Kaylen Sharrow back to lead Burrell girls basketball team

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 | 11:09 PM

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Yes, she’s still there.

It only seems like Kaylen Sharrow has been at Burrell for about eight years instead of four.

But the last link to the great Burrell teams from 2011-17 era is back for her senior season.

A standout in track and field and basketball for the Bucs, Sharrow was worked into the lineup as a freshman on the 2015-16 team that beat nemesis and then-reigning WPIAL champion Bishop Canevin, 47-32, in the second round of the PIAA playoffs.

Sharrow made her first varsity start that night and scored four of the Bucs’ first nine points. She will be expected to provide a steadying presence for the youthful Bucs under first-year coach Joel Ceraso.

“I feel like I bring leadership to the team,” Sharrow said. “When we’re down, I try to cheer them up and give them the energy to make everything better, even if it’s not going as well.”

Said Ceraso: “I look for Kaylen to be a leader. She’s been part of a very successful track and field team and really knows the commitment it takes to succeed.”

The other senior starter returning is Grace Omecinski, another veteran player who saw time as a freshman three seasons ago.

“She’s been part of this program for four years and was instrumental last year,” Ceraso said of Omecinski. “I’m glad she’ll be a major part of this program.”

Another returnee being counted on is Maia Ferra, who Ceraso describes as someone a coach wants to be around the program.

“She is a multisport athlete,” Ceraso said. “Her main focus is soccer, but you still need kids like Maia at a small school like Burrell.”

One of Ceraso’s main goals is to increase player participation.

“It’s a little slow in building the numbers,” Ceraso said. “Just trying to get things, numbers-wise good again.”

Ceraso will have a core of 12 players to work with and hopes to field a junior varsity team.

“We’re going to play a lot of freshmen. Three will see significant varsity minutes,” he said. “They’ve put time in the gym. They’re skilled. They lack what every freshman lacks: physicality. They’re only 14 years old, and they’ll have to adjust to the speed of the game.”

Ceraso guided Leechburg to 58 victories in the last four seasons and came to Burrell after coach Meaghan Volek was not rehired.

It will be Sharrow’s third coach in as many seasons.

“It’s crazy at first, but once you understand the new coach, then it’s easy to flow with them,” Sharrow said. “After a while, you can work together and figure it out.”

Burrell’s Section 1-4A will be a challenge for even the stout-hearted.

Defending champion North Catholic leads the pack as the Trojans seek their 44th straight playoff berth.

Freeport and Apollo-Ridge also are expected to be strong contenders among the eight in the section alignment.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Burrell