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For Vertacnik, the losses stay with her

3 min read
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Each loss can be painful for a coach.

While Janine Vertacnik has a WPIAL Class A girls basketball championship to her credit, leading Jeannette to the championship in 2010, it’s those nagging difficult defeats that eat away at her

Vertacnik, amid her best season in her four-year tenure as Monessen’s girls basketball coach cannot shake two defeats suffered by the Greyhounds the past two seasons.

Painful playoff losses to Aquinas Academy, 34-30, in 2020 and to Union, 39-24, at home last season motivate her as much as they torment her.

Vertacnik, a three-sport – volleyball, basketball and softball – standout at California University in the 1970s, admits that without a postseason victory at Monessen, she will not be totally fulfilled despite the fact she has brought a once-proud and feared program back to respectability and now into contention.

Monessen girls improved their record to 8-3 overall Saturday and are 3-1 in the section where they only trail nemesis West Greene.

The Greyhounds are on track for postseason play for a third consecutive season.

While she’s not looking ahead, Vertacnik thinks about the playoffs.

“It’s been a process,” Vertacnik said. “We’ve made a lot of progress. We’re doing well this season.

“I want our girls to experience that. We’ve improved is so many ways. But we haven’t improved our foul shooting and we haven’t won a playoff game. The playoff losses have been devastating. Two years ago, we just weren’t ready to win.”

Monessen unraveled in the playoff loss to Aquinas Academy, allowing the game to slip away in the final minutes. Last season, the Greyhounds failed to execute and a series of events during the game submarined their chances.

“Two years ago, our youngest kids had to play late because of circumstances in the game and they had not had (playoff) experience. They just weren’t ready to handle that type of atmosphere or pressure. We missed some put backs and (Aquinas) got momentum. Last season, a couple things happened early that changed the game and we didn’t play well.

“I’m not happy about either game and I blame myself. It’s on me. It hurt them. But kids get over it quick. It’s a game to them and that’s OK. It is a game. But it’s my life and those sting.”

Nothing hurts right now for the current Greyhounds. Led by senior Mercedes Majors and a solid corps surrounding her, the needle is pointing up. They have another shot at West Greene, one of the top WPIAL Class A teams the past handful of seasons. If Monessen stays on course and improves, they’ll get another chance at winning their first playoff game since Feb. 18, 2012 – nearly 10 years ago.

“Everything we do goes to her,” said senior guard Kinsey Wilson. “Every win is important to her. You can’t ask for any more from her. She never sits down on us. She always works to help us improve on and off the court. Being part and getting her the 300th win in her career a few years ago was important to us. Winning a playoff game for her motivates us.”

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