Hopewell capped its successful season last month with its second consecutive PIAA title.

Yesterday, coach Chris Raso and senior Joyce Novacek were honored by the Associated Press for the Vikings' success.

Raso, who led Hopewell to a 31-2 mark, was named Class AAA coach of the year for the second season in a row.

Novacek, a 6-foot-2 center who averaged 13.6 points per game, was selected to the AP's Class AAA all-state first team for the second year in a row. Her sister, Becky, was named to the third team and teammate Jordan Zuppe made the second team.

Southmoreland's Vanessa Abel, a West Virginia recruit who averaged nearly 28 points per game, also was selected to the Class AAA first team.

In Class AAAA, New Castle senior Jaleese Sams was selected to the first team for the second time. Sams, a North Carolina A&T recruit, scored 19.5 points per game.

New Castle coach Luann Grybowski was named Class AAAA coach of the year after leading her team to a WPIAL title and a 28-2 record.

In Class AA, Greensburg Central Catholic's Ashley Henderson, a Pitt recruit, made the first team for the second year in a row.

North Catholic guard April Austin was selected to the Class A first team.

York Catholic rolled to its second consecutive Class AA championship last month, going 35-0 and winning all but four games by double-digit margins. Not surprisingly, the Fighting Irish's Megan Stewart (15.6 points per game, 4.5 steals) and Amanda Weaver, a 1,780-point career scorer, were voted to the first team. Their coach, Kevin Bankos, was a runaway choice as the coach of the year.

Lakeview's Sheena Aden, Westmont Hilltop's Krista Britcher and Germantown Academy's Caroline Doty also were repeat selections on the Class AA all-state first team.

Aden, chosen for the third year in a row, became District 10's all-time leading scorer with 2,392 points. Britcher, a 1,900-point scorer, helped Westmont win three District 6 titles during her career.

Doty, the Class AA player of the year and a Connecticut recruit, was the centerpiece of a Germantown Academy team that beat PIAA Class AAAA champion Cheltenham by 22 points on its way to finishing 26-3. Her school does not belong to the PIAA and thus could not compete for a state title.

The Class AAA player of the year is Slippery Rock's Jence Rhoads, who averaged 22.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.7 steals in taking a team with no other senior starters to the PIAA quarterfinals. A Vanderbilt recruit, Rhoads ended her career with 2,170 points.