Packrone leads Mustangs over Latrobe, 60-54
Jude Packrone scored 15 points, including a tie-breaking, driving layup with 1:09 left, as Laurel Highlands fought off visiting Latrobe, 60-54, in a Section 1-5A boys basketball battle Friday night.
The Wild Cats (1-2, 3-4) were up 13-11 after the first quarter but the Mustangs (1-2, 5-3) surged to a 29-24 halftime lead and built their advantage up to 11 points twice in the third quarter before settling on a 50-43 lead heading into the final frame.
Latrobe whittled the gap to three points then tied it, 54-54, with 1:30 remaining on Andy Tatsch’s three-point play.
Packrone’s bucket put LH ahead to stay and the Mustangs’ Damon Revak made one of two free throws with 27 seconds left to bump the gap up to three points. Laurel Highlands’ Kayden Smith sealed the victory by making three of four foul shots in the final 14 seconds.
Luke Martin followed Packrone with 10 points for the Mustangs.
Robert Young had 16 points for the Wild Cats who also fot 13 points from Ian DeCerb and 10 from Michael Monios.
Penn-Trafford 51, Uniontown 49 – Zach Feldman’s basket at the buzzer lifted the visiting Warriors to a Section 1-5A win over the Red Raiders.
Feldman finished with 19 points.
Penn-Trafford (2-1, 3-5) led 12-9 after the first quarter, the Uniontown pulled even at 23-23 at halftime and the Warriors went back on top 41-35 after three.
Uniontown pulled even at 49-49 but that just set the stage for Feldman’s game-winner.
Cam Dugan led the Red Raiders (1-2, 3-4) with a game-high 21 points. Nolan Baker and Isaac Ellsworth added seven points apiece.
Waynesburg Central 63, Brownsville 44 – Cole Headlee poured in a career-high 36 points and added four assists in the Raiders’ Section 4-3A win at Brownsville.
Dane Woods added 13 points and eight rebounds for Waynesburg (1-0, 3-4) which led 9-7 after the first quarter and gradually extended its advantage from there.
Maxime Dieudonne topped the Falcons (0-1, 0-5) in scoring with 12 points and Cameron Phillips added 10.
Belle Vernon 81, Derry 61 – Luca Ghilani made four 3-pointers in scoring 20 points and Cam Jenko totaled 18 points and 12 rebounds as the host Leopards rallied from an early eight-point deficit to defeat the Trojans in a Section 3-2A game.
Elijah Majors added a trio of 3-pointers in scoring 17 points and Dane Daugherty contributed 10 points and 10 assists for Belle Vernon (3-0, 6-3) which also got nine points from Vincenzo Francia.
Derry (0-3, 4-3) went out to a 25-17 lead in the first quarter but the Leopards surged to a 27-12 advantage in the second quarter to go up 44-37 at halftime. Belle Vernon pushed the margin out to 60-49 after three and pulled away from there.
Brayden Robinson dropped in a game-high 21 points for the Trojans who also got 10 points from Stanely Rajkovich.
Carmichaels 62, Burgettstown 49 – Chase Ankrom tallied a game-high 20 points as the Mikes earned their first win of the season in a Section 3-2A game at Burgettstown.
Carmichaels led 14-9, 28-24 and 39-32 at the quarter breaks, then pulled away with a 23-17 advantage in the fourth.
Scott Maskil Jr. added 15 points and Brayden Andrews contributed 10 for the Mikes (1-2, 1-5).
Blake Neal had 19 points for the Blue Devils (0-3, 1-5) who also got 15 points from Colton County.
Jefferson-Morgan 52, Trinity Christian (W.Va.) 39 – John Woodward scored 16 points as the Rockets remained unbeaten with a win over the Warriors at the Clay Battelle Tournament.
Dayten Marion and Jeremiah Roberts followed with 12 points apiece for J-M (6-0).
Jefferson-Morgan jumped out to a 20-10 lead in the opening quarter but Trinity Christian fought back to within 30-23 at halftime and 37-34 at the end of the third.
The Rockets out-scored the Warriors (3-1) 15-5 in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Maddox Mousadis had 21 points for Trinity Christian and Austin Porta added 12.
Imani Christian 66, Connellsville 57 – Kieshaun Demus led a balanced scoring attack with 15 points as the Saints fended off the host Falcons in a Section 2-6A clash.
Connellsville (0-3, 2-5) held a 21-18 advantage after the first quarter but Imani took a 32-29 halftime lead and finished the third up 51-46.
Deston Hubbard added 13 points for Imani (1-1, 1-3) which also got 12 points apiece from Donovan Gordon, Nahjir Norris and I’Zayah Bradshaw.
Rocco Farrell paced the Falcons with 15 points to tie Demus for game-high honors and was followed by Christian Thomas (14), Lucas Harwood (11) and Jayden Mickens (10).
McKeesport 79, Albert Gallatin 34 – Lamont Perkins tallied 29 points in the Tigers’ Section 1-5A win over the host Colonials.
Aaron Reeder followed with 15 points and Darryl McCullough had 11 for McKeesport (2-1, 4-2).
Darrin Ford scored nine points for Albert Gallatin (0-3, 2-5).
Serra Catholic 98, Geibel Catholic 69 – Kris Sharp had 26 points in the Eagles’ Section 2-A victory at Geibel.
