High school roundup for March 20, 2021: Beaver drops heartbreaker, Rochester rolls in state playoffs

By: Tribune-Review
Saturday, March 20, 2021 | 7:23 PM

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Freshman Jayden McBride hit a free throw with 14.7 seconds left to score the only point of overtime as Villa Maria Academy knocked off Beaver, 29-28, in a battle of undefeated teams in the PIAA Class 4A girls basketball playoffs Saturday afternoon.

Billed as a matchup of stingy defensive teams, the game was as advertised. Fouled on a layup attempt in the final minute, McBride hit the second of two attempts from the line to put the District 10 champs ahead by a point. Beaver’s Payton List responded with the would-be game-winning basket with 2.3 seconds left, but she was called for a charge on the play.

List and Emma Pavelek led Beaver (20-1) with 10 points apiece. Rachel Majewski led Villa Maria (19-0) with eight points. Ava Wade, who scored the tying basket in the final five seconds of regulation, had six. Villa Maria will meet District 3 champion Delone Catholic (20-1) in Tuesday’s semifinals.

Rochester 61, Kennedy Catholic 48 — Rochester’s quest for a Class A state title, stopped in the quarterfinals by the cancellation of the playoffs last year, rolled on into the PIAA semifinals with a victory over previously undefeated District 10 champion Kennedy Catholic on Saturday.

Corynne Hauser scored 19 points and Alexis Robison added 17 for the Rams, who pulled away in the second half, outscoring Kennedy Catholic 19-9 in the third quarter. The Rams (16-3) will meet District 9 champion Bishop Guilfoyle (15-4) on Tuesday.

Bellah Dinardo scored 19 points and Paris Gilmore added 13 for Kennedy Catholic (19-1).

Tags: Beaver, Rochester