Photo by Kim North Wheeling Central’s Seneca Heller shoots over top of Steubenville’s Nylah McShan during Monday afternoon’s contest in East Wheeling. The Maroon Knights used pressure defense to pull away in the second half for a 56-39 victory.

EAST WHEELING — Something had to give Monday afternoon when a pair of unbeaten girls’ basketball teams collided.

Wheeling Central (5-0) remained perfect with a superb defensive performance in the second half for a 56-39 victory over Steubenville on Coach Skip Prosser Court.

Trailing 28-24 at the half, the Maroon Knights turned up the defensive pressure in the third quarter, especially, forcing Big Red (9-1) into eight turnovers that led to a few fastbreaks.

“Our girls stepped it up defensively in the second half,” Wheeling Central head coach Roberta Olejasz said. “We wanted to apply a lot of pressure out front and that resulted in some turnovers that led to some runouts. That’s what we like to do.”

The pressure defense limited Steubenville to 11 points in the second half, but Big Red still led 36-35 with a quarter to go. They only mustered three points in the final eight minutes while turning the ball over five times for a total of 22.

“They are a good team and they got after it today. They were very physical and we did not match that physicality today,” Steubenville head coach Angie Forte said. “They outlasted us.”

Senior Seneca Heller netted seven of her game-leading 21 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Maroon Knights. She also turned in nine steals, seven assists and four rebounds.

“Seneca had a Seneca day,” Olejasz noted. “She can do it all when she wants to.”

Heller gave Wheeling Central a 35-33 advantage with a five-point burst, but Steubenville used three points from Clarion-bound Nylah McShan for a 36-35 lead.

However, the Maroon Knights went on a 13-0 run to open the fourth quarter and never looked back. Senior Erin Maxwell tallied eight of her career-high 20 points in the final chapter to allow the hosts to pull away.

“We rebounded the ball extremely well,” Olejasz said. “Hailey and Erin really battled on the boards.”

The athletic McShan led Steubenville with 17 points. Mikah Taylor added 10 and Phynyx Fleming eight.

“We did not secure the ball or do a good job of just getting it past halfcourt,” Forte added. “They had a couple of key steals that extended their lead and the momentum shifted their way.”

Wheeling Central held a 30-24 edge off the glass as Hailey Severns led the way with 11 and Bella Fitzsimmons had eight. McShan grabbed eight to lead Steubenville.

Wheeling Central was guilty of 12 turnovers, with 10 coming in the middle two quarters.

The teams combined for an ice-cold 2-for-32 from beyond the bonus arc, with Wheeling Central knocking down 2 of 19. Steubenville was 0-for-13.

“We didn’t shoot it well from the outside, but we got the rebound and put it back in,” Olejasz said.