Girls basketball games and WPIAL team wrestling playoffs make for Monday madness

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, January 26, 2020 | 10:13 PM

Monday begins the stretch run of the WPIAL basketball season as two weeks left in section play.

Some section races are clear cut. Others are jammed up like the Parkway at rush hour.

One such example for girls basketball is in Section 1-6A. Norwin and North Allegheny are a clear-cut Nos. 1 and 2 heading into Tuesday’s matchup. The middle of the pack, however, is a three-way logjam.

Three teams are deadlocked for third place Fox Chapel, Seneca Valley and Shaler are tied with 5-5 section records with four section contests remaining.

On Monday, two of those teams square off when Fox Chapel hosts Shaler. The Titans beat the Foxes earlier this season, 35-28.

Both teams still have games with Seneca Valley remaining. The Raiders visit Shaler on Thursday and then host Fox Chapel next week.

Two for 1

There are two WPIAL girls basketball games with first place or a share of the top spot in the section up for grabs.

In Section 1-4A, North Catholic visits Freeport. The defending champion and top-ranked Trojans are 10-0 in section play. The Yellow Jackets are 9-1.

Freeport has won seven in a row since losing at North Catholic, 61-42 on Jan. 2.

In Section 1-2A, another defending district champion tries to hold on to first place when Our Lady of the Sacred Heart visits Laurel.

The Chargers are in first place with a 10-0 section record, and the Spartans have won six of their last seven since losing to OLSH, 35-29.

OLSH and Laurel finished as co-section champions a year ago.

Playoffs begin

The 2020 WPIAL team wrestling playoffs begin with four Class AAA preliminary round playoff matches on Monday.

All four matches are at Canon-McMillan. At 6 p.m., Pine-Richland faces Peters Township and West Mifflin takes on Norwin. Then at 7:15 p.m., Trinity goes up against Franklin Regional while Hampton battles Chartiers Valley.

The first round and quarterfinals are scheduled for Wednesday with the semifinals and finals on Saturday.

Tags: Chartiers Valley, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Hampton, Laurel, North Catholic, Norwin, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shaler, Trinity, West Mifflin