A-K Valley high school lookahead: Week of Jan. 1, 2018

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 1, 2018 | 8:36 AM

Tuesday

Knoch and Burrell played in the Highlands boys basketball holiday tournament last week without meeting, but they'll face off in a nonsection game at Burrell. The Knights and Bucs once played in the same boys basketball section before the PIAA's shift to six classifications separated them. Both teams will be looking for a much-needed win before the resumption of section play. Knoch (3-5) has lost five of its past six games, and Burrell (3-7) dropped six of the last seven.

• Two more former section rivals meet as Plum hosts Fox Chapel for a nonsection contest. After losing their first seven games of the season, the host Mustangs (2-7) won back-to-back contests at the Penn-Trafford holiday tournament to come into the week with some momentum. Freshman Kennedie Montue scored 40 points in the victories. Fox Chapel (2-6) has lost five in a row, the past two against top competition Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic and Vincentian at Shaler's holiday tournament.

• The PIHL schedule resumes, with Plum (2-8) and Kiski Area (6-5) facing the top two teams in Class AAA and Class A, respectively. Plum, looking to climb into playoff contention, visits Peters Township (9-0-1), which is outscoring opponents 45-20. Kiski Area and Class A scoring leader Austin LaPiana take on the stingiest defense in Class A, Bishop McCort (11-0), which has allowed just 18 goals.

Wednesday

Less than a week after Springdale and St. Joseph's boys basketball teams met at the latter's holiday tournament, the former section rivals face off again at Springdale. Mike Zolnierczyk scored 33 points to lead Springdale (4-4) to an 84-80 victory last week. The visiting Spartans (3-5) look to snap a three-game losing streak.

• The wrestling section schedule resumes, and Riverview visits Valley for a Section 3-AA (B) dual. The host Vikings are coming off back-to-back WPIAL playoff appearances, something to which the Raiders aspire. A win would help them in that quest, while a Valley victory would put the Vikings on the path to another postseason.

Thursday

Section play resumes in girls basketball, and Burrell visits Deer Lakes in a matchup of Section 1-4A playoff teams from last season. Brittany Dunn and Kaylen Sharrow lead the way for the Bucs (3-5, 1-2), as each had double-doubles in a victory over Jeannette at the Hempfield holiday tournament. Deer Lakes, searching for its first section victory, comes in on a high note as the Lancers (3-5, 0-2) won the St. Joseph holiday tournament, beating Riverview and St. Joseph by an average of 28.5 points.

• Another key Section 1-4A girls basketball game features rivals Freeport and Knoch, who hold playoff spots early in section play. The visiting Yellowjackets (3-5, 1-1) are looking to snap a three-game losing streak. They dropped a one-point decision to Hopewell in their most recent contest, at the Riverside holiday tournament. Knoch (3-5, 2-0) is showing an ability to win close games, beating Deer Lakes by five points and Burrell by three.

• Leechburg and Vincentian are tied atop the Section 2-2A girls basketball standings along with Brentwood, and the Blue Devils and Royals will look to gain an early edge in their first meeting of the season. IUP recruit Mikayla Lovelace, a career 1,500-point scorer, leads No. 4 Leechburg (7-1, 3-0), and Caroline Elliott paces No. 2 Vincentian (7-1, 4-0).

Friday

Boys basketball section play resumes, and Leechburg (7-2, 2-1) looks to make a statement in a Section 1-2A home contest against first-place Jeannette. Christian Hack, who recently reached 1,000 career points, won MVP honors for Leechburg as the Blue Devils won the Apollo Trust Company holiday tournament. Robert Kennedy and Anthony Johnson are the big names for Jeannette (5-1, 2-0), which is hoping to add a basketball crown to the WPIAL and PIAA titles it won in football this fall.

• Highlands had a tough time against Franklin Regional in its Section 1-5A opener, but the Golden Rams (5-3, 0-1) hope to get back to even with a home game against Armstrong. Luke Cochran, Johnny Crise and Sean Erceg led the way as Highlands won its holiday tournament over the weekend. Armstrong (5-4, 1-0) brings a stingy defense and some top playmakers in Nate Baillie, Dawson Porter and Isaiah and Jalen Price.

• Burrell, Kiski Area and Valley's wrestlers look to make a statement at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association tournament at Norwin. Kiski Area rolled to the team title last season, its second in a row, and junior Darren Miller and senior Danny Starr return as champions. Senior Corey Christie and junior David Schuffert, who both placed third last season, are the top returners for Burrell and Valley, respectively.

Saturday

The WCCA wrestling tournament concludes at Norwin with the championship and consolation finals.

Week in review

• Double-double vision: Some Alle-Kiski Valley teammates are seeing double. Kaylen Sharrow had 26 points and 15 rebounds in Burrell's victory over Jeannette, and Brittany Dunn added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Johnny Crise and Sean Erceg are making double-doubles a habit for Highlands.

• Playing spoiler: Kiski Area's Nick Delp and Burrell's Ian Oswalt had underdog runs to the quarterfinals at the nationally renowned Powerade Christmas Tournament on their way to earning medals. Both knocked off seeded wrestlers in the early rounds. Oswalt finished fourth, adding it to his fourth-place medal from the prestigious King of the Montain tournament. Delp took eighth.