Laurel Highlands pulls away from Highlands to advance to Class 4A girls semifinals

By: Michael Love
Friday, February 23, 2024 | 10:15 PM

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Last year, Laurel Highlands came to Highlands for a first-round playoff game and left with a 20-point defeat.

What a difference a year makes.

The No. 5 Mustangs were held scoreless in the third quarter, but they responded with 23 in the fourth to hold off No. 4 Highlands, 45-33, on Friday in a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal at Highlands.

“We knew coming in that they were guard-heavy,” Laurel Highlands coach Stewart Davis said. “We just had to be able to handle their pressure. When we get into the half-court position, we can go inside. Tonight, we worked inside-out, and that worked in our favor.”

Laurel Highlands, with no seniors on its roster, improved to 20-2 and will face No. 1 Blackhawk on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

The Cougars rolled past Greensburg Salem, 49-25, in a quarterfinal game Friday.

“We’ve been the underdogs,” Davis said. “Our schedule might not have been strong in some people’s eyes, but I knew what kind of team we had and what we could do in the playoffs. I have a great group of girls who all contribute in different ways. They play for each other. We’re excited to move on and play Tuesday.”

The Mustangs, whose losses this season came to Section 3 champion Elizabeth Forward, also have clinched a spot in the PIAA playoffs for the first time in more than two decades.

Despite the loss, the Golden Rams (16-7) are still alive for one of the Class 4A spots in the PIAA tournament. Highlands will be home Monday for a third meeting with Greensburg Salem.

The Golden Rams beat the Golden Lions twice in section play.

“Obviously, this hurts,” Highlands coach Shawn Bennis said. “We didn’t play our best game. Give Laurel Highlands credit. They made plays and hit the shots they needed to make. But we did talk about the fact that we have an opportunity to come back here Monday and start another tournament. If we win, were in the state playoffs.

“We’ll give them (Saturday) off since they haven’t had a day off in some time. We’ll get back in the gym Sunday to get ready for Salem on Monday. We have them at home. It’s going to be rough, but I told them that I am going to do everything I can to make sure their energy is up and everything to be ready to go on Sunday.”

Highlands played for the first time in 11 days since beating Valley in the regular-season finale.

“The layoff scared me a little bit,” Bennis said. “We didn’t play a true game for 14 days. We had four really good practices this week.”

Despite 11 first half turnovers, Highlands was still in range, down seven at halftime.

The Golden Rams turned up the defense in the third quarter and limited Laurel Highlands to just two free-throw attempts.

Highlands scored just six points in the third, two Jocelyn Bielak buckets and one from Shelby Wojcik, but the Golden Rams were within one.

A layup from Bielak with 3:12 left in the fourth cut the Mustangs’ lead to 29-27. But Laurel Highlands outscored Highlands, 16-6, over the final three minutes to pull away.

The backbreaking play down the stretch was a four-point play — a 3-pointer and a free throw — from sophomore Sierra Jenkins with 56 seconds left to put the visitors up 41-33.

Sophomore Taylor Irwin hit four 3-pointers and finished with a team-best 12 points. Junior Aryianna Sumpter added 11 points, junior Miyah Harris scored nine, and freshman Taylor Schwertfeger contributed eight.

Bielak led Highlands with 10 points, Kate Myers delivered a trio of 3-pointers for nine points and Kalleigh Nerone, who hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, ended the game with eight points.

“We fouled late and were gambling,” Bennis said. “Holding them to zero points in the third was big. However, we only scored six. If we were able to put the ball in the hoop a little bit more. … We had to have shot a poor percentage, and that is not like us. We had several open shots, and those are ones we normally make.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Highlands, Laurel Highlands