Despite postponement, key boys basketball games among 3 things to watch Friday in WPIAL athletics

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, January 4, 2018 | 11:30 PM

Friday will be frigid.

The weather forecasts predict single-digit temperatures throughout the day with a low near 1 degree. As a result, many high school sports events will be postponed as school districts canceled classes.

Among the top boys basketball matchups already postponed were Franklin Regional at Gateway in Class 5A, and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic at Seton LaSalle in Class 3A.

A cold shooting night

Mt. Lebanon canceled Friday's classes and all after-school activities, but the district announced on Twitter than its boys basketball game would be played as scheduled.

Top-ranked Mt. Lebanon (8-1, 2-0) hosts Connellsville (7-3, 2-1) in a Section 2-6A contest at 7:30 p.m.

Mt. Lebanon returns home from a three-game trip to the Byron Nelson Classic in Texas, where the Blue Devils won twice but also took their first loss, 60-56 to the host school. Mt. Lebanon is averaging 73.9 points, best in WPIAL Class 6A.

• North Allegheny also canceled classes not its boys basketball game.

One of the top WPIAL players, Butler sophomore Ethan Morton, visits North Allegheny for a section matchup at 7:30 p.m. Butler (8-1, 2-1) is ranked fourth in Class 6A while North Allegheny (2-5, 0-2) seeks its first section win.

Hitting the mats

Three wrestling tournaments will kick off Friday, as grapplers compete for county supremacy.

The MAC, Tri-County and Westmoreland County tournaments will hold opening-round bouts Friday night and continue Saturday.

The Midwestern Athletic Conference tournament will be held at Freedom and will feature teams from Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Carlynton, Central Valley, Ellwood City, Freedom, Hopewell, Laurel, Mars, Montour, Moon, New Castle, Quaker Valley, South Side Beaver and West Allegheny.

Trinity will host the Tri-County Athletic Directors tournament, with teams from Albert Gallatin, Avella, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Burgettstown, Canon-McMillan, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Frazier, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, McGuffey, Peters Township, Ringgold, South Fayette, Trinity, Washington, Waynesburg and West Greene.

The 64th annual Westmoreland County Coaches Association tournament at Norwin will include wrestlers from Belle Vernon, Burrell, Derry, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Kiski Area, Kiski School, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Valley and Yough.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Butler, Connellsville, Freedom, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Trinity