Feb 17, 2021 By The 8 min read

Devon Whitlock scored his 1,000th career point in a stellar all-around performance as Belle Vernon rolled past visiting Yough, 78-45, in a Section 3-AAAA boys basketball game Tuesday night.

Whitlock poured in 33 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven steals and four assists for the first-place Leopards (8-0, 10-1) who have won 10 straight after a season-opening loss to Thomas Jefferson.

Whitlock, a junior who played for Monessen his freshman year, also hit four 3-pointers.

Daniel Gordon totaled 13 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals for Belle Vernon, which also got 11 points and nine boards from Quinton Martin.

The Cougars (2-6, 3-9) were led by Christian Park with 16 points an Terek Crosby with 13 points.

Brownsville 51, Beth-Center 39 — The Falcons rode a strong third quarter to a Section 4-AAA victory over host Beth-Center.

The Bulldogs (1-6, 4-7) jumped out to a 13-8 advantage in the first quarter and led 19-18 at halftime.

Brownsville (2-5, 3-6) stormed to a 40-26 lead by out-scoring B-C 22-7 in the third quarter and stayed in control from there.

Derrick Tarpley and Cedric Harrison both scored 12 points to pace the Falcons.

Colby Kuhns topped Beth-Center in scoring with 11 points.

Frazier 58, Charleroi 46 — Owen Newcomer scored a game-high 24 points to help lift the Commodores over Charleroi in a non-section clash for their seventh win in a row.

In back-and-forth affair, Frazier led 15-10 after the opening quarter, the Cougars (7-5) surged to a 25-21 halftime lead and the Commodores bounced back to take a 41-38 advantage after three periods.

Frazier used a 17-8 edge in the final frame to pull away for the victory.

Colton Arison followed Newcomer with 14 points for the Commodores (13-3).

Gavin Theys led a group of four Cougars in double figures with 13 points. Will Wagner tallied 12 points while Zach Usher and Ben Shields each had 10.

Geibel Catholic 61, Mapletown 25 — The Gators clinched at least a share of second place in Section 2-A with a victory over visiting Mapletown.

Zach Allamon led Geibel Catholic (6-2, 6-6) with 14 points and Kaiden Grady had 12.

The Gators shot out to an 18-7 lead in the first quarter and extended the margin to 43-16 by halftime and 56-20 at the end of three.

A.J. Vanata led the Maples (3-4, 4-5) with six points.

Ringgold 59, Connellsville 47 — Nicholas Peccon scored a game-high 20 points as the Rams won their first Section 1-AAAAA game and kept visiting Connellsville winless on the season.

The Falcons (0-5, 0-5) were up 8-6 after the first quarter but Ringgold surged to a 21-16 halftime advantage and put the game away with a 23-11 edge in the third quarter for a 46-27 lead.

Demetrius Butler added 17 points for the Rams (1-5, 3-7) and Cameron Halushka chipped in with 11 points.

Josh Marietta tallied 15 points for Connellsville.

Laurel Highlands 64, Norwin 52 — The Mustangs pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure a non-section win at Class 6A Norwin.

Brandon Davis hit a trio of 3-pointers in scoring 17 points to lead Laurel Highlands (9-3), which has won seven in a row.

Rodney Gallagher followed with 15 points for the Class 5A Mustangs, Caleb Palumbo had nine points and Tarrance Thomas-Brown and Keondre DeShields both contributed eight points.

The Knights (5-11) led 16-14 after one quarter but LH overtook the visitors in the second quarter and held a 34-29 halftime advantage.

Both teams scored 14 points in the third quarter before the Mustangs pulled away with a 16-9 edge in the final frame that included a seven-for-eight performance at the foul line.

Adam Bilinsky scored 18 points for Norwin and Joshua Williams had 11 points.

Girls basketball

Southmoreland 55, Albert Gallatin 52 — The Lady Scotties out-scored host Albert Gallatin 7-4 in overtime to pull out a hard-fought, non-section victory.

Olivia Cernuto led a balanced scoring attack for Southmoreland (12-2), which ran its winning streak to eight. Delaynie Morvosh and Gracie Spararo added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Bryn Bezjak rang up a game-high 27 points for the Lady Colonials (11-5).

Albert Gallatin led 18-15 after one period, the Lady Scotties went ahead 27-23 at halftime, the Lady Colonials fought back to go up 39-37 after three quarters and Southmoreland used an 11-9 edge in the fourth to force OT.

Waynesburg Central 52, McGuffey 48 — Clara Paige Miller sank five 3-pointers in scoring a game-high 24 points to lift Waynesburg Central over visiting McGuffey in a Section 2-AAA clash.

The Lady Highlanders (4-5, 4-6) jumped out to an 11-6 lead after one quarter before the Lady Raiders (8-1, 10-4) bounced back in the second to go ahead 28-20 at halftime.

McGuffey pulled within 37-35 by the end of the third period but Waynesburg hung on for the win.

Kaley Rohanna contributed 12 points for the Lady Raiders, Nina Sarra chipped in with 10 points and Josie Horne pulled down 11 rebounds.

Keira Nicolella led the Lady Highlands with 19 points.

