Mar 25, 2011 5 min read

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – Kelly Johnson scored 13 points and Mount Lebanon held off Archbishop Carroll in the frantic few minutes of a 47-46 win Friday night to take a third straight Class AAAA title.

Madison Cable, Mount Lebanon’s top player, had a subpar game with nine points on 2 of 9 shooting, but hit four free throws in the final minute.

Carroll’s Saran Curran corralled the rebound after Anna Kestler missed the second of two free throws with 27 seconds left, and the Patriots took a timeout to set up for the last shot.

Jen Carney drove the baseline, but her floater sailed wide of the bucket and Kestler lunged for the loose ball to finally seal victory for Mount Lebanon (25-6) at the PIAA championships.

Carney finished with 17 points for Carroll (23-8).

The Blue Devils led by as much as nine in the third quarter before the Patriot slowly chipped away.

STATE COLLEGE – Winning a Class A title wasn’t the only highlight of the day Friday for Math, Civics & Sciences forward Jeremiah Worthem.

Before coach Daniel Jackson left the court following the Elephants’ win over Lincoln Park, he was informed by St. Joseph’s University coach Phil Martelli that Worthem will receive a full scholarship offer to play college basketball for the Hawks

Only a sophomore, Worthem led MC&S with a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebound in what he called a “breakout game” at the PIAA championships.

“All throughout the state playoffs, Worthem has been outstanding,” Jackson said. “He’s emerging as a star in the city of Philadelphia. He took his game to another level throughout the playoffs and he got an offer from St. Joe’s. He’s emerging as an elite player.”

Chaquille Pratt led the Leopards with 27 points and seven rebounds, while 6-foot-10 center Devontae Watson recorded a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Disappointed Lincoln Park coach Mark Javens still found a few light-hearted moments after the game, and even got to bump into Martelli, too.

“I just told Phil Martelli out there … you know what, it’s not fun to lose, but you guys make a lot more money than me, so you guys can live with it,” Javens said.

Thomas Moore, one of the Elephants’ top scorers, left the game in the first half with a knee injury. The Elephants were looking for teammates to step up.

Worthem and guard Warren Dogan, who added 18 points, did just that to help MC&S claim its first state title in the program’s six-year history.

Villa Maria beats Dunmore, 62-39

STATE COLLEGE – Just before the Class AA girls title game tipped off Friday, Villa Maria Academy’s fans were already shrieking with delight and yelling in unison “Three-peat!”

The aptly-named Victors needed four minutes to get going before using a 21-0 spurt to run away from Dunmore for a third consecutive PIAA crown.

Abbey Steudler scored 17 points and defensive-minded Villa Maria held their opponents without a field goal for more than 12 minutes in the win to tip off state championship weekend at the Jordan Center.

“I’m so proud of our all my teammates because … we all set the tempo for the game,” the junior said, a shiny new gold medal dangling around her neck.

Lisa Mifsud added 16 points and Karlee McBride had 12 and seven rebounds for the aptly named Victors (28-2), who led by as much as 20 midway through the third quarter after starting the game 0-for-4 shooting.

Ashley Murray had 10 points for Dunmore (26-6), the first girls team from the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area to play for a PIAA crown since Bishop Hoban won in 1999. The Lady Bucks got off to a promising start, hitting their first three from the field and taking advantage of misfiring Villa Maria to lead 6-2 with 3:52 left.

But the Victors turned up their trademark defensive pressure, harassing ball handlers in the backcourt and tipping away passes all over the floor. Dunmore was held to just a foul shot in a 1-point second quarter – on a foul at the buzzer, no less – to go into the locker room trailing 23-7.

Neumann-Goretti beats Montour, 55-45

STATE COLLEGE – Ja’Quan Newton scored eight points during a decisive 15-0 run in the second half ignited by Neumann-Goretti’s pressure defense in a win Friday night to claim a second straight PIAA championship.

Newton, a freshman, finished with 17 points and eight rebounds and Derrick Stewart added 14 points for the Saints (27-4), who faced a stiff test from methodical Montour until late in the third period.

Trailing 34-33, Newton got the spurt started with 55 seconds left in the third period with a layup, then opened the four quarter with two fastbreak layup off steals. After Austin Heter missed a layup, the ball ended up again in Newtown’s hands with 2:49 left for a pretty drive through the lane for another score and a 48-34 lead.

Montour (23-8) couldn’t get closer than eight the rest of the way.

Dillon Beuchel led the Spartans with 17 points.