Charleroi girls headed for PIAA playoffs
The WPIAL reverted back to its old practice of how basketball teams that lose before the semifinals qualify for the PIAA tournament this season. That is, instead of having teams play for that right, as was the case the past two years, those teams’ fates are decided by how the teams that eliminated them do in the semifinals and/or finals.
That wound up being good news for the Charleroi girls, but not so much for the Laurel Highlands, Belle Vernon and Southmoreland boys teams.
The Lady Cougars were pulled into the state tournament by virtue of Neshannock’s 34-33 victory over East Allegheny on Wednesday night. The PIAA has slots for six WPIAL teams in girls Class AAA so teams that play in the WPIAL final pull in the teams they defeated in the quarterfinals as the Nos. 5 and 6 teams. Charleroi will go in as the No. 5 team if Neshannock wins the title, otherwise they will be the No. 6 team out of the WPIAL.
Two local teams’ fates are still up in the air.
The California girls can qualify for the PIAA playoffs if Chartiers-Houston defeats Vincentian Academy in the final tonight as Class AA puts seven WPIAL teams into the state tournament. The Lady Trojans lost to OLSH, which lost to the Lady Bucs in the semifinals, which means C-H can pull California in as the No. 7 team by winning tonight.
In Class A the Geibel Catholic girls will be pulling for Cornell to defeat Winchester Thurston in the WPIAL final on Friday as that would drag the Lady Gators into the state tournament as the last of its five qualifiers. Geibel lost to Cornell in the quarterfinals.
The Mustangs needed Mars to win the Class AAAAA title to get into the states but the Planets fell to Hampton, 61-59, in the semifinals.
The Leopards needed Central Valley to reach the Class AAAA final but New Castle defeated the Warriors 61-33.
The Scotties had to have Shady Side Academy reach the Class AAA final but it was defeated by Lincoln Park in the semifinals, 81-61.
The Monessen boys and West Greene girls have already qualified for the PIAA postseason by reaching the semifinals in Class A.