High school roundup for March 1, 2021: Freeport boys win playoff thriller

By: Tribune-Review
Monday, March 1, 2021 | 11:29 PM

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Cole Charleton hit a pair of free throws with 6.1 seconds left as Freeport held on for a 65-64 preliminary round victory over Blackhawk in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Monday night.

Vinnie Clark scored 18 and Connor Holloway 16 for No. 17 Freeport (6-8), which will meet No. 1 Belle Vernon in Thursday’s first round. Ryan McClymonds scored 19 points and Carson Heckathorn added 15 for No. 16 Blackhawk (6-7), which trailed by as many as 12 in the fourth quarter but took the lead in the final minute on a 3-pointer by Sean McCusker and a steal and a bucket by Ryan Jones.

Beaver 62, Uniontown 56 – Led by 15 points from Tyler Ziggas, No. 19 Beaver (2-16) pulled off the upset of the preliminary round in Class 4A. Sawyer Butler added 14 and Josh Hill 12. Bakari Wallace scored 16 and Damarr Lewis added 13 for No. 14 Uniontown (6-10). Beaver will meet No. 3 Montour in the first round.

New Brighton 70, Waynesburg 50 – JoJo Reynolds scored 23 points, Gabe Haddox added 13, and No. 13 New Brighton (8-9) took a 16-2 lead in the first quarter and made it stand up in a Class 3A preliminary round game. Chase Henkins led No. 20 Waynesburg (2-16) with 12 points. New Brighton will meet No. 4 Aliquippa on Thursday.

Laurel 77, East Allegheny 57 – Sam Haswell scored 23 points and Bobby Dicks added 20, including five 3-pointers, to lead No. 12 Laurel (11-10) in Class 3A. Marcus Haswell added 18 for Laurel, which will meet No. 5 Washington in the first round. Mike Smith led No. 21 East Allegheny (1-12) with 18 points. Nico Pugliano added 10.

McGuffey 64, Mohawk 28 – Ethan Janovich scored 26 points and Christian Cipoletti added 11 as No. 15 McGuffey (10-6) rolled into the first round in Class 3A. Jackson Miller led No. 18 Mohawk (3-19) with 14 points. Jay Wrona had 10.

Charleroi 61, Steel Valley 44 – Will Wagner scored 29 points, Jake Caruso added 12, and No. 10 Charleroi (12-5) won in Class 3A to pick up its first playoff victory in 24 years. Charleroi will meet No. 7 Beaver Falls in the first round. Jay Burt led No. 23 Steel Valley (0-5) with 17 points. Makhai Valentine added 11.

Apollo-Ridge 64, Beth-Center 46 – Jake Fello scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures as No. 14 Apollo-Ridge (9-5) rolled in Class 3A. Dom Reiter added 15, Gage Johnson 12 and Keighton Reese 10 for the Vikings, who will meet No. 3 Shady Side Academy in the first round Thursday. Rueben Miller led Beth-Center (5-11) with 17 points.

Ellwood City 72, Valley 20 – Freshman Joe Roth scored a career-high 33 points to lead No. 11 Ellwood City (10-4) in Class 3A. Steve Antuono added 12 and Alexander Roth 11. Thomas Albert scored eight for No. 22 Valley (2-13). Ellwood City will meet No. 6 Avonworth in the first round.

Girls basketball

Mars 47, Gateway 33 – Ava Black scored 18 points and Kaitlyn Pelaia added 12 as No. 16 Mars (9-9) pulled away for a preliminary round victory in Class 5A. The Fightin’ Planets will meet No. 1 Trinity in the first round Thursday. Dynasty Shegog led No. 17 Gateway (7-11) with 15 points.

Fox Chapel 69, Ringgold 25 – Domenica Delaney scored 15 points and Ellie Schwartzman added 14 for No. 8 Fox Chapel (11-7) in Class 5A. Elsie Smith added 11 and Marissa Ritter 10 for the Foxes, who will face No. 9 Penn Hills in the first round. Angelina Massey led No. 25 Ringgold (2-14) with 11 points.

Penn Hills 56, Uniontown 19 – Hannah Pugliese scored 14 points, Jasmyn Golden added 10, and No. 9 Penn Hills (10-6) cruised in Class 5A. Nekea Lewis led No. 24 Uniontown (3-17) with 12 points. Penn Hills will meet No. 8 Fox Chapel in the first round.

Albert Gallatin 57, Greensburg Salem 44 – Bryn Bezjak scored 25 points and No. 13 Albert Gallatin (14-6) pulled away with a 22-12 advantage in the second quarter in Class 5A. Olivia Miller added 10 points for the Colonials, who will meet No. 4 Thomas Jefferson in the first round. Abby Mankins led No. 20 Greensburg Salem (8-12) with 31 points.

Armstrong 59, Franklin Regional 41 – Emma Paul scored 23 points and Shaelyn Clark added 18 to help No. 12 Armstrong (10-5) to a Class 5A victory. The River Hawks will meet No. 5 Woodland Hills in the first round. Senior Maria Brush led Franklin Regional (5-10) with 18 points.

McKeesport 54, Kiski Area 31 – Avionna Menifee scored 16 points to lead No. 7 McKeesport (15-4) to a Class 5A win. Brooke Evans and Rachel Manfredo had eight each for the Tigers, who will meet No. 10 Oakland Catholic in the first round. Samantha Worthing and Dejah Burnett scored 11 points apiece for No. 26 Kiski Area (3-17).

Oakland Catholic 73, Laurel Highlands 10 – Halena Hill scored 24 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and Alexa Washington added 11 in a Class 5A victory for No. 10 Oakland Catholic (11-9). Alessandra Peccon led Laurel Highlands (4-15) with five points. Oakland Catholic will take on No. 7 McKeesport on Thursday.

Moon 40, Indiana 32 – Emma Theodorsson poured in 26 points to help No. 14 Moon (7-11) earn a matchup in the Class 5A first round with No. 3 Hampton. Isabella Antonacci scored 11 and Katie Kovalchick 10 for No. 19 Indiana (8-10).

South Fayette 48, Connellsville 30 – Mia Webber scored 14 points, Maddie Webber hit four 3-pointers, and No. 11 South Fayette (14-5) earned a first-round matchup with No. 6 Latrobe in Class 5A. Hillary Claycomb led No. 22 Connellsville (6-8) with 14 points.

Regular season

North Allegheny 64, Thomas Jefferson 40 – Lizzy Groetsch scored 11 points, Cam Phillips added 10, and Class 6A No. 1 North Allegheny (21-1) won a nonsection tuneup. Graci Fairman scored 14 and Lexi Dadig 10 for Class 5A No. 4 Thomas Jefferson (11-9).

West Greene 66, Aquinas Academy 38 – Anna Durbin scored 16 points and Jersey Wise added 15 for Class A No. 2 West Greene (16-3) in a nonsection win. Emilia Kartsonas scored 14 for Class A No. 4 Aquinas Academy (12-5).

East Allegheny 51, Monessen 43 – Abby Henderson scored 21 points for East Allegheny (7-6) in a nonsection win. Mercedes Majors led Monessen (9-11) with 20 points.

Leechburg 48, Geibel 16 – Led by 13 points apiece from Maggie Heck and Alyssa Foley and 12 from Olivia Vigna, Leechburg (3-9) picked up a nonsection win. Alex Caldwell had eight for Geibel (0-12).

Tags: Freeport