Feb 3, 2007 By The 7 min read

Red-hot Colonials topple Kiski, 67-36 The weather may be frigid, but Albert Gallatin is red hot.

The Colonials won their eighth straight game by pounding host Kiski Area, 67-36, in a Section 1-AAAA basketball game Friday night to clinch a WPIAL playoff spot.

Jawaan Alston just missed a triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocked shots for AG, which has won 12 of its last 13.

The victory sets up a showdown for the second-place Colonials (17-5, 9-3) with section-leading Norwin (19-3, 10-2) on Tuesday night.

Albert Gallatin coach Dan Andria was just happy to get the first hurdle out of the way, however.

“It’s good to know you’re in the playoffs, and these kids have done it four years in a row,” Andria said. “We want to hold onto the second spot, but now that things have turned a bit in the section, we have a chance at the section title. Norwin’s coming to our place on Tuesday, so we’ll see what happens.”

The Colonials jumped out to an 18-8 lead after one period and were up 26-15 at halftime. The visitors put the game away with a 23-10 advantage in the third frame for a 49-25 lead and cruised home from there.

Nate Turner, returning to the lineup after an ankle injury forced him to miss one game, hit a 3-pointer in ringing up 13 points for AG, and Aaron Cromwell nailed a pair of treys in totaling 12 points and eight assists. Jake Magerko also hit two 3-pointers in adding eight points.

Brady Pacific paced the Cavaliers (6-15, 3-9) with 11 points as Kiski was held to its lowest output of the season.

“We’re playing good defense, getting out on the other team’s shooters and not giving them open shots,” Andria said. “There are a lot of kids in our section that can shoot, and when they get inside for a shot, Jawaan is usually there to swat them away.”

Andria commended the AG faithful for following the team on the road trip.

“It helps a lot to see everyone cheering for you like that during a road game,” Andria said. “Our kids were louder than the Kiski kids and our players appreciate that.”

Norwin 62, Connellsville 56 – Junior forward Johnny Dilworth posted a double-double with 24 points, 18 rebounds and a perfect 6-of-6 outing from the foul line, but it wasn’t enough as visiting Norwin outlasted Connellsville in Section 1-AAAA play.

Teammate Lance Straughters added 10 points.

Norwin’s Mike Shanahan tossed in 24 points, including a trey, while teammate Jason Jasko added 20 points.

Norwin held a one-point advantage after three periods and outscored the Falcons by five in the final period for its 19th win overall and 10th in the section.

The Falcons (6-15, 3-9) travel to Hempfield Tuesday.

Ringgold 66, Southmoreland 51 – R.J. Brownlee poured in a game-high 18 points, including 5-of-8 from the foul line as Ringgold downed host Southmoreland in a Section 3-AAA contest.

Teammate Dante Woodyear also scored in double figures with 10.

A trio of Southmoreland players recorded double digits with Bill Geyer leading with way with 15 points, including 3-of-3 from the foul line.

Heath Handford and Aaron Stasko each scored 14 points.

The Scotties (8-13) look to snap a four-game losing skid Tuesday at Greensburg Salem.

Geibel Catholic 69, West Greene 39 – Mark Gira recorded a game-high 19 points, including five three pointers, five assists and five steals as Geibel Catholic rolled past host West Greene in a Section 2-A contest.

Robert Orange posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Tyler Erdely also scored in double figures with 11 points and a three-pointer.

The Gators jumped out to an early 18-7 first-quarter lead and never looked back as they picked up their fifth section victory and eighth overall.

The loss is West Greene’s 13th straight and they look to put one in the win column at home against Mapletown Tuesday.

Geibel takes on visiting Carmichaels Tuesday.

Monessen 77, Waynesburg Central 47 – Josh Arnold led Monessen with 19 points en route to an easy Section 5-AA win over host Waynesburg Central.

The Raiders held a six-point advantage after the first quarter, but went on two-straight 23-point bursts in the second and third quarters for the win.

Tin Tyree was next in the scoring column with 18 points followed by Vince Campbell’s 11 and Cordero Jackson’s 10.

Nine of Campbell’s points came from beyond three-point land.

Kenny Blackwell led Waynesburg with a double-double, a team-high 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Dominic Denicola also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Danny Zimmerman scored the last two points in the game for the Raiders.

Waynesburg (6-16) finishes up the season on the road against Chartiers-Houston (Feb. 6) and Beth-Center (Feb. 9).

Chartiers-Houston 61 Brownsville 49 – Brownsville led 24-21 at the half, but Charters Houston took control after the halftime break and pulled away Section 5-AA victory.

John Popeck was high scorer for Chartiers-Houston with 17 points, while Max Reddout added an even dozen.

Terrence McCoy was the Falcons’ (5-16, 2-10) top gun with 17 points.

Bentworth 95, Frazier 90 – Jon Kennedy scored 26 points and Dock Harris added 24 as Bentworth won a double-overtime shootout over Frazier in a Section 3-A action.

Frazier’s Jim Traynor led all players with a triple-double – 35 points, 13 rebounds and 18 assists.

Teammate Greg Johnson with a double-double – 33 points and 13 rebounds.

Johnson fired up a three-pointer at the end of the first overtime to force the second period.

Derek Jansante and Joe Kennedy also scored in double figures with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Bentworth scored on 39 field goals and shot 16-of-29 from the foul line, while the Commodores scored on 37 field goals and were 9-of-25 from the charity stripe.

Frazier looks to snap a two game losing streak on the road against Serra Catholic Tuesday.

Girls basketball

Kiski Area 50, Albert Gallatin 35 – Tanisha Wheatley scored a game-high 14 points, including two three-pointers en route to a Section 1-AAAA win over visiting Albert Gallatin.

Teammate Lauren Butler tossed in 10 points.

Senior guard Marquis Demniak led the Lady Colonials with 12 points, including one from beyond three-point land.

Ashley Dupont added 10 with two three-pointers.

The Lady Colonials (1-11, 2-19) are back in action today at Seneca Valley.

Women’s swimming

Youngstown State 139.5, California (Pa.) 127.5 – California sophomore Delfina Chandra registered three of the team’s four individual victories Friday, but the Vulcans saw their two-year dual meet win streak halt with a loss at Division I Youngstown State.

The Vulcans had won 14-straight dual meets over the last two seasons. In five years since the inception of the program, Coach Ed Denny’s Vulcans have posted a 44-3 overall record. All three losses were at Youngstown State.

YSU posted at least the top two times in seven of the 12 individual races and gained uncontested first-place points in both diving events to gain the victory.

Chandra captured top honors in the 100 backstroke (1:02.27), the 200 backstroke (2:13.22) and the 200 individual medley (2:16.44). She helped Cal sweep the top three spots in the 100 backstroke and the top two places in the 200 backstroke.

Cal’s only other individual winner was junior Miranda King, who took top honors in the 50 freestyle (24.75).

The Vulcans’ final first-place points were gained in the 200 freestyle (1:42.72). Cal’s quartet consisted of freshman Rachel Kurta and juniors Melanie Ruch, Stine Hestdal and King.

The Vulcans (6-1), 24th in the NCAA Division II in dual meet rankings, will spend the next three weeks preparing for the PSAC Championships, to be held Feb. 22-25 at Cumberland Valley High School near Mechanicsburg, Pa.