High school roundup for March 12, 2022: Moon edges out WPIAL champion South Fayette

By: Tribune-Review
Saturday, March 12, 2022 | 10:37 PM

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There hasn’t been much separating the Moon and South Fayette girls basketball teams all season. They tied for second place in Section 1-5A with 7-3 records, splitting a pair of regular-season matchups.

They were evenly matched again in a PIAA Class 5A second-round matchup Saturday.

This time, the Tigers got the better of things by the narrowest of margins.

Reilly Sunday scored 20 points and Emma Theodorsson had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds as Moon knocked out WPIAL champion South Fayette, 46-45.

Moon (21-5) trailed 13-6 after the first quarter. The Tigers advanced to face McKeesport in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Mia Webber scored 13 points to lead South Fayette (23-5).

Chartiers Valley 70, Hollidaysburg 47 – Perri Page scored 20 points and Aislin Malcolm added 17 as WPIAL runner-up Chartiers Valley advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals for the fourth straight year with a Class 5A win. The Cowan twins combined for 27 points, 18 for Hallie and nine for Helene, for the Colts (26-2), who will meet the winner of Sunday’s game between Gettsyburg and Bangor on Wednesday. Alison Hatijik scored 15 points, Marin Miller added 14 and Sydney Lear had 11 for Hollidaysburg (24-2).

McKeesport 68, Oakland Catholic 56 – Rachel Manfredo had 25 points and Brooke Evans scored 12 to propel McKeesport (22-5) past Oakland Catholic (15-11) in the second round of the PIAA playoffs. Rachel Haver poured in a game-high 27 points for the Eagles. McKeesport will face Moon in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Class 4A

Delone Catholic 34, Knoch 26 – Delone Catholic (28-1) outscored Knoch 10-2 in the fourth quarter to pull out a win in the PIAA second round. Mount St. Mary’s recruit Giana Hoddinott led Delone Catholic with 12 points. Karlee Buterbaugh paced the Knights (22-4) with nine points and Nina Shaw scored six. Delone Catholic advanced to play the winner of Sunday’s game between Allentown Central Catholic and Lansdale Catholic in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Class A

Otto-Eldred 56, Bishop Canevin 51 – Otto-Eldred erased a 10-point third quarter deficit to comeback and oust WPIAL champion Bishop Canevin (18-10) in the second round of the PIAA playoffs. The Terrors (24-3) had a 25-10 advantage in the fourth. They advanced to play Kennedy Catholic in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Ashley Lippold led the Crusaders with 12 points. Rachel Boehm had 11 and Josie Bochicchio and Mackenzie Huet each had 10.

Union 38, Elk County 35 – Union (22-2) led 28-10 at halftime and held off a late rally by Elk County (19-4) to earn a win in the PIAA second round. The Scotties are in the state quarterfinals for the first time in school history. They’ll face Portage on Wednesday.

Boys basketball

Class 3A

Aliquippa 53, Neshannock 45 – DJ Walker netted 21 points to help Aliquippa (19-8) top Neshannock (19-6) in the second round of the PIAA playoffs. Brandon Banks and Quinton Good added 12 points each for the Quips. Michael Sopko led the Lancers with 17 points and Jack Glies scored 11. Aliquippa advanced to play Avonworth in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Avonworth 66, Ellwood City 50 – Avonworth erased a four-point third quarter deficit by outscoring Ellwood City 23-3 in the fourth to earn a win in the second round of the PIAA playoffs. Jordan Kolenda had 23 points for the Antelopes (20-7) and Rowan Carmichael netted 15. Joe Roth recorded a double-double with 28 points and 14 rebounds and Steve Antuono had 10 points for Ellwood City (22-4). Avonwoth will face Aliquippa in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Avonworth also defeated Ellwood City in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

South Allegheny 68, Shady Side Academy 59 — Bryce Epps and Michael Micalski each scored six points in the second overtime as South Allegheny (19-7) rallied to defeat WPIAL champion Shady Side Academy (19-7) in the second round of the PIAA playoffs at North Allegheny. Epps had 29 points and 10 rebounds while Micalski had 19 points and seven rebounds. Down 45-28 early in the fourth period, South Allegheny outscored Shady Side Academy 19-2 to send the game into overtime. Eli Teslovich led Shady Side Academy with 19 points and eight rebounds. Josh Chu had nine rebounds for the Bulldogs, who opened the second half with a 13-0 run. South Allegheny will play Bishop Guilfoyle in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Class 2A

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 74, Carlynton 43 – Jake DiMichele scored 22 points to lead four OLSH players in double figures in a win over Carlynton (21-4) in the second round of the PIAA playoffs. Bryson Kirschner (13), Kevin Wilson (11) and Rocco Spadafora (10) also scored in double digits for the Chargers (25-0). Austin Milliner scored 22 for the Cougars. OLSH will play Ridgway in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

Portage 67, Fort Cherry 52 – Kaden Claar scored a game-high 21 points to lead Portage in a Class 2A second-round game. Andrew Miko added 16 and Jace Irvin had 14 for Portage (28-1), which will meet Kennedy Catholic in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Dylan Rogers scored 20 points, Owen Norman had 13 and Maddox Truschel contributed 10 for WPIAL runner-up Fort Cherry (24-4).

Ridgway 59, Greensburg Central Catholic 53 – Dan Park scored 29 points to lead District 9 champion Ridgway in a Class 2A second-round game. Jack Benninger scored 13 and Aaron Sorg had 11 for Ridgway (22-5), which will meet WPIAL champion OLSH in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Brevan Williams scored 15 points, Ryan Appleby had 13, and Tyree Turner added 10 for Greensburg Central Catholic. The Centurions trailed by nine after three quarters but closed to within a point in the fourth.