High school roundup for Feb. 23, 2023: Makhai Valentine beats buzzer to send Steel Valley past Seton LaSalle

By: Tribune-Review
Thursday, February 23, 2023 | 11:36 PM

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Makhai Valentine won an epic scoring duel with Connor Spratt in the most dramatic of fashions, hitting the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead top-seeded Steel Valley to a 56-54 victory over No. 9 Seton LaSalle in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals Thursday night.

Spratt, who scored 33 points in the game, hit a baseline jumper with 4.9 seconds left to give Seton LaSalle a one-point lead.

Valentine, who scored 37, took the inbounds pass under his own basket, raced the length of the floor, nearly lost control of the ball as he approached the 3-point arc and drained the winning shot as time expired.

Nahjir Norris added 12 for the Ironmen (14-9), who will meet No. 5 Deer Lakes in Monday’s semifinal. Seton LaSalle (12-11) will face Mohawk in a first-round consolation game Saturday.

Mekhai Valentine. Wow.
Steel Valley wins!@TribLiveHSSN @TribStandout pic.twitter.com/rWvIWg01gj

— James !!!!!! Dotson (@3SNdot) February 24, 2023

North Catholic 73, Uniontown 58 – Max Hurray scored 23 points, Matt Ellery had 17 and Andrew Maddalon added 16 to lead No. 6 North Catholic (18-6) past No. 3 Uniontown (19-4) in a Class 4A quarterfinal win. The Trojans will face No. 2 Laurel Highlands in Monday’s semifinals. Jamire Braxton scored 15 points and Notorious Grooms had 13 for the Red Raiders.

OLSH 53, Shady Side Academy 42 – Bryson Kirschner scored 19 points and Rocco Coladonato added 10 to lead No. 6 OLSH (18-5) past No. 3 Shady Side Academy (16-8) in a Class 3A quarterfinal. The Chargers will face No. 2 Neshannock in the semifinals on Monday.

Girls basketball

Aquinas Academy 45, Eden Christian 25 – Emily Fisher and Ellie Junker scored nine points apiece and Victoria Taylor and Elliot Keverline each added eight to lead No. 3 Aquinas Academy (15-8) to a Class A quarterfinal win. The Crusaders will face No.2 Bishop Canevin in Monday’s semifinals. Ava Batch, Lanie Brogdon and Ella D’Ippoloito scored six points apiece for No. 6 Eden Christian (8-15).

Bishop Canevin 84, Avella 54 – Ashley Lippold scored 34 points, topping the 1,000-point mark for her career, as No. 2 Bishop Canevin (11-7) won a Class A quarterfinal. Josie Bochicchio added 11 for the Crusaders, who will face No. 3 Aquinas Academy in Monday’s semifinals. Katie Dryer scored 24 and Ava Frank had 12 for No. 10 Avella (13-11).

Mt. Lebanon 47, Chartiers Valley 46 – Payton Collins scored 25 points, including the game-winning free throw with 0.4 seconds left to lead No. 4 Mt. Lebanon to a thrilling comeback victory in the Class 6A quarterfinals.

Mt. Lebanon (17-6) used a 20-5 run in the fourth quarter to take the lead. The Blue Devils, who trailed by 14 with three minutes left, will meet No.1 Upper St. Clair in Monday’s semifinal. Lilah Turnbull and Emma Reynolds scored 15 points apiece for No. 5 Chartiers Valley (12-10).

North Allegheny 69, Pine-Richland 56 – Jasmine Timmerson scored 20 points and No. 2 North Allegheny (18-5) jumped out to a 23-8 lead after one quarter and rolled to a Class 6A quarterfinal victory. Kellie McConnell added 13 for the Tigers, who will meet No. 3 Norwin in Monday’s semifinals. Sarah Pifer scored 23 points and hit six 3-pointers for No. 7 Pine-Richland (11-12). Catherine Gentile added 16 and Madison Zavasky had 13.

Union 64, West Greene 20 – Kylie Fruehstorfer scored 22 points, Kelly Cleaver added 14 and Zoe Lepri had 10 for No. 1 Union (16-6) in a Class A quarterfinal win over No. 8 West Greene (13-10). The Scotties will meet No. 5 St. Joseph in the semifinals Monday. Lexie Six and Marissa Tharp scored seven points apiece for the Pioneers.

