Feb 1, 2022 By The 7 min read

Gianna Michaux rang up a game-high 28 points to help Albert Gallatin clinch a playoff spot with a 68-57 Section 3-AAAAA victory at Connellsville in girls basketball action on Monday night.

The second-place Lady Colonials (7-2, 12-3) stretched their winning streak to six games.

Albert Gallatin went up 13-8 in the first quarter and led 25-19 at halftime and 46-37 after three quarters.

Courtlyn Turner followed Michaux in the AG scoring column with 15 points and Grayce Panos added 10 points.

Hillary Claycomb and Madison Kinneer tallied 19 and 17 points, respectively, for the Lady Falcons (3-6, 5-12) who remain in fourth place. The top four teams qualify for the postseason. Navaeh Hamborsky added 12 points for Connellsville.

Brownsville 47, Bentworth 32 — Zhariah Reed poured in 22 points as the Lady Falcons clinched a playoff spot by gradually pulling away from the host Lady Bearcats for a Section 2-AAA victory.

Emma Seto tossed in 15 points for Brownsville (6-3, 8-8) which remains in third place.

The Lady Falcons led 11-7, 21-13 and 34-23 at the quarter breaks.

Makenzie Aloe led Bentworth (2-7, 5-11) with 14 points.

Thomas Jefferson 55, Uniontown 35 — Graci Fairman tossed in 26 points as the Lady Jaguars topped the Lady Raiders in a Section 3-AAAAA game.

Laekyn Flinn had 11 points for Thomas Jefferson (6-3, 9-9).

Ava Hair and Emily Myers each scored nine points for the Lady Raiders (2-6, 5-10) who are in fifth place, one-half game behind Connellsville. Nekea Lewis chipped in with eight points for Uniontown.

Southmoreland 53, West Mifflin 37 — The Lady Scotties used a balanced scoring attack to top the host Lady Titans and stay in a first-place tie with Elizabeth Forward in Section 3-AAAA.

Maddie Moore led Southmoreland (8-1, 14-3) with 14 points while Olivia Cernuto, Gracie Spadaro and Delayni Morvosh scored 11 points apiece.

The Lady Scotties led 14-11, 30-17 and 43-24 at the breaks.

Savaughn Wimbs scored a game-high 19 points for West Mifflin (4-6, 5-15).

Elizabeth Forward 47, Yough 30 — The Lady Warriors fought off visiting Yough to keep pace with Southmoreland atop the Section 3-AAAA standings.

Brooke Markland scored 11 points for Elizabeth Forward (8-1, 14-3) which also got 10 points apiece from Joselyn Dawson and Bailie Brinson.

EF took a 14-9 lead in the first quarter and was up 24-19 at halftime before pushing out to a 39-25 after three.

Mikahla Chewning had nine points for the Lady Cougars (3-7, 5-13).

Belle Vernon 61, Ligonier Valley 27 — Viva Kreis made three 3-pointers and scored 15 points as the Lady Leopards topped the visiting Lady Rams in a Section 3-AAAA game to remain one-half game behind front-running Southmoreland and Elizabeth Forward.

Kenzie Seliga also hit a trio of treys in scoring 11 points and Farrah Reader, Jenna Dawson and Presleigh Colditz each tallied nine points for Belle Vernon (8-2, 14-4) which also got seven rebounds, four assists and three steals from Tessa Rodriguez, seven boards from Reader and five rebounds from Tarra Callaway.

Haley Boyd led Ligonier Valley (0-8, 1-15) with 10 points.

Frazier 42, Beth-Center 34 — Delaney Warnick scored a game-high 15 points as the Lady Commodores topped the host Lady Bulldogs in a Section 2-AAA clash.

Eliza Newcomer followed with 10 points for Frazier (2-5, 5-11).

The Lady Commodores took a 12-6 lead in the first quarter and held advantages of 23-17 at halftime and 38-31 after three periods.

Julia Ogradowski and Chloe Byrne paced Beth-Center (0-6, 2-13) with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Serra Catholic 68, Carmichaels 20 — Chloe Pordash dropped in 27 points and Cate Clarke had 12 as the first-place Lady Eagles (7-0, 15-1) knocked off the host Lady Mikes in a Section 2-AA game.

Sophia Zalar led Carmichaels (1-5, 4-10) with 13 points.

Seton LaSalle 71, California 45 — The Lady Rebels rode a 36-point effort by Mallory Daly to a Section 2-AA win over visiting California.

Ava Dursi had 18 points for second-place Seton LaSalle (6-1, 13-4).

Rakiyah Porter led the third-place Lady Trojans (4-3, 9-8) with 15 points and Addison Gregory followed with 10 points.

Highlands 62, Mount Pleasant 38 — The Golden Rams romped to an 18-3 lead in the opening quarter on their way to a non-section victory over the visiting Lady Vikings.

