Unbeaten teams to test Highlands, Leechburg boys in PIAA opening round

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, March 7, 2019 | 11:32 PM

Only two WPIAL basketball teams made it through the district playoffs with a perfect record, and both were on the girls’ side — Class 6A champion Peters Township (25-0) and Class 5A winner Chartiers Valley (25-0).

While no District 7 boys’ teams enter the state playoffs undefeated, a couple of WPIAL teams will open up the PIAA postseason Friday against teams with perfect records.

In Class 4A, Highlands will face District 6 champion Huntingdon (24-0) at Hollidaysburg.

In Class A, Leechburg battles Elk County Catholic (25-0) at St. Marys. The Crusaders won the District 9 crown.

Road to Hershey rematch

None of the first-round matchups in the PIAA basketball playoffs involving WPIAL teams is a rematch from the opening round of the state postseason from last year.

However, there is one first-round contest that is a rematch from a second-round game in 2018.

In girls’ Class 6A, District 6 runner-up State College takes on Bethel Park at 6 p.m. Friday at Bald Eagle.

The Little Lions beat Dallastown in their state playoff opener while the Black Hawks knocked off rival Peters Township in the first round a year ago to set up the Round 2 matchup at Central Cambria.

Bethel Park beat State College, 53-35, to advance to the quarterfinals, where they lost to North Allegheny.

Double A does double time

Friday is a busy and long day for wrestlers in the PIAA Class AA individual championships in Hershey.

The quarterfinals begin at 9 a.m. at the Giant Center and are followed by the Round 2 consolations.

Then, those wrestlers still alive return to the mats for the semifinals and Round 3 and 4 consolations at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Sixteen WPIAL wrestlers were first-round winners and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Listen to all-day coverage from Hershey for the Class AA and AAA matches at TribHSSN.TribLive.com.

Tags: Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Highlands, Leechburg, Peters Township