High school roundup for Feb. 18, 2020: Central Catholic boys clamp down on Penn-Trafford

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 | 12:19 AM

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-12-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Central Catholic’s Noah Jackson dribbles the ball in front of Penn-Trafford defenders Zach Rocco Jarred Schoffstall (0) in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-15-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Penn-Trafford’s Josh Kapcin (30) drives toward the net against Central Catholic in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-16-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Penn-Trafford players gather in a huddle before taking on Central Catholic in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-13-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Penn-Trafford’s Zach Rocco dribbles around Central Catholic’s Noah Jackson (11) in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-14-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Central Catholic players huddle before heading to the court to face Penn-Trafford in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-9-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Penn-Trafford’s Zach Rocco shoots on net against Central Catholic in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-11-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Central Catholic head coach Brian Urso watches his players compete against Penn-Trafford in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-8-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Penn-Trafford’s Ben Myers (35) shoots on net as Central Catholic’s Ben Sarson (24) and Collin O’Toole defend in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

2339055_web1_GTR-GatePTgirls-10-021920 — Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Penn-Trafford’s Zach Rocco shoots on net against Central Catholic Anderson Cynkar (12) in boys’ WPIAL basketball playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Norwin High School.

Behind balanced scoring and strong team defense, No. 7 Central Catholic held off No. 10 Penn-Trafford for a 50-35 victory in a WPIAL Class 6A first-round game Tuesday night at Norwin.

Senior Ben Sarson had 11 points, and senior Colin O’Toole and junior Anderson Cynkar added nine apiece for the Vikings (13-10), who built a 26-16 lead at the half.

Senior Zach Rocco, an Army commit, led the Warriors (14-9) with 17 points.

Central Catholic will meet second-seeded Fox Chapel in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Girls basketball

Clairton 61, Eden Christian 58 — Behind 24 points from Iyanna Chapman, the fourth-seeded Bears defeated No. 13 Eden Christian in a Class A matchup. Evanti Gibson added 15 points and Taylor Jackson had 12 for Clairton (19-3), which jumped out to a 32-23 halftime lead.

Taylor Haring scored 18 points and Haylee Fleischman added 17 for Eden Christian (8-13), which outscored Clairton, 35-29 in the second half.

Clairton will meet No. 12 California in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Avella 54, Propel Andrew Street 12 — Brianna Jenkins had 11 points and Avella scored the first 23 points of the game en route to a Class A first-round victory. Breanna Lloyd added 10 points and Bess Lengauer added eight for seventh-seeded Avella (17-6), which will meet No. 2 West Greene in Friday’s quarterfinals. Keeley Brockington led No. 10 Propel Andrew Street (8-15) with four points.

Sewickley Academy 53, St. Joseph 27 — Sixth-seeded Sewickley Academy scored 33 consecutive points through the second, third and fourth quarters to pull away in a Class A first-round game. The No. 11 Spartans (3-20) trailed 17-13 late in the second quarter, but the Panthers (13-10) used a 7-0 run to end the half and scored the first 26 points of the second half. They outscored the Spartans, 22-0, in the third.

Bre Werner led the Panthers with 14 points and Kamryn Lightcap scored 10. Trinity Lockwood-Morris paced St. Joseph with 10 points.

Sewickley Academy advances to play No. 3 Vincentian Academy in the quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Shaler.

Watch the archived broadcast of Central Catholic-Penn-Trafford or listen to the archived broadcasts of Clairton-Eden Christian, Avella-Propel Andrew Street and Sewickley Academy-St. Joseph on Trib HSSN.