Alle-Kiski Valley lookahead: Feb. 19-24, 2018

By: Doug Gulasy
Sunday, February 18, 2018 | 7:06 PM

Monday

• Deer Lakes hosts Kiski Area in a PIHL Class A game with major postseason implications. Kiski Area (9-10) entered the week holding on to the 12th and final Penguins Cup playoff spot with 18 points, one ahead of Deer Lakes (8-9-0-1). It's the regular-season finale for Kiski Area, while Deer Lakes has a game in hand. Either team would be eliminated from the postseason with a regulation loss.

Tuesday

• After barely missing the postseason in 2017, Springdale's boys basketball team returns with a Class 2A first-round game against California at 6:30 p.m. at Gateway. The No. 10 Dynamos (12-8) clinched their postseason berth with a late-season victory over rival Riverview. No. 7 California (13-8) is making its ninth consecutive appearance.

• Leechburg makes its third consecutive appearance in the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs and will face No. 9 Fort Cherry in a Class 2A first-round game at 8 p.m. at North Hills. The No. 8 Blue Devils (14-7) closed the season with wins in seven of their final 10 games. Fort Cherry (9-13) dropped its final five.

Wednesday

• Apollo-Ridge missed the WPIAL girls basketball playoffs last season, but the Vikings return with a Class 3A first-round game against No. 6 Charleroi (19-3). The Vikings (10-12) are on a five-game losing streak, but 1,000-point scorer Megan Ost hopes to help them post an upset.

• Freeport's boys basketball team has revenge on its mind as the Yellowjackets face South Fayette in a WPIAL Class 4A first-round playoff game at 8 p.m. at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic. No. 7 South Fayette (15-7) beat Freeport in last season's first round and again early this season, with both games decided by three points. No. 10 Freeport (15-6) won 13 of its final 15 regular-season games.

• After a heartbreaking loss in last season's WPIAL boys basketball playoffs, Valley will take another shot with a Class 4A first-round game against No. 9 South Park (12-9) at 8 p.m. at North Hills. The No. 8 Vikings (13-4) are seeking their first playoff victory since 2011.

• In the WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball playoffs for the second consecutive season, Deer Lakes will look to do something it hasn't done since the mid-80s: win a postseason game. The No. 11 Lancers (12-9) will take on No. 6 Ambridge (12-9) at 8 p.m. at Fox Chapel.

Thursday

• No. 6 Leechburg (19-4) looks to advance to the WPIAL girls basketball semifinals for the first time in school history with a quarterfinal matchup against No. 3 Chartiers-Houston (17-5). The game features a pair of 2,000-point scorers in Leechburg's Mikayla Lovelace and Char-Houston's Alexa Williamson.

Friday

• After getting a first-round bye in the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs, Highlands will face the winner of Tuesday's game between West Allegheny and Laurel Highlands in a Class 5A quarterfinal game. The No. 2 Golden Rams (17-4) won 15 of their final 16 regular-season games.

• No. 6 St. Joseph (14-9) and No. 3 Quigley Catholic (14-8) will meet for the fifth time in the past six girls basketball postseasons, with a berth in the WPIAL Class A semifinals on the line.

• The PIAA Class AA Southwest Regional wrestling tournament gets underway at IUP, with wrestlers aiming for a top-six finish and a berth in the PIAA tournament.

Saturday

• Fox Chapel earned a bye in the first round of the WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball playoffs, and the Foxes will get their postseason going with a quarterfinal game against two-time defending champion Pine-Richland. The No. 3 Foxes (17-5) won nine of their final 10 games.

• The PIAA Southwest Regional concludes with a second day of wrestling, including the “blood round” for a Hershey berth, semifinals and finals.

• The WPIAL Class AAA individual wrestling postseason gets underway with sectional tournaments. Kiski Area will host the Section 1-AAA tournament, and Fox Chapel will host the Section 3-AAA tournament.

— Doug Gulasy

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review Staff Writer. You can contact Doug at 412-388-5830, dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski School, Leechburg, Springdale