plenty of assists and steals, as does Myers, who joins Emma Pospisil as a playmaker for the team's offensive attack.

“All three are different threats offensively, too,” Rottmann said. “Dani gets her points in the paint. Kylee can slash to the basket and hit jumpers. Tess can hit shots from all over the floor.”

And they know when each other is on the way to having a big game.

“Yeah, we can sense that,” Short said.

“We have a feel for it,” Myers said. “It could be any one of us from one game to the next. I think that makes us harder to defend.”

Lewandowski concurred.

“A lot of times, it depends on who we're playing,” she said. “If it's a team, we can control inside, we get the ball to Dani. If Tess or myself or someone else gets off to a fast start, we'll find ways to get that person the ball.”

The Trojanettes have found ways to score — and win — all season.

“It's been a fun group to coach,” Rottmann said. “They've played so many games together the past couple of years, they've learned how to function as a unit.

“That's rewarding to see.”

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