Westmoreland high school look-ahead: Week of Jan. 29, 2018

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, January 28, 2018 | 10:13 PM

MONDAY

Wrestling

The WPIAL team playoffs open with four matches at Franklin Regional: Shaler vs. Upper St. Clair at 6 p.m.; Belle Vernon vs. Armstrong at 6; Franklin Regional vs. Moon; and Thomas Jefferson vs. Mars at 7:30.

Girls basketball

Greensburg Salem (6-10, 3-6) remains in the playoff chase with three Section 3-5A games to go, but the Golden Lions could use a win over Ringgold.

Franklin Regional (8-9, 3-5) also is trying to lock up fourth place and a playoff berth in Section 4-5A but has a tough test at No. 3 Hampton (13-2, 9-0).

Key games in Section 3-4A are South Park (9-7, 6-4) at Mt. Pleasant (5-11, 3-7) and Southmoreland (11-7, 4-6) at Elizabeth Forward (11-5, 7-3).

Games to watch in Section 3-2A are Jeannette (6-11, 4-6) at Serra Catholic (11-4, 8-1) and Greensburg Central Catholic (7-6, 6-2) at Frazier (9-6, 6-4). GCC has won six in a row.

Hockey

A full schedule of local games features a doubleheader at Kirk Nevin Arena in Greensburg with Upper St. Clair (8-5) facing Hempfield (9-3) at 7:15 p.m., followed by Shaler (7-6) vs. Latrobe (10-5) at 9:15.

Baldwin (7-7) visits Franklin Regional (9-5) at 6:30 at Center Ice in Delmont. Penn-Trafford (8-7) goes to Quaker Valley (8-7) at 9. Norwin (6-9) plays at Meadville (13-1) at 7:35, and Greensburg Salem (3-12) takes on Thomas Jefferson (12-3) at 7:15 at Rostraver Ice Garden.

TUESDAY

Boys basketball

The playoff picture is coming into view in Section 3-6A, and some teams are trying to play spoiler. Key games have Fox Chapel (13-4, 7-3) at Norwin (9-8, 4-6), Latrobe (12-5, 7-3) at Hempfield (5-12, 2-8) and Penn Hills (16-2, 8-2) at Penn-Trafford (6-12, 3-7).

In Section 3-5A, Greensburg Salem (10-6, 3-4) has a tough road test at Highlands (12-3, 6-1), and Derry (7-7, 4-4) at Deer Lakes (9-7, 5-3) has playoff implications in Section 1-4A.

Jeannette (11-2, 6-1) will look to avenge a loss to visiting Leechburg (10-4, 5-3) in Section 1-2A.

Monessen (7-7) at Southmoreland (4-13) meet in a nonsection game.

Girls basketball

Important games in Section 2-6A include Fox Chapel (5-11, 0-7) at Norwin (8-8, 6-2), Latrobe (13-3, 6-1) at Hempfield (6-9, 3-3) and Penn Hills (9-7, 3-4) at Penn-Trafford (7-10, 3-4).

Nonsection games are Gateway (14-3) at Greensburg Salem, and East Allegheny at Greensburg CC, a rematch from Jamfest at Penn Hills.

WEDNESDAY

Wrestling

The Class AA first round and quarterfinals will be at 6 p.m. at four sites: Burrell, Freedom, Derry and McGuffey.

Derry takes on Keystone Oaks, with the winner facing the winner between Elizabeth Forward and Valley.

Burrell, which has won 11 consecutive WPIAL titles, has an opening-round bye and will face the winner of Mt. Pleasant/Burgettstown.

Girls basketball

California at Greensburg Central Catholic could be a pivotal game in Section 3-2A as both teams battle for the section title. Tip is 6 p.m.

THURSDAY

Girls basketball

Games with possible playoff implications include Greensburg Salem at Connellsville (3-5A), Kiski Area at Franklin Regional (4-5A), Mt. Pleasant at Belle Vernon (3-4A) and Southmoreland at Derry (3-4A).

Latrobe plays at Hollidaysburg in a nonsection game.

FRIDAY

Boys basketball

Norwin's playoff hopes could come down to its home game against Woodland Hills in Section 3-6A.

Other key games to keep an eye on are Franklin Regional at Armstrong (3-5A), Gateway at Greensburg Salem (3-5A), Valley at Derry (1-4A) and Jeannette at Serra (1-2A).

Jeannette and Serra went to double-overtime earlier in the season, with the Jayhawks winning 71-70.

Girls basketball

Top games in Section 2-6A are Hempfield at Penn Hills and Penn-Trafford at Fox Chapel.

SATURDAY

Wrestling

The WPIAL Class AAA team semifinals and finals will begin at noon at Trinity (Class AAA) and Chartiers-Houston (AA).

Boys basketball

The six-game Shootout at Seton Hill features several good local matchups, including Highlands vs. Hempfield at 2 p.m., Greensburg Salem vs. Greensburg CC at 7, and Jeannette vs. Franklin Regional at 8:30.

Girls basketball

Greensburg CC plays Hempfield in the opening game of the six-game Shootout at Seton Hill. Tip is set for 12:30 p.m.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield Area, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland