PIAA wrestling, girls basketball section finales share Thursday spotlight

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 | 11:17 PM

A handful of WPIAL girls basketball sections appear to be headed toward a deadlock for the section crown.

Teams are tied for first place in Section 1-6A, Section 2-6A, Section 2-4A and in Section 1-3A, and they have split their two head-to-head games, meaning if both win or both are upset in their section finales, they will share first place.

Section 2-5A and Section 3-A will be decided Friday.

As far as Thursday, defending Class 2A champion Our Lady of the Sacred Heart has a one-game lead over both South Side and Laurel. OLSH visits South Side while Laurel is at Shenango.

If the Chargers and Spartans win, there will be tri-champions in Section 1-2A.

One section where there will be an outright section champion to be decided on Thursday is Section 2-3A.

South Park and Seton LaSalle are even with 11-2 section records. The Eagles visits the Rebels on Thursday with the section crown at stake.

Room for one more?

Four teams have clinched in Section 1-3A with Beaver, Mohawk, Avonworth and Freedom all playoff bound.

Is there room for last year’s section champs to qualify?

Neshannock can still make the postseason, but it would need to win and get some help.

The Lancers host Mohawk and would need to win, then hope Freedom loses at home to Avonworth.

Five headed to state mats

Five WPIAL wrestling teams begin their quest for state gold with first-round matches Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

WPIAL Class AA champion Burrell faces Montoursville at 4 p.m. while District 7 runner-up Burgettstown draws Chestnut Ridge at 2 p.m.

WPIAL Class AAA champion Waynesburg Central opens up against Central Dauphin at 8 p.m. while runner-up Seneca Valley faces District 6 champion State College at 6 p.m.

Canon-McMillan hits the mat at 8 p.m. against District 3 champion Gettysburg.

Win or lose, all five teams will be back in action on Friday, either in the championship bracket, alive for state gold, or wrestling in the consolation bracket, where it’s advance or go home.

Tags: Avonworth, Beaver, Burgettstown, Burrell, Canon-McMillan, Freedom, Laurel, Mohawk, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seneca Valley, Seton La Salle, South Park, South Side, Waynesburg