Gators earn key section victory
Geibel Catholic held off a late charge from Environmental Charter to earn a 79-74 victory in Section 2-1A boys basketball play on Tuesday night at “The Swamp.”
The Gators (3-4, 10-9) had a 27-15 lead after the first quarter, and pushed their advantage to 43-27 at halftime.
Environmental Charter (0-8, 5-12) outscored the home team, 23-19, in the third quarter, and 24-17 in the fourth period.
Geibel’s Evan Strimel shared high-game scoring honors with Environmental Charter’s Elijah McCribe, and both players had 25 points apiece. The Gators’ Seth Dolan added 14.
Eahn Stevenson and Anthony Nickischer each scored 13 points for the home team.
Caleb Dalton (14) and Jeydan Morant (13) were in double figures for the visitors.
LIGONIER VALLEY 63, WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 44 — Dane Woods scored his 1,000th-career point but the Raiders dropped a Section 4-3A contest to the Rams at Waynesburg Central High School.
Woods scored 27 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for a double-double. Teammate Cole Headlee added 10 points. Waynesburg’s Jackson Dean had nine rebounds and five assists.
FRANKLIN REGIONAL 55, ALBERT GALLATIN 50 — Logan Walter scored 23 points and the Panthers rallied in the fourth quarter to nip the host Colonials in a Section 1-5A game.
Albert Gallatin (0-13, 2-18) led 14-13 after the first quarter and 30-21 at halftime, but Franklin Regional (8-5, 12-8) used a 19-11 advantage in the third to pull within 41-40 then held a 15-9 edge in the final frame.
Webber Rankin added 10 points for the Panthers.
Darrin Ford led AG with 15 points and Adam Pegg followed with 14.
JEFFERSON-MORGAN 68, CARMICHAELS 41 — The Rockets earned a Section 3-2A triumph over the Mikes at Jefferson-Morgan High School.
Jefferson-Morgan’s Robertson scored a game-high 28 points. The Rockets’ Dayten Marion had 12 and Brayden Ellsworth added 11.
The Mikes’ Chase Ankrom put in 11 points.
Jefferson-Morgan improved to 12-1 in the section and 19-1 overall.
BELLE VERNON 53, GREENSBURG SALEM 47 — The Leopards rallied for a 10-point halftime deficit to down the Golden Lions in Section 3-4A action at Greensburg Salem High School.
Greensburg Salem (3-7, 8-11) had a 32-22 halftime lead, but Belle Vernon (9-3, 13-9) had a 12-6 advantage in the third period, and won the fourth quarter, 19-9.
The Leopards’ Dane Daugherty and the Golden Lions’ Solomon Cain each scored 13 points. Belle Vernon’s Luca Ghilani and Greensburg Salem’s Ty Harkom had 12 points apiece.
Belle Vernon will find out its first-round playoff opponent when the WPIAL playoff brackets are released on Monday.
BETH-CENTER 74, BURGETTSTOWN 54 — The Bulldogs pulled away in the second quarter for a Section 3-2A triumph over the Blue Devils at Burgettstown Senior High School.
Beth-Center’s Tyler Kurowski scored a game-high 22 points. The Bulldogs’ Tyler Wicks made three 3-pointers and put in 14. Teammate Jason Zellie added 13.
Lance Duran led Burgettstown in scoring with 15 points. Bryce Speer made four 3-pointers and put in 14 for the home team.
Beth-Center (7-6, 11-10) has clinched a WPIAL playoff berth. The Bulldogs are in a tie for fourth place in the section with West Greene.
SOUTHMORELAND 75, MOUNT PLEASANT 51 — The Scotties jumped out early and earned a comfortable Section 4-3A victory over the Vikings in Section 4-3A action at Southmoreland High School.
The Scotties (8-0, 12-7) had a 21-5 lead after the opening period, and a 37-16 advantage at halftime. The home team had a 38-35 edge in the second half.
Southmoreland’s Noah Felentzer led all scorers with 29 points. Teammate Brock Pritts added 16.
Jonah Townsend paced Mount Pleasant with 12 points.