Katelyn Myers scored 24 points for Highlands (15-2) and was followed by Maria Fabregas (15) and Jocelyn Bielak (10).

Tiffany Zelmore topped Mount Pleasant (6-11) in scoring with 23 points.

Avella 62, Jefferson-Morgan 25 — Katie Dryer scored a game-high 26 points as the Lady Eagles flew past the visiting Lady Rockets in a Section 2-A game.

Mariah Stritzinger added 10 points for Avella (4-3, 9-7).

Savanah Clark led Jefferson-Morgan (1-6, 1-15) with 12 points and Kayla Larkin followed with 11.

Trinity 76, Ringgold 21 — Alyssa Clutter scored 21 points as the first-place Lady Hillers rolled past Ringgold in a Section 3-AAAAA game.

Macie Justice added 12 points for Trinity (10-0, 15-1) which also got 11 points from Eden Williamson and 10 from Ruby Morgan.

Kirra Gerard and Azariah White scored four points apiece for the Lady Rams (2-6, 5-12).

Charleroi 71, Washington 25 — Riley Jones scored a game-high 22 points as the Lady Cougars kept their grip on fourth place in Section 2-AAA with a victory over the visiting Lady Prexies.

McKenna DeUnger and Rece Eddy added 13 and 10 points, respectively, for Charleroi (4-4, 10-8).

Cayleigh Brown had 10 points for Washington (0-10, 1-15).

Boys basketball

Ligonier Valley 69, Mount Pleasant 52 — Matt Marinchak and Dylan Rhoades each tallied 19 points as the host Rams defeated the Vikings in a non-section game.

Joey Kondisko added 10 points for Ligonier Valley (9-9).

Dante Giallonardo scored 16 points for Mount Pleasant (3-15) which also got 14 points from Aden Wisnewski and 13 points from Matt Sherbondy 13.

Hockey

Carrick 13, Connellsville 1 — Carrick exploded for eight goals in the second period for a PIHL D2 South Division victory over the visiting Falcons.

Carrick moves into first place with the win, improving to 9-4-0-0-1. Connellsville slips to 5-9-0-0-0.

Carrick’s Ian Norkevicus scored the only goal of the first period.

Norkevicus scored a hat trick in the second period. Tanner Heidkamp scored a pair of goals, and Jacob Fetzer, Aiden Forcucci and Indigo Tavares all netted one goal.

Elijah Pleva scored the Falcons’ goal in the third period.

Connellsville’s Grant O’Brien allowed seven goals on 15 shots and Max Sperry gave up six goals on 21 shots. Carrick’s Logan Keedy turned aside 11 shots.

Girls swimming

Laurel Highlands 99, Connellsville 77 — The Fillies carried most of the first-place finishes for a non-section road victory at Connellsville.

Cecilia Mrosko (200 freestyle, 2:18.40), Ella Ciez (200 IM, 2:18.42; 100 breaststroke, 1:11.80), Scarlett Zehala (diving, 152.10), Elizabeth Thomas (100 butterfly, 1:10.36), Abby Mahoney (100 freestyle, 1:04.23), and Riley Tolbert (1:16.43) all had first-place finishes for Laurel Highlands.

Thomas and Connellsville’s Kyra Callahan both touched the wall in 28.70 seconds in the 50 freestyle.

Laurel Highlands won the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.

The Lady Falcons’ Aeriale Knopsnider (500 freestyle, 6:22.13) and 200 freestyle relay (Callahan, MacKenzie Vokes, Sophie Detwiler, Ella Detwiler) finished first.

Connellsville received second-place finishes from the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays, Knopsnider (200 freestyle), Olivia Crouse (100 backstroke), and Sophie Detwiler (100 breaststroke).

Frazier’s Alexandra Pohodich competed in the 50 freestyle. Although she had the fastest time, Pohodich fell short of the qualifying time with her finish in 27.76 seconds.

Boys swimming

Laurel Highlands 106, Connellsville 52 — The Mustangs won every event for a non-section victory at Connellsville.

Laurel Highlands swept the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.

Kole Friel (200 freestyle, 1:56.51; 100 backstroke, 1:04.81), CJ Soltis (50 freestyle, 24.45; 100 freestyle, 53.46), Collin McManis (diving, 178.40), Connor Locke (100 butterfly, 1:02.14; 100 breaststroke, 1:14.40), and Ian Hamilton (500 freestyle, 5:15.80) won individual events for Laurel Highlands.

Connellsville’s Kasey Stanton (50 freestyle, 100 butterfly), Jonathan Sapola (200 freestyle), Gavin McPoyle (500 freestyle), 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay all finished in second place.

Event 2 Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay 2 CONN-AM A 2:09.60 4 1) McPoyle, Gavin 11 2) Cross, Braden 10 3) Stanton, Kasey 10 4) Tzan, Samuel 9