Tyler Sapida and Brayden Graham followed with 22 and 20 points, respectively, for Serra (1-0, 4-4) which also got 17 points Tyler Graham.
Seth Dolan led the way for the Gators (0-1, 4-3) with 21 points and Evan Strimel followed close behind with 20. Eahn Stevenson added 10 points.
Southmoreland 86, Charleroi 78 – Noah Felentzer scored 23 points as the Scotties beat the host Cougars in a Section 4-3A game in which both teams scored 30 points in a quarter.
Southmoreland (1-0, 3-3) led 18-17 after the first quarter then exploded for its 30 in the second to take a 48-30 halftime advantage. The Scotties entered the fourth quarter ahead 68-48 but Charleroi (0-1, 4-4) used a 30-18 edge to get within eight.
Ty Whoric also topped 20 points for the Scotties with 21 and he was followed by Brady Sherbondy (15), Jackson Keranko (26), Brock Henderson (16) and Xavion Thomas (14).
Chartiers-Houston 63, West Greene 19 – Bryson Boskovich had 20 points in the host Bucs’ Section 3-2A win over the Pioneers.
Brody McCrerey tossed in 11 points for Chartiers-Houston (3-0, 6-2).
Matt Wassil topped West Greene (2-1, 2-4) in scoring with 12 points.
Clairton 63, Frazier 26 – Taris Wooding tallied 21 points in the host Bears Section 1-2A victory over the Commodores.
Brandon Murphy also hit double figures for unbeaten Clairton (3-0, 4-0) with 10 points.
Kolby Stewart recorded a double-double for Frazier (1-2,4-5) with 11 points and 11 rebounds,
Fort Cherry 55, Beth-Center 51 – Connor Vansickle scored a game-high 29 points and the visiting Rangers out-scored the Bulldogs 19-10 in the fourth quarter to rally for a Section 3-2A win.
Beth-Center led 29-23 at halftime and 41-36 after three quarters.
Landon Trnavsky contributed 12 points for the Rangers (2-1, 3-2).
Brayden Hull scored 16 points for the Bulldogs (1-2, 3-3) who also got 12 points from Tyler Kurowski.
Greensburg Central Catholic 67, California 42 – Carsen Kramer had14 points in the Centurions’ Section 1-2A win at California.
Also scoring in double figures for GCC (1-2, 1-5) were Tommy Dlugos (13) and Luke Semelka (10).
Weston Monticello racked up a game-high 20 points for the Trojans (0-3, 0-5) who also got 13 points from Alan Dennis.
Ligonier Valley 63, Mount Pleasant 50 – Michael Wisniewski scored 20 points for the host Rams who pulled away in the second half for a Section 4-3A win over the Vikings (0-1, 2-4).
The score was tied 11-11 after the opening frame before Ligonier Valley (1-0, 4-2) took a 30-27 halftime lead that grew to 51-40 after three quarters.
Greyson Daugherty (15) and Michael Vargulish-Graver (10) also scored in double digits for the Rams.
Saturday
Belle Vernon 70, Greensburg Central Catholic 50 – Elijah Majors scored 17 points as the Leopards defeated the Centurions in the WCCA Showcase at Jeannette.
Belle Vernon led 16-14, 31-21 and 51-31 at the quarter breaks.
Cam Jenko added 16 points for the Leopards (7-3).
Luke Semelka had 17 points and Carson Kramer added 14 for GCC (1-6).
Girls basketball
Bentworth 37, Mapletown 32 – Jesse Laskey and Bella Moyer both had 11 points in the Lady Bearcats’ non-section victory at Mapletown on Friday night.
Nora Lindley chipped in with eight points and 15 rebounds for Bentworth (4-3).
McKenna Lotspeich paced the Lady Maples (1-8) with 13 points and Sophia Jennings added eight points.
Chartiers-Houston 66, Beth-Center 40 – Sophie Palone and Ava Kolovich combined for nine 3-pointers in scoring 15 points apiece as the Lady Bucs pulled away after a 15-15 tie in the first quarter for a Section 3-2A win at Beth-Center.
Palone made five treys and Kolovich sank four.
Chartiers-Houston took control in the second quarter when it out-scored the Lady Bulldogs (0-1, 1-5) 17-6 for a 32-21 halftime and pulled away from there.
Beth-Center’s Violet Trump recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points, including a trio of three-point plays, and 11 rebounds. Alexia Fischer added nine points for B-C.
High school swimming
Belle Vernon vs. Derry – Brady Malekovich and Gaige Watson each won two individual events in the Leopards’ meet with the Trojans.
Malekovich took first in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle while Watson hit the WPIAL qualifying time in winning the 100 butterfly and also triumphed in the 100 breaststroke. Belle Vernon’s Derek Milkovich was first in the 100 backstroke.
In the girls meet against the Lady Trojans, Josei Nikolic won two individual events and was part of a pair of relay winners for the Lady Leopards. She was first in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle and combined with Ali Watson, Isabella O’Wade and Megan Shusteric to win the 200 medley relay and teamed up with Foster, Selva and Shusteric to win the 400 freestyle relay.
Other individual winners for Belle Vernon were Shusteric in the 200 freestyle and O’Wade in the 100 breaststroke.