Jeannette Jayhawks win first WPIAL title since Terrelle Pryor-led team captured gold in 2008

The Westmoreland County school captured the its second title in school history by knocking off Union, 63-39.

Noah Sunder goes up for a layup during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game Friday night at Petersen Events Center. Sunder scored eight points and Jeannette won its first WPIAL championship since 2008 and second in school history. / Josh Rizzo

PITTSBURGH -- No player on the Jeannette Jayhawks boys basketball team would have been alive to see Terrelle Pryor play in high school. But any member of the current Jayhawks who grew up in the Jeannette community wouldn’t be able to avoid stories of his achievement.

During Pryor’s senior year, he led the Jayhawks to WPIAL and PIAA titles in football and basketball. The current Jayhawks spent time during the lead up to the WPIAL Class 2A title game this week watching highlights of the 2008 title team.

Jeannette forward Xavier Odorisio-Farrow was impressed with their hustle. Third-seeded Jeanette mimicked that team’s defensive effort to smother Union, 63-39, to win the school’s second championship. 

“We saw how hard they played,” said Odorisio-Farrow, who finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. “Everybody was on the ground. All of them were getting back.”

Xavier Odorisio-Farrow slides in for a layup past Union's Aiden Booker during the fourth quarter of the Jayhawks' 63-39 win over Union Friday night at Petersen Events Center. Odorisio-Farrow finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for Jeannette. / Josh Rizzo

The Jayhawks (22-2) held the Union Area Scotties to 26.5 percent (13-of-49) shooting from the field and 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from the 3-point line.

Lucas Stanley led Union with 17 points, but only shot 6-of-20 from the field.

“They are a great defensive team,” Stanley said. “They came off picks and hedged out. I had some good shots, but I didn’t make the most of them because of their defense.”

Jeannette coach Adrian Batts, who was an assistant coach when Pryor played, stressed building their own legacy before the season started. Pryor was a star quarterback at Ohio State and later spent seven years in the NFL playing for five different teams before retiring in 2018.

“I told the guys they need to create their own legacy,” Batts said. 

Batts saw the potential for this iteration of the Jayhawk last summer. The Jayhawks played well at their own summer tournament, the Tre Cunningham Tournament. Jeannette also went up to State College and played in an event where it reached the finals.

Once the Jayhawks’ football team reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals, Batts felt Jeannette was in a great spot.

“I knew we had a chance,” Batts said. “And then, you know, once they had the run in football, I knew that would help catapult us for basketball.”

Jeannette opened the season with 11 consecutive wins. The Jayhawks only losses this season came to section rival Greensburg Central Catholic, which prevented Jeannette from winning the section title.

Jeannette guard Jayce Powell was confident the Jayhawks could win the WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball title game. Powell finished with a team-high 14 points in the win. / Josh Rizzo

Entering the playoffs, Jeannette guard Jayce Powell didn’t think the Jayhawks would be intimidated by any environment. During the WPIAL semifinals, Odorisio-Farrow highlighted an 45-25 upset of Sewickley Academy with a dunk over 6-foot-8 forward Mamadou Kane.

“No game’s ever too big for us,” said Powell, who was named MVP of the WPIAL championship game after scoring 14 points and grabbing three rebounds. “We’ve been playing together all of our lives. We have that chemistry together.”

Jeannette used that togetherness to hit one of the markers set by Pryor. The Jayhawks would like to hit a few more that future generations of Jayhawks will have to emulate.

“We wanted to come out and show that we are good at every spot,” said guard Kymon’e Brown, who finished with six points and six rebounds against Union. “We’re athletes. We’re just a great group of guys that are able to win.”

--Josh Rizzo |rizzo42789@gmail.com| @J_oshrizzo

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