As Karns City girls prepare for PIAA basketball playoffs, senior Hanna Dailey has become the champions’ champion
KARNS CITY — Eight for eight is a perfect batting average.
Going eight for eight in terms of chasing team district championships is practically unheard of. Karns City senior Hanna Dailey may stand alone in that regard.
After being part of four District 9 soccer title teams with the Gremlins - scoring 104 goals in the process — Hanna became part of her fourth D-9 girls basketball championship team last weekend. She was named the title game MVP in KC’s 43-19 win over Cranberry. She scored 13 points in the contest.
Senior teammate Naomi Venesky and KC graduates Mackenzie Craig and Alyssa Gibson are other four-time district basketball champions at the school.
“We’ve probably had kids win eight district medals over three sports. But eight in two sports? I don’t believe that’s ever happened,” KC girls basketball coach Steve Andreassi said.
“I’m not sure if that’s ever happened anywhere in District 9,” said Tracy Dailey, Hanna’s mother and the Gremlins girls soccer coach. “It’s an amazing accomplishment.
“It’s all about building a culture and having the girls buy in. Both of these programs have that.”
Emma Dailey, a junior soccer player at Grove City College and Hanna’s older sister, was part of three D-9 soccer championship teams and one in basketball. She was a senior when Hanna was a freshman on the 2022-23 champion basketball team.
A four-year starter in soccer and coming off a 45-goal season, Hanna did not start her freshman year in basketball, but did see action in every game that season.
She is among the team leaders in steals and assists, and is third on the squad in scoring.
“She’s such a big part of what we do,” Andreassi said. “Hanna’s been a true leader the past couple of years, becoming very vocal on the court this year. She’s like having a coach oput there.
“As a defender, she anticipates the other team’s moves so well, much like she did in soccer. The two sports are similar in terms of reading the attack and reacting.”
Hanna agreed.
“I’ve learned to read their eyes, then anticipate,” she said. “I try to make a move on where the ball is going before they even pass it.”
Having a mother as a soccer coach, Hanna began delving in that sport as a toddler. She began playing basketball in third grade. Though basketball has always been her secondary sport — she wll play soccer as a nursing major at Shenandoah University in Virginia this fall — Hanna never considered dropping the sport in high school.
“I love the team culture and playing with all my friends too much,” she said. “I play club soccer in the spring. I wanted to play a winter sport in high school ... I needed something to do, so I joined the basketball team.”
That’s what Hanna loves to do — fill time.
Working at the Quality Life Services nursing home in Chicora during the summer and on Sundays during the school year, Hanna has received a certified nursing assistant certificate. She’s been taking nursing courses online through Butler County Community College and will enter Shenandoah as a sophomore in that school’s nursing program.
“Hanna is very driven,” her mother said. “She enjoys working with others and helping others, just like her teams work for each other in high school. That’s why they’ve succeeded so much.
“I’m a nurse and it’s a very challenging job emotionally and physically. Hanna has prepared for that.”
She realizes Karns City’s next basketball loss — the Gremlins are riding a 16-game winning streak — or a state title win will be her final high school sporting event.
“No matter how it ends, it will be bittersweet,” Hanna said. “That will be the last time I’ll pay a high school sport. It will be time to transition into getting ready for college soccer and I’m excited about that challenge as well.”
Shenandoah, a Division III soccer program, has already sent out a preseason soccer workout regimen. That begins April 24.
So it goes for Hanna Dailey, who continues to look forward, not back on being an eight-time district champion.
“I know that hasn’t sunk in yet,” Hanna said of the eight-pack of titles. “I’m sure it will eventually and I’ll be very proud of it.
“Right now? Too much going on.”