West Greene 55, Jefferson-Morgan 14 — West Greene defeated host Jefferson-Morgan to clinch its fifth consecutive Section 2-A title and stretch its winning streak to 13.

Brooke Barner scored 11 points for the Lady Pioneers (8-0, 13-2) who have won 53 section games in a row.

Ten different players scored for West Greene which led 27-2, 39-6 and 50-9 at the breaks.

Savannah Clark led the Lady Rockets (2-7, 2-10) with nine points.

California 60, Frazier 37 — The Lady Trojans stayed perfect in Section 2-AA with a victory over visiting Frazier.

Jordyn Cruse hit five 3-pointers to lead they way for California (3-0, 5-2) with 16 points and Kendelle Weston had 14 points. Makayla Boda added 10 points.

The Lady Trojans led 18-9, 33-14 and 48-31 at the breaks.

Twin sister Kaelyn Shaporka (14 points) and Kendall Shaporka (13 points) led the Lady Commodores (0-5, 2-11) in scoring.

Charleroi 59, Brownsville 28 — McKenna DeUnger led a group of four double-figure scorers for Charleroi with 22 points in the Lady Cougars’ Section 2-AAA victory at Brownsville.

Leena Henderson followed 14 points for Charleroi (4-4, 6-6) while Bella Corrota and Morgan Snyder each had 10.

The Lady Cougars led 20-11, 29-15 and 52-23 at the breaks.

Emma Seto was the top scorer for the Lady Falcons (0-5, 0-6) with 12 points.

Monessen 33, Mapletown 21 — The Lady Greyhounds raced out to a 13-2 advantage in the first quarter and maintained stayed in control the rest of the game in earning a Section 2-A win over host Mapletown.

Mercedes Major scored a game-high 12 points for Monessen (7-3, 9-6).

Krista Wilson led the Lady Maples (2-5, 3-5) with seven points and 12 rebounds. Taylor Dusenberry totaled six points, eight boards and four blocked shots, and Morgan Williamson contribute six points, nine rebounds and four steals.

Thomas Jefferson 51, Connellsville 27 — The Lady Jaguars blew open a close game with a 17-2 edge in the second quarter to defeat host Connellsville in a Section 3-AAAAA game.

Graci Fairman led Thomas Jefferson (8-1, 10-6) with 15 points.

Autumn Ansell paced the Lady Falcons (5-4, 5-5) with six points.

Trinity 96, Uniontown 19 — The first-place Lady Hiller triumphed over host Uniontown in a Section 3-AAAAA game.

Courtney Dahlquist had 21 points for Trinity (8-0, 13-1), Kaylin Venick scored 17 points and Alyssa Clutter added 12 points.

Summer Hawk led the Lady Raiders (1-9, 3-12) with seven points and Amaih DeShields had five points.

Mount Pleasant 55, Ligonier Valley 21 — The Lady Vikings raced out to a 21-4 lead in the first quarter and never looked back to beat host Ligonier Valley in a Section 3-AAAA game.

Tiffany Zelmore tossed in a game-high 20 points for Mount Pleasant (3-5, 6-6).

Haley Boyd had eight points for Ligonier Valley (0-8, 0-9).

Girls swimming

Uniontown 71, Belle Vernon 63 — Although the Lady Leopards carried most of the first-place finishes, the Lady Raiders were a bit deeper for a Section 5-AA virtual meet victory.

Ryleigh Kelly, Jordan Hoover, Elizabeth Franks and Elizabeth Perkins opened the meet for Uniontown by winning the 200 medley relay in 2:45.01. Morgan Metts (50 freestyle, 26.92) and Hailee Syner (500 freestyle, 8:03.58) had individual first-place finishes for the Lady Raiders.

Delaney Patterson (200 freestyle relay, 2:02.58; 100 breaststroke, 1:13.49), Maya Engstrom (200 IM, 3:10.04; 100 butterfly, 1:24.73), Melina Stratigos (100 freestyle, 59.51), and Marlee Davis (100 backstroke, 1:15.32) all touched the wall first for Belle Vernon.

Engstrom, Mackenzie Martin, Stratigos and Patterson won the 200 freestyle relay in 2:05.22. Davis, Engstrom, Patterson and Stratigos finished first in the 400 freestyle with a time of 4:23.23.

Boys swimming

Belle Vernon 81, Uniontown 63 — The Leopards remained undefeated with a Section 5-AA virtual meet victory over the Red Raiders.

Belle Vernon improves to 6-0 in the section and 9-0 overall.

Ian Shahan once again led the way for the Leopards by winning the 100 butterfly (53.60) and 100 freestyle (47.11) in WPIAL qualifying times, and swimming legs on the victorious 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay.s.

Belle Vernon’s Sam West hit the qualifying time by winning the 200 freestyle in 1:50.96. Garrett Ursiny (50 freestyle, 23.81), Cody Danto (500 freestyle, 5:29.31), and Nick Reda (100 backstroke, 1:01.70) also had first-place finishes for the Leopards.

The Red Raiders’ Logan Voytish finished first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:11.71, and Jacob Schiffbauer touched the wall first in 1:08.98 to win the 100 breaststroke. Dalton Grimes, Colby Voyten, Voytish and Schiffbauer won the 400 freestyle relay in 3:39.76.