What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 12, 2021: Championship weekend tips off

By: Don Rebel
Friday, March 12, 2021 | 12:28 AM

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Welcome to the start of championship weekend here on the TribLive High School Sports Network.

We cap off our coverage of the 2021 WPIAL basketball playoffs with the first of four championship games at North Allegheny and Peters Township on Friday evening.

Here are some meat-free championship factoids for the four title games on Friday.

Boys 6A

Pine-Richland vs. Upper St. Clair at Peters Township, 8 p.m.

• In his first year as head coach at Pine-Richland, Bob Petcash leads the Rams to the title game for the fourth time in six seasons.

• In his 26th season at Upper St. Clair, Danny Holzer has his Panthers in the district finals for the first time since they beat Mt. Lebanon in the 2005 Quad-A championship.

• These teams last met in the 2020 playoffs. Upper St. Clair knocked off Pine-Richland, 62-59, in a 6A quarterfinals clash.

• Pine-Richland has won five straight while Upper St. Clair has won 13 in a row.

• This game ends the two-year run of Butler vs. Mt. Lebanon in the 6A finals.

• Both teams are in search of their third WPIAL basketball championships. The Rams won back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 and the Panthers claimed gold in 1996 and 2005.

Boys A

Rochester vs. Bishop Canevin at North Allegheny, 8 p.m.

• In his first season at Rochester, Sean Keaton has orchestrated an incredible turnaround season, leading the Rams to their first basketball title game since 2010.

• In his third year as coach at Bishop Canevin, Gino Palmosina has the Crusaders playing for district gold for the first time since 2006.

• These schools last met in the 2007 playoffs. Rochester beat Bishop Canevin, 54-41, in a Class AA preliminary round game.

• Both teams lost their regular season finale, so the Rams have a three-game win streak while the Crusaders have won their last two games.

• This is the first WPIAL Class A boys championship game that did not have Vincentian Academy competing in it since Monessen defeated Imani Christian, 74-71, in the 2017 finals.

• Bishop Canevin has never won a WPIAL boys basketball championship while Rochester hopes to win its second title after taking the Class A crown in 1983.

Girls 4A

Quaker Valley vs. Beaver at Peters Township, 5 p.m.

• In his 12th season at Beaver, Greg Huston has his Bobcats in the finals for the second straight year and a third times in four seasons.

• In his third year as Quaker Valley girls coach, Tom Demko has the Quakers in the WPIAL finals for the first time in program history.

• These Section 2-4A foes met twice in the regular season with Beaver winning both games. The Bobcats won 40-37 at Quaker Valley on Jan. 14 and 48-42 at home on Feb. 8.

• Beaver has won all 19 of its games this season while Quaker Valley has a seven-game winning streak coming into the finals.

• Since expansion to six classifications in 2017, North Catholic has won all four WPIAL Class 4A championship games. The Trojans moved down to 3A for this two-year cycle.

• Both teams are trying to win their first WPIAL girls basketball crown.

Girls 2A

Serra Catholic vs. Neshannock at North Allegheny, 5 p.m.

• Legend Bill Cleary is in his 34th year as coach at Serra Catholic and has his Eagles in the finals for the first time since 2014.

• Legend Luann Grybowski is in her 12th season at Neshannock and has the Lancers in the title game for the second time in three years and third time in five years.

• This is the first meeting between the Lancers and Eagles.

• Serra Catholic has won all 16 of its games this season while Neshannock has won three in a row after losing in its regular season finale.

• Neshannock is trying to win a second district title after claiming gold in 2019 while Serra Catholic shoots for one for the thumb after winning titles in 1992, 1999, 2003 and 2005.

All four championship games can be seen Friday on HSSN.

PIAA wrestling

The PIAA Class AA individual wrestling championships are set for the GIANT Center in Hershey on Friday. Here is the schedule:

8 a.m. — 106 to 138 pounds quarterfinals and semifinals

12 p.m. — 145 to 285 pounds quarterfinals and semifinals

4 p.m. — 106 to 138 pounds championship and consolation finals

7:30 p.m. — 145 to 285 pounds championship and consolation finals

You can listen to the matches on HSSN.