High school roundup for March 4, 2024: Penn-Trafford knocks off defending champs in 2A hockey

By: Triblive
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 | 12:06 AM

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Gavin Paterson scored the tie-breaking goal in the final minute of the second period and Tyler Funk made 31 saves as No. 8 Penn-Trafford knocked off defending champ South Fayette, the No. 1 seed, 4-3, in the PIHL Class 2A Penguins Cup quarterfinals Monday night.

Ben Zierski, Cam Kiste and Robert Thatcher also scored for Penn-Trafford, which will meet No. 4 Norwin in the semifinals March 12.

Bennett Malky, Jackson Brandebura and Tyler Brandebura scored for South Fayette.

Bishop Canevin 14, Connellsville 2 – Ryan Saignaw had a nine-point game with three goals and six assists and Brian Kalanish scored five goals as Gold Division champ Bishop Canevin cruised to a Varsity D2 quarterfinal win. Aiden Malay had two goals and three assists and Mason Glover added a goal and three assists for Bishop Canevin, which will meet the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal between Ringgold and Neshannock in the semifinals March 14. Elijah Pleva had a goal and an assist for Connellsville.

Burrell 8, Morgantown 2 – Tyler Danko had two goals and an assist and Jared Wall also scored twice as Burrell rolled to a PIHL Varsity D2 quarterfinal win. Ryan Burkett had a goal and an assist and Chantz Watkins, Connor Gloer and John Lukac also scored for Burrell, which will meet the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal between Carrick and Deer Lakes in the semifinals March 14. Jacob Hollander and Ayden Shepard each had a goal and an assist for Morgantown.

Chartiers Valley 4, Moon 0 – Noah Callender had two goals and an assist, Brady Nairn assisted on all four of his team’s goals and Matthew Colberg pitched a 20-save shutout for Blue Division champ Chartiers Valley in the Class A semifinals. Chris DeAngelis had a goal and two assists and Tyler Held also scored for Chartiers Valley, which will take on the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal between Indiana and North Catholic in the semifinals March 13. Tyler Rieke made 26 saves for Moon.

Greensburg Salem 2, Quaker Valley 0 – Luke Dieter scored a first-period goal, Hunter Webb had a goal and an assist, and Tristan Gonzales made 27 saves to lead Greensburg Salem, the fifth-place team from the Gold Division, to a win in the PIHL Class A quarterfinals. Greensburg Salem will meet Shaler in the semifinals March 13. Quaker Valley was the first-place team from the Gold Division.

North Allegheny 3, Central Catholic 1 – With the score tied 1-1 in the middle of the second period, Ryan Jackman and Marc Joyson scored eight seconds apart to lead No. 2 North Allegheny to a Class 3A quarterfinal win. Jackman finished with two goals and an assist and Camden Junker made 27 saves for North Allegheny, which will meet No. 3 Seneca Valley in the semifinals March 11. Judah Brophy scored and Ben Balla made 30 saves for No. 7 Central Catholic.

Pine-Richland 3, Bethel Park 1 – AJ Verszyla, Aiden Tarasovich and Logan Kozak scored first-period goals and No. 1 Pine-Richland never looked back in a Class 3A quarterfinal win. Ryan Tierney scored for No. 8 Bethel Park. Pine-Richland will meet the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal between Peters Township and Upper St. Clair in the semifinals March 11.

Seneca Valley 4, Mt. Lebanon 0 – Jacob Komaniak had a goal and an assist, Jimmy Murtha, Stephen Longwell and Vinci Villela also scored, and Cenzo Ditullio made 16 saves to record the shutout for No. 3 Seneca Valley in the Class 3A quarterfinals. Andrew Malichky and Ethan Lindberg each had two assists for Seneca Valley, which will face No. 2 North Allegheny in the semifinals March 11. Quinn Lynam made 38 saves for No. 6 Mt. Lebanon.

Shaler 6, Avonworth 2 – Matthew Stelitano scored four goals, Luca Wallander collected a goal and two assists, and Darius Malecki also scored for Shaler in the Class A quarterfinals. Shane Ciganik made 28 stops for Shaler, which will meet Greensburg Salem in the semifinals March 13. Austin Gatti and Linus Jesionowski scored for Avonworth.

Thomas Jefferson 5, Hempfield 3 – Andrew Oliver and Scott Allan scored third-period goals to break a 3-3 tie and lead No. 2 Thomas Jefferson to victory in the PIHL Class 3A quarterfinals. Allan finished with a goal and two assists, Nathan Weiss had a goal and an assist, and Liam Mahoney and Jake Stock also scored for Thomas Jefferson. Nino Dipietro had a goal and an assist, Mats Martz and Nick Eberhardt also scored, and Evan Saltzgiver made 49 saves for No. 7 Hempfield. Thomas Jefferson will face No. 6 Franklin Regional in the semifinals March 12.