Jan 29, 2008 By The 6 min read

Mather’s game-high 16 points leads Fillies into playoff berth Taylor Mathers tossed in a game-high 16 points, including 8-of-9 from the foul line, as Laurel Highlands defeated Derry, 60-51, in Section 3-AAA girls basketball action Monday.

The victory clinches a playoff berth for the Fillies, improving to 4-5 in the section and 9-12 overall. The Lady Trojans slip to 5-4 in the section and 12-8 overall.

On Senior Night, Jen Thomas, the lone LH senior, kicked things off with the first six points of the game, both from beyond the 3-point arc. Thomas also eclipsed the double-digit plateau with 10 points.

The Fillies scored on 21 field goals, and were 16-of-19 from the line, while Derry hit 18 field goals and was 8-of-11 from the charity stripe.

A trio of Derry players scored in double figures, highlighted by Morgan Hoone’s 12, all of which came from 3-point land. Julie Downs and Tiffani Downey added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Laurel Highlands travels to Franklin Regional on Thursday.

West Allegheny 57, Waynesburg Central 17 – Bria Battocchi single-handedly outscored the Lady Raiders with 18 points, en route to a Section 4-AAA win.

The Lady Indians jumped out to an early 14-2 lead and never looked back, as they held Waynesburg to single digits in three of the four periods.

Senior guard Kaitlin Lemley paced Waynesburg (4-17) with five points, including a 3-point goal. Sophomores Kaylie Barger and Michelle Fox each scored four points.

Brownsville 65, Burgettstown 51 – The Lady Falcons’ Emily Lucosh lit up the scoreboard with 20 points en route to an easy Section 5-AA win over visiting Burgettstown.

Angie Pelehac was a point off her pace with 19, including 7-of-11 from the charity stripe.

Emily Wilson led Burgettstown with 18 points, followed by Tessa Bonacci’s 15.

The Lady Falcons finish the regular season at 16-8 overall and 7-5 in the section. The Brownsville squad awaits the WPIAL pairings meeting Tuesday, to find out who they will face in the playoffs.

California 55, Jefferson-Morgan 31 – With a Section 2-A playoff bid already secured, the Lady Trojans began their tune-up for next week’s WPIAL playoffs with a strong performance over the visiting Lady Rockets.

California opened an 8-point lead in the first quarter, added six points to their lead at the half, and outscored Jefferson-Morgan by 10 in the third stanza. The teams played to a 9-9 tie in the final eight minutes.

Cristina Wagner and Lizzie Doman both had double-doubles for the Lady Trojans. Wagner scored 15 points and grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds, while Doman scored 10 with 10 rebounds. Morgan Moluski also scored 15 points while Alli Greenlief was in double figures in rebounding with 10 rebounds.

Boys basketball

Avella 62, Waynesburg Central 52 – Four Avella players scored in double digits, led by Josh Carlisle’s 17, en route to a non-section win over host Waynesburg Central. Nate Klem was next in the scoring column with 14 points, followed by Ethan Fernbaugh and Jimmy Bracken’s 10.

Waynesburg Central’s John Sinnott led all scorers with 18 points, while Rusty Phillips netted 16. Sean Fancher rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10.

As the Waynesburg (4-15) season winds down, the Raiders will look to finish on a high note with a win tonight at home against Chartiers-Houston.

High school hockey

Connellsville 7, Kiski Area 3 – The Falcons avenged an earlier loss by rallying for five goals in the final period for a PIHL Open Class victory over the visiting Cavaliers at Divito Park in Leisenring.

Losing 3-2 after two periods, Connellsville (7-8-1) netted five unanswered goals in the final 15 minutes. Shane Daugherty scored the tying and go-ahead goals, the first at 11:28 from Eric Bogden and Rich Wicker and the latter at 10:05 from Bogden.

Bogden scored his second of the game at 4:13 during a 4-on-4, and Daugherty scored his third goal from Bogden on another 4-on-4 at 2:55. Tyler Meader scored an unassisted goal with 16 seconds remaining.

The Falcons last played two weeks ago, unable to hold a lead in the third period in a loss to visiting Johnstown. The situation was reversed against Kiski Area, and the Falcons responded with five goals.

“We were down 3-2 and I told them this is when hockey’s fun,” said Connellsville coach Jeff Fleck, who served a one-game suspension in the Johnstown game. “I felt we had control of the game.

“(Against Johnstown) we were up 4-3 and had two penalties called at the same time. Johnstown scored twice. This time, we killed a 5-on-3 (midway through the period) and Eric (Bogden) scored a 4-on-4 goal.”

Bogden scored the first goal of the game on a penalty shot at 12:44, but Kiski’s Colin Maloney tied the game with 1:57 remaining.

Connellsville again scored the opening goal of a period when Dan Bashinsky scored his first career goal at 8:58 of the second period, only to have Kiski respond with unassisted goals by Tony Williams and Maloney.

Connellsville improves to 7-8-1 to remain in the hunt for an Open Class playoff berth.

Boys swimming

Laurel Highlands 105, Charleroi 6 – Zack Collins posted individual wins in the 50 freestyle (26.32) and the 100 freestyle (58.11), as Laurel Highlands cruised to an easy non-section win over the Cougars.

Teammate Kevin Bane was also a multiple winner with firsts in the 100 butterfly (1:09.17) and the 500 freestyle (5:50.46).

In the 200 medley relay, the team of Chris Kostelnik, Randy Kitis, Ben Zuchelkowski and Collins took home gold in 2:06.81, while in the 200 freestyle relay, Collins, Zuchelkowski, Frank Shimko and Kostelnik won in 1:51.56.

Individually, Kitis won the 100 breaststroke in 1:15.33, while Joey Saylor won the 100 backstroke in 1:15.53.

The Mustangs (6-8) host Canon-McMillan Thursday in Section 5-AAA action.

Girls swimming

Laurel Highlands 119, Charleroi 39 – Jeanette Mayfield and Kelly Huston were multiple winners for the Laurel Highlands girls swim team, as the Fillies posted a non-section win over Charleroi.

Mayfield took home gold in the 500 freestyle (6:36.57) and the 50 freestyle (29.15), while Huston won the 200 IM (2:38.53) and 100 backstroke (1:12.94).

In the 200 freestyle, Melissa Welch won in 2:20.36, followed by Karen Krackovich’s win in the 100 butterfly (1:12.02) and Casey Dascenzo’s victory in the 100 breaststroke (1:24.06).

Dascenzo, Kendall George, Krackovich and Mayfield claimed the 200 medley relay in 2:11.77, while the team of Mayfield, Heather Hunchuck, Laura Koposko and Huston won the 400 freestyle relay in 4:17.86.

The Fillies (12-2) look to chalk up another win Thursday at home against Canon-McMillan.