Upper St. Clair 60, Peters Township 43 – Rylee Kalocay led No. 1 Upper St. Clair (20-2) with 27 points, Ryan Prunzik had 12 and Kate Robbins added 10 in a Class 6A quarterfinal win. The Panthers will face No. 4 Mt. Lebanon in Monday’s semifinals. Gemma Walker scored 16 points and Brianna Morreale had 11 for No. 8 Peters Township (13-11).

Hockey

Cathedral Prep 7, Bethel Park 2 – Brayden Sprickman had two goals and two assists and Alex Brown also scored twice for Cathedral Prep (11-8) in Class 3A. Connor Eubank and Liam Nickerson each had a goal and an assist. Aaron All scored twice for Bethel Park (5-13-1).

Central Catholic 2, Seneca Valley 1 – Joel Fabian scored the game-winning goal with 2:33 left in regulation to carry Central Catholic (14-5-1) to a Class 3A win. Sam Gaffney also scored for Central Catholic. Jonathan Leishman scored for Seneca Valley (14-5-1).

Deer Lakes 4, Bishop Canevin 3 – Ryan Grunden completed his hat trick with the game-winning goal with 2:09 to go as Deer Lakes pulled off comeback win in Varsity D2, handing first-place Bishop Canevin its first loss of the season. Bishop Canevin (16-1) led 3-1 after two periods on goals by Ty Serakowski, Eion Tiernan and Aiden Malay. Grunden scored 25 seconds into the third to make it 3-2 and Zachary Nacey netted the tying goal 1:38 later for Deer Lakes (16-3).

Hampton 6, Wheeling Catholic 5 – Eli Schwarzbach had a hat trick and Brayden Bianco, Andrew Bagnato and Eli Burkovac also scored for Hampton (4-16) in Class A. Payton Hildebrand scored twice for Wheeling Catholic (5-15).

Indiana 5, Kiski 3 – Ash Lockard and Gabe Nettleton each had a goal and an assist and Philip Bell had three assists to lead Indiana (12-7-1) to a Class A win. Ethan George had a goal and an assist for Kiski (15-5).

Moon 8, Wheeling Park 2 – Jack Willett had a hat trick and Brody Eckert added two goals and an assist to lead Moon (10-10) to a Class A victory. Randy Sheffler and Brenden Camardese each had a goal and two assists. Anna Brannare and Gian Degenova scored for Wheeling Park (0-20).

Morgantown 12, Trinity 1 – Ty Edgerton had three goals and two assists and Geno Valenti had a goal and four assists to lead Morgantown (9-8-1) in Varsity D2. Nate Rodgers had two goals and two assists and Anthony Dibartolomeo added a goal and three assists. George Coyle scored for Trinity (0-17).

Mt. Lebanon 3, Pine-Richland 1 – Sawyer Klasnick scored the go-ahead goal with 1:29 to go and added an empty netter with 16 seconds left to lead Mt. Lebanon (6-14) to a Class 3A win. Luker Eberhart scored the tying goal at 5:49 of the third period. Ryan Peacock scored for Pine-Richland (11-8-1).

North Catholic 5, Beaver 2 – Emilio Laracuente had two goals and Brock Varley, Beckett Dunn and Chaise Caldararo also scored to lead North Catholic (14-5-1) to a Class A win. Trevor Schmidt had a goal and an assist for Beaver (2-17-1).

North Hills 4, Chartiers Valley 1 – Owen Sroka had two goals, Nathan Hazen added a goal and an assist and Andrew Nazak also scored for North Hills (18-1-1) in a Class A win. Brady Nairn scored for Chartiers Valley (6-13-1).

Ringgold 4, Elizabeth Forward 3 (SO) – LJ Crouch scored the tying goal with 3:47 left in regulation to lead Ringgold (13-3-1) to a shootout win in Varsity D2. Steven Macheska and Kenneth Cadwallader also scored. Rhys Medved had a goal and an assist for Elizabeth Forward (7-8-2).

South Fayette 6, Meadville 3 – Connor Solomon scored two goals and Braydon Reighard and Trevor Dalessandro each had a goal and an assist for South Fayette (14-3) in a Class 2A win. Rocco Tartaglione had a goal and an assist for Meadville (3-14-2).

Upper St. Clair 4, Baldwin 2 – Peyton Gillespie had a goal and an assist and Zachary Hardy had two assists to lead Upper St. Clair (11-7) to a Class 3A win.Tanner Plinta and Levi McCrea each scored a goal for Baldwin (5-12-2). Collin McCarthy, Aaron Stawiarski and Colin Ruffner also scored for the Panthers.