A-K Valley lookahead for week of Dec. 31, 2018

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, December 30, 2018 | 10:33 PM

WEDNESDAY

Wrestling : Burrell, the dominant team in Section 3-AA for a decade and a half, will visit resurgent Highlands. The Bucs (2-1, 2-0) routed South Allegheny and Riverview in their first two section duals, not surrendering a team point. Highlands (7-5, 1-1) is looking to keep up a strong start in its return to Class AA.

Plum (1-1, 1-1) is seeking to continue a push toward the WPIAL playoffs as it hosts Penn-Trafford (0-2, 0-2) in a Section 1-AAA match. Plum freshman Vince Citrano is coming off a championship at the Steve DeAugustino Holiday Classic at West Mifflin.

Boys basketball: Fox Chapel, coming off a two-game split at the Peter Sauer Memorial Tournament at Shady Side Academy, will host McKeesport (5-3) in a nonsection game. The Foxes (4-4) will try to slow McKeesport’s 6-foot-5 standout Deamontae Diggs.

THURSDAY

Girls basketball: Winners of seven consecutive games, Freeport will face its most difficult challenge yet as top-ranked North Catholic, the defending WPIAL Class 4A champion, visits for a Section 1-4A game. The Trojans (6-1) suffered their first loss of the season Friday at Penn Hills. Six of Freeport’s seven wins during its current streak came by double digits.

Coming off a win in the Apollo Trust Holiday Classic, Apollo-Ridge will look to continue its strong start to Section 1-4A competition as it visits Knoch. The Vikings (7-1, 2-1) are playing up in Class 4A voluntarily and are having success thus far. Knoch (4-4, 2-1), on a three-game losing streak, will try to end that skid and move above Apollo-Ridge in the section standings.

Burrell will attempt to climb back into the Section 1-4A race as the Bucs (3-5, 1-2) visit Indiana. The Indians (2-7, 0-3) have lost six consecutive games. The Bucs can move into a tie for fourth place with a win.

Hockey: Unbeaten Burrell (12-0) will begin the post-holiday portion of its schedule with a Division II game at Central Valley (6-5-0-2). The Bucs had a close shave in their most recent game, needing to rally from a four-goal deficit in the first period to beat Ringgold.

FRIDAY

Boys basketball: Former section rivals Freeport and Highlands are back together, and Highlands will host the Yellowjackets in a Section 1-4A contest. Both teams are coming off perfect weekends at their holiday tournaments, with Highlands (5-2, 1-0) winning its championship and Freeport (6-2, 1-0) sweeping its round-robin.

Burrell won its past two Section 3-3A games, and the Bucs (3-6, 2-1) will host first-place Deer Lakes in a key early-season game. The Lancers (5-3, 2-0) saw their four-game winning streak end on the second day of the holiday tournament.

Apollo-Ridge will look to continue its hot streak as it visits Summit Academy (3-3, 2-1) in a Section 1-2A game. The Vikings (5-5, 2-1) have won five games in a row.

Riverview and St. Joseph are not in the same section anymore, but they will meet for a nonsection game. Riverview (4-3) started hot with three consecutive wins but is looking to snap a run of three losses in four games. St. Joseph (8-2) has won three consecutive games.

Wrestling : The Westmoreland County Coaches Association championships begin at Norwin, with Burrell, Kiski Area and Valley competing. Kiski Area is the defending team champion. The Cavaliers won their third consecutive title last season.

SATURDAY

Wrestling: The WCCA championships conclude. Kiski Area senior Darren Miller will aim for his third county individual title after winning each of the last two seasons.

Boys basketball: Deer Lakes will host red-hot Knoch in a nonsection game. The Knights (6-3) have won four straight games and averaged 84 points in wins over Kiski Area and Eden Christian at Freeport’s holiday tournament.

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Doug at dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dgulasy_Trib.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski School, Knoch, Leechburg, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, St. Joseph, Valley