A-K Valley girls basketball notebook: Highlands, North Catholic set for rematch

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 | 6:28 PM

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The Highlands girls basketball team trailed Section 1-4A leader North Catholic by just two points early in the third quarter of their matchup Dec. 14 at Highlands.

But the Trojanettes limited the Golden Rams down the stretch and pulled away for a 44-24 victory.

It was Highlands’ lowest point output of the season.

Since that game, though, the Golden Rams are 7-2, with their only losses coming against Class 5A powers Armstrong (10-4) and Oakland Catholic (16-0).

Highlands, now 10-4 overall, takes a 5-1 record into the rematch at North Catholic (8-4, 6-0) on Thursday. The game could decide the section title, even though most of the section slate remains.

The Golden Rams are averaging 48.4 points a game and surrendering just 34.9.

Highlands kept pace with North Catholic in the standings several times, bouncing back from the loss to the Trojanettes with a win over Knoch four days later and then topping contender Greensburg Salem, 54-47.

The senior-laden Golden Rams continue to be paced by 1,000-point scorer Kate Myers, fellow seniors Kalleigh Nerone, Jocelyn Bielak, and Shelby Wojcik, and junior Tyarah Woody.

Myers, who reached 1,000 points on a 3-pointer in Highlands’ 46-36 win over Mars in the Highlands tournament title game Dec. 28, led the way with 12 points against Oakland Catholic in Saturday’s 60-32 setback.

All 12 came on four 3-pointers.

The Golden Rams were within shouting distance of the Eagles, trailing 24-15 at halftime before OC pulled away in the second half.

Foxes get important OT win

Injuries and tough luck have slowed down the Foxes at different turns this season, but with the team healthier earlier this week, it scored a key win in its attempt to get back into the Section 2-5A playoff chase.

Fox Chapel survived Shaler, 42-37 in overtime Tuesday to pull into a tie for fifth place with the Titans at 2-4. The win snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Senior Sarah Slember is lost for the season with a knee injury, and senior Skye Byrnes and sophomore Lyla Jablon have missed time because of injury.

But Byrnes and Jablon were key factors in the win over Shaler which saw the Foxes rally in the fourth quarter to send it to an extra session.

Junior Natalia Schaffer led the way with 12 points, and Byrnes and Jablon both added 11.

Fox Chapel, 4-11 overall, visits North Hills on Thursday in a rematch of a 44-39 Indians win from Dec. 14. Byrnes did not play in that game as she injured her ankle against Plum two days earlier.

Indiana takes the lead over Mustangs

Indiana and Plum did their parts to set up Monday’s Section 1-5A clash at Plum for the section lead.

Both entered the game 5-0 in section play, with the Indians averaging 47.8 in section games, while the Mustangs came in averaging 56.8.

It was a defensive struggle for most of the game, as the coaches expected, and Plum led 16-15 at halftime on a three-point play from junior Serena Carnahan.

The Mustangs led by six at the end of the third quarter and by five midway through the fourth, but Indiana rallied and controlled both ends of the court down the stretch.

Forward Cassie Boyer iced the victory for Indiana with a 4 for 4 effort from the free-throw line in the final 20 seconds.

Now, Indiana, at 6-0 in section and 11-2 overall, opens the section half of the section slate at Penn Hills on Friday, while Plum (9-5, 5-1) hosts Gateway (2-12, 0-6) on Thursday and Butler in nonsection action Friday.

Plum and Indiana will rematch at Indiana on Feb. 8

St. Joseph rolls in top-five matchup

The first Section 3-A meeting of the season between St. Joseph and Riverview, a matchup of ranked Triblive HSSN teams, went to the Spartans.

St. Joseph, at No. 2, came in 4-0 in the section, while Riverview was 3-0 and ranked fifth.

But the Spartans asserted themselves from the start, outscoring the Raiders, 26-4, in the first quarter before leading 41-14 at halftime en route to the 70-40 victory.

Senior Julie Spinelli led the way with 22 points for St. Joseph, while fellow senior Emma Swierczewski scored 17 and senior Anna Kreinbrook 14.

Senior Lola Abraham and junior Katarina Tsambis fronted Riverview with 12 points apiece.

Riverview hopes to bounce back Thursday at nonsection rival Springdale, and St. Joseph hosts Eden Christian in nonsection play Thursday.

The Spartans and Raiders meet again at Riverview on Feb. 8.

Burrell establishing themselves

The Bucs hoped to get back on the winning side of things after a three-game grind against three ranked WPIAL powers St. Joseph, Shady Side Academy and Aquinas Academy at the end of December and the start of the New Year.

Bucs coach Shaun Reddick said his team learned from those games as they also knew they would play games for a time without their second-leading scorer, junior guard Anna Clark, who is battling back from an injury.

But led by the likes of junior forward Jules Fisher, sophomore guard Casey Brancato and freshman guard McKenna Miller, Burrell has solidified second in the section behind SSA.

The Bucs are riding a three-game win streak in section play with victories over Ligonier Valley, Apollo-Ridge and rival Deer Lakes.

Burrell brought the defense against Deer Lakes, limiting the Lancers’ offensive opportunities in a 54-13 win Monday. Conversely, Fisher led the Bucs offense with 17 points, while Miller and Brancato added 10 points apiece.

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: Burrell, Fox Chapel, Highlands, Plum, St. Joseph