Cager Classic all-star festivities return, scheduled for March 23-25
By:
Sunday, February 19, 2023 | 4:56 PM
Freeport’s Melaina DeZort brings the ball upcourt during a game against Fox Chapel on Dec. 3, 2022, at Freeport.
Kiski Area’s Lebryn Smith reacts to being whistled for a foul during the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers 76-71 loss to North Hills in the WPIAL Class 5A first round Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, at North Hills Middle School.
The WPIAL boys and girls basketball playoffs are in full swing, but officials with the Cager Classic have been planning ahead for when the postseason concludes.
The 26th all-star games will be March 25 at Highlands High School, and the East and West rosters for the boys and girls contests have been announced.
The games will feature senior players from both sides of the Allegheny River. Schools represented are Apollo-Ridge Burrell, Butler, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Mars, Plum, Cheswick Christian Academy, Riverview, Armstrong, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Knoch, Springdale, and West Shamokin.
Franklin Regional is a new addition to the Cager’s lineup of teams.
The players will gather at Highlands for practice Thursday, March 23, to kick off the three days of activities.
The skills competition will be the next night at 7 p.m. and will include a 3-point shootout, individual hot-shot and co-ed hot shot.
On Saturday, the girls game will be at 5:30 p.m., with the introduction of the players at 5:15. The boys game will follow at approximately 7:30, with the introductions 15 minutes prior.
Advance tickets are available at B&J Sporting Goods. Adults are $6 and students are $4. Tickets also will be available at the door.
The Cager Classic games returned last year after a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2022 games are tough acts to follow as both went to overtime.
The West won the girls game 91-85 in double overtime as the teams combined for the most points in a girls game in Cager Classic history. The West also set a record for the most points scored by one team as it snapped a seven-game losing streak against the East.
Last year’s boys game went to an extra session as the East won 101-96.
Two players selected for this year’s games — Butler’s Madden Clement and Freeport’s Ava Soilis — will be part of the festivities, but they will not be able to play.
Clement is recovering from an ankle injury, and Solis had surgery to repair a knee injury suffered at Freeport on Jan. 5.
The rosters for the game are subject to change. The PIAA championship games are March 23-25 at Hershey’s Giant Center.
26th Cager Classic
March 25, 2023
Highlands High School
Rosters
Girls
East
Brinley Toland, Apollo-Ridge
Sydney McCray, Apollo-Ridge
Riley Sterlitz, Burrell
Addy Landowski, Burrell
Justine Forbes, Butler
Hannah Aldridge, Butler
Elsie Smith, Fox Chapel
Sarah Penrod, Franklin Regional
Brooke Schirmer, Franklin Regional
Lexiann Colaianni, Kiski Area
Olivia Donnelly, Mars
Laurel Atwell, Mars
Cam Rogers, Plum
Bell Cullaj, Cheswick Christian Academy
Brianna Long, Riverview
West
Olivia Yancy, Armstrong
Mackenzie Flick, Armstrong
Jessica Sullivan, Deer Lakes
Ava Soilis, Freeport
Melaina DeZort, Freeport
Claire Rodgers, Hampton
Ava Nitowski, Highlands
Camille Gigon, Highlands
Hatie McGraw, Knoch
Nina Shaw, Knoch
Megan Vasas, Knoch
Grace Gent, Springdale
Melissa Spohn, West Shamokin
Bailey Conrad, West Shamokin
Boys
East
Jake Mull, Apollo-Ridge
Caden Olson, Armstrong
Ryan Porch, Butler
Colin Casteel, Butler
Madden Clement, Butler
Kam Griel, Fox Chapel
Max Leven, Franklin Regional
Jake Kimmich, Franklin Regional
Dom Dininno, Kiski Area
LeBryn Smith, Kiski Area
Marcus Cleveland, Leechburg
Tasso Sfanos, Mars
Adam Kotvas, Plum
Ben Hower, Riverview
Jack Betler, Riverview
West
Jude Vargo, Cheswick Christian Academy
Bryce Robson, Deer Lakes
Nate Litrun, Deer Lakes
Zack Clark, Freeport
Gavin Croney, Freeport
Brennan Murray, Hampton
Jaden McMeekin, Hampton
Chandler Thimons, Highlands
Jimmy Kunst, Highlands
Landan Signorella, Highlands
James Snyder, Knoch
Jimmy Gianetta, St. Joseph
Ethan Zale, St. Joseph
Sean McCullough, West Shamokin
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Butler, Cheswick Christian, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Mars, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, St. Joseph, West Shamokin
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