Quaker Valley girls remain alive for PIAA berth
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Saturday, February 23, 2019 | 9:38 AM
Freeport’s Sidney Shemanski saves the ball as Quaker Valley’s Amy Wilson and Sophia Besterman during WPIAL playoff action Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.
Quaker Valley’s Corrine Washington defends on Freeport’s Sidney Shemanski during WPIAL playoff action Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.
Quaker Valley’s Bailey Garbee defends on Freeport’s Sidney Shemanski during WPIAL playoff action Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.
The Quaker Valley girls basketball pulled off one playoff upset last week but fell short of a second Thursday night.
Bri Spirnak’s 23 points sparked No. 5 Elizabeth Forward to a 46-38 victory over Quaker Valley in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals at North Hills.
Bailey Garbee had 19 points, and Corrine Washington added 13 for the Quakers.
The Quakers can still qualify for the PIAA tournament if Elizabeth Forward reaches the WPIAL title game or if North Catholic wins the WPIAL championship via the follow-the-winner format.
They have not qualified for the state tournament since 1978. The Quakers opened the playoffs with a 41-38 win over No. 4 Freeport last week.
“This was huge,” Quakers coach Tom Demko said of the victory’s impact for his young team that has no seniors and only two juniors.
“We talked about how important this game was, first to just get here but second how big a win would be for these girls and the whole program. We want them to feel confident moving forward. I think they realized that (that night).”
Washington had a game-high 15 points, Garbee added 12 and Maura Conlin, who delivered a key 3-pointer for the Quakers in the fourth quarter, contributed nine points.
Sewickley Academy 56, California 30 — Kamryn Lightcap scored 19 points to lead No. 8 Sewickley Academy (12-7) to a WPIAL Class A first-round victory at Canon-McMillan. Sydney Larsen added 10 points for the Panthers, who were scheduled to face No. 1 West Greene (20-2) in the quarterfinals Friday, after deadline for this edition.
Boys basketball
The No. 3-seeded Quaker Valley boys basketball team was scheduled to open the WPIAL playoffs against Knoch in the quarterfinals Saturday, after deadline for this edition. The Quakers (18-3) had a first-round bye.
• Sewickley Academy (12-8) also had a first-round bye after earning the No. 3 seed. The Panthers were scheduled to play Jeannette in the quarterfinals Friday, after deadline for this edition.
Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy
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