Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Hopewell's Jordan Zuppe drives against Montour's Jena Kacsur in the Class AAA title game. Click photo for larger image. More WPIAL coverage: WPIAL Boys' Class AAAA: Bethel Park's Tim Picard's late run tops Albert Gallatin WPIAL Girls' Class AAAA: New Castle catches up for victory WPIAL Boys' Class AA: Aliquippa fend off Jeannette for 73-69 win WPIAL Girls' Class AA: Centurions drive past Ford City PIAA BASKETBALL PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS PIAA BASKETBALL PAIRINGS

Chris Raso made a nearly unprecedented move yesterday.

"We played a zone their first three times down the floor," said the Hopewell girls' basketball coach, whose Vikings met a familiar opponent, Montour, in the WPIAL Class AAA final.

"We did it just to throw them off a little. This was maybe the first time we used it since [Hopewell's four senior starters] were freshmen."

Raso never went back to that 3-2 defense, and although it may have been very short-term, it led to the championship zone. Again.

Hopewell opened a quick 6-0 advantage, pushed it to 10 early in the second quarter and kept it above double figures thereafter, coasting to a 44-26 victory at Duquesne University's Palumbo Center.

The Vikings (26-2) thus repeated as titlists and will begin defense of their PIAA crown Saturday. They will face either District 9 runner-up Punxsutawney or District 10 No. 3 seed General McLane, who will meet in a play-in game Tuesday.

Montour (20-7), a Section 2-AAA rival, also qualified for the PIAA AAA tournament Saturday, and will take on District 10 runner-up Sharon.

Defense certainly was a key for Hopewell, which has won 20 consecutive games, including three against Montour, by six, 19 and 18 points.

The Spartans went 0 for 6 from the field in the first quarter, and did not register a basket until 5:41 remained in the half, on Jordan Burkes' three-point play. For the afternoon, Montour made only 27 percent of its field-goal attempts (10 for 37), and was 0 for 8 on 3-pointers.

Hopewell's Joyce Novacek, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, applauded Raso's zone strategy, which he said "is based on man-to-man principles."

"They were definitely confused by that," said Novacek, who had nine points and four blocked shots.

Point guard Jordan Zuppe, who had 12 points, added, "We wanted to come out strong defensively."

The Vikings also did not allow Montour an offensive rebound, and had a substantial 38-22 bulge on the boards. Joyce Novacek's 6-1 twin, Becky, had game highs of 15 points and 12 rebounds.

"Our philosophy was, 'Give them one shot,' " Raso said.

"We didn't play our game at all. We didn't rebound," lamented Burkes, who also started in 2005 when Montour lost to Moon in the championship game. She had 13 points, the only double-figure scorer for the Spartans.

Teammate Melanie Bihler, who was averaging 15.3 points, was held to two. She hasn't fully recovered from a foot injury that kept her out of three late regular-season games, including the second one against Hopewell.

"We didn't bring our 'A' game," said Montour coach Jack Burik. "The first time we played them, at their place, I thought they were a little cocky, that they thought they could roll the ball out and win. We were able to control the pace and had a seven-point lead at halftime. We wanted to slow the pace again and grind away.

"They're very impressive. They have the ability to turn it up a notch, and I attribute that to their championship-game appearances last year. They know what they have to do."

So does Raso, whose Vikings have won four playoff contests by an average of 16 points. They want to play five more times and repeat as a PIAA champion as well.

"Before the playoffs, I told these girls we have a nine-game season," said Raso. "That's our focus, and if we stay healthy, I don't think our focus will be a problem."