BENTWORTH 64, CALIFORNIA 15 — The Bearcats took over in the second quarter and cruised to a Section 1-2A win at Bentworth High School.
The Bearcats’ Ben Hays and Ryan Moessner shared game-high scoring honors with 14 points. Adam Moessner added 11 and Matt Behanna put in 10.
Ben Ziolecki led the Trojans in scoring with five points.
Bentworth (8-4, 13-5) will look to finish in third place in the section standings. The Bearcats are tied with Springdale (8-4).
CHARTIERS-HOUSTON 63, MAPLETOWN 13 — The Buccaneers were too much for the Maples in Section 3-2A play at Mapletown Junior/Senior High School.
Chartier-Houston’s Brayden Shaffer put in 12 points. Ethan Farnham had 10 points for the visitors.
Coltin Halbert led Mapletown in scoring with five points.
CHARLEROI 96, BROWNSVILLE 65 — Xavion Thomas scored 24 points in the host Cougars’ Section 4-3A victory over Brownsville.
Charleroi (6-3, 12-9) also got 12 points apiece from Jackson Keranko and Braeden Todaro.
Freshman Daeron Clayton tallied a career-high 23 points for the Falcons (1-8, 2-15) who had four players in double digits.
Jalen Blair added 15 points for Brownsville and was followed by Cameron Phillips (12) and Silas Patterson (11).
SPRINGDALE 68, FRAZIER 54 — Robby Simmen tossed in a game-high 29 points as the host Dynamos knocked off the Commodores in a Section 1-2A game.
Liam Dexter (15) and Trevor Clark (11) also reached double figures in scoring for Springdale (8-4, 11-8).
Kolby Stewart poured in a team-high 26 points for Frazier (3-9, 7-12), which also got 11 points from Austin Stewart and 10 from Brant Alekson.
FORT CHERRY 63, WEST GREENE 42 — Connor VanSickle had 16 points in the host Rangers’ Section 3-2A victory over the Pioneers.
Fort Cherry led 14-6, 27-21 and 48-30 at the quarter breaks.
Tyler Wolfe followed with 12 points and Landon Trnavsky chipped in with 11 for the Rangers (9-4, 11-8).
Landen Hill paced West Greene (6-7, 7-12) with 13 points.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
WEST GREENE 42, MONESSEN 31 — Kendra Tharp rang up 12 points and 19 rebounds as the visiting Lady Pioneers fought off the Lady Greyhounds in a Section 2-A game.
West Greene led 16-8, 27-12 and 31-20 at the quarter breaks.
The Lady Pioneers (9-4, 14-6), who clinched third place with the victory, also got 11 points from Madelynn Roberts and 10 from Jillissa Yeater.
Madison Johnson topped Monessen (5-7, 7-11) in scoring with 11 points.
CHARTIERS-HOUSTON 55, CALIFORNIA 37 — Mackenzie Walsh dropped in 17 points in the first-place Lady Buccaneers’ Section 3-2A win over the second-place Lady Trojans.
Ali Wingard contributed 16 points and Ava Kolovich had 11 for visiting Chartiers-Houston (9-0, 17-3).
California (7-2, 10-9) was led by Olivia Gibson with 14 points.
SERRA CATHOLIC 69, MAPLETOWN 17 — Bella Cumbroski and Niki Sfanos each scored 21 points in the Lady Eagles’ Section 2-A victory over the host Lady Maples.
Abby Gene followed with 10 points for Serra Catholic (11-1, 13-5).
Makenna Lotspeich tallied eight points for Mapletown (1-11, 2-18).
BENTWORTH 68, CARMICHAELS 45 — Alexa Babirad scored 19 points in the Lady Bearcats’ Section 3-2A win over the visiting Lady Mikes.
Bentworth (3-5, 9-11) also got 14 points from Bella Moyer, 11 from Jesse Laskey and 10 from Brielle Dillon.
Joselyn Carter had 16 points to lead the way for Carmichaels (0-8, 1-18), which also got nine points each from Bentley Luckas and Kaitlyn Kramer.