Avonworth boys hold off Knoch in WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | 10:14 PM

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Avonworth maybe didn’t win the game in the first 5 minutes, but its hot start Wednesday night certainly shaped the final three quarters.

The Antelopes ran out to an early 11-point lead, putting Knoch in a hole it couldn’t quite escape. Avonworth’s Rowan Carmichael bolstered his status as the WPIAL’s top scorer with a game-high 35 points as fourth-seeded Avonworth defeated No. 5 Knoch, 72-63, in a Class 4A quarterfinal that drew a standing-room crowd.

“We were worried about the first-quarter spurt,” Knoch coach Alan Bauman said. “Avonworth is great at that. We didn’t handle that very well.”

Avonworth ran out to an early 15-4 lead, and Knoch spent the rest of the game trying to reel the Antelopes in.

To their credit, the Knights nearly did. They were within two points in the second quarter, down only five points in the third and within four points in the fourth.

Each time, Avonworth pushed back.

“Coach always says, ‘Keep swinging,’ ” said Carmichael, one of the team’s four senior starters. “Each team is going to go on a run. We took their run, and we knew it was time for us to go on ours. We just stayed confident and kept working hard.”

Noah Goetz scored 20 points for Avonworth (18-5), which advances to face No. 1 Belle Vernon in a semifinal Saturday at a site and time to be announced.

Because of its first-round bye, Avonworth was coming off an extended layoff Wednesday. The Antelopes hadn’t played a game since Feb. 10, but that didn’t show.

“It’s a senior-led team that really took charge of the last week-and-a-half and really kept everybody focused,” first-year Avonworth coach Joe Frank said. “Even though we were laid off for a week-and-a-half or whatever it was, those seniors didn’t allow any rust. I think that’s why we got off to a good start.”

Knoch junior Jackson Bauman scored 30 points, with 17 in the fourth quarter. He fueled a late rally that cut Avonworth’s lead to 59-55 in the final two minutes.

Junior Teegan Finucan added 17 points.

“We definitely like to play with the lead, but hats off to Knoch’s coaching staff and players,” Frank said. “They battled.”

Despite the hot start, Avonworth’s lead was down to 19-17 with 6 minutes left in the second quarter after a 3-pointer by Knoch sophomore Brody Bauman.

Avonworth regrouped and finished the half on a 15-4 run. Carmichael scored eight points in the run, and the Antelopes led 34-21 at the break.

Knoch had a significant size advantage, but Avonworth countered with its speed.

“When you’re playing against a big team — we’re one of the smallest teams — we’ve got to use our athleticism and quickness to our advantage,” Carmichael said. “If we keep running the floor, defending and rebounding, it’s going to be hard to beat us.”

Avonworth led 53-39 early in the fourth quarter after Carmichael made two 3s in a 30-second span, the first while falling into the student section. But Knoch had one more run.

Jackson Bauman scored six consecutive points himself, including a pair of three throws with 1:56 left to cut Avonworth’s lead to 59-55. Bauman narrowed the margin to four points twice more, on a 3-point play with 1:34 left and a layup at the 1:23 mark.

But Avonworth never trailed. Goetz and Carmichael went 8 for 8 from the foul line in final 90 seconds, and Carmichael tacked on a late layup to seal the win.

Five WPIAL teams advance to the state playoffs in Class 4A. Knoch will need to qualify through the WPIAL consolation bracket starting Monday. The four teams that lost in the quarterfinals will compete for one qualifying spot.

“Our goal all year was to get to the state playoffs,” said Alan Bauman, whose team’s top eight players were all juniors and sophomores. “It’s (about) getting as much experience as we can.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Knoch