North Hills notebook: Midseason surge delivers playoff berth to boys basketball team

By: Josh Rowntree
Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

The North Hills boys basketball team’s midseason surge proved to be enough to clinch a spot in the WPIAL Class 6A postseason.

The Indians, who finished the regular season 7-15 overall and 6-8 in Section 1-6A, found out Feb. 10 who they would face in the opening round of the Class 6A postseason.

For a third time, North Hills was scheduled to meet Butler when the Class 6A playoffs opened Feb. 17.

The matchup was a bit unique, as the WPIAL did not shy away from pairing section rivals in the postseason this year.

North Hills and Butler split their regular season meetings, with the Indians winning at home in December, 69-65, and Butler claiming a win a month later, 51-39.

The winner of the matchup was set to advance to the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals to face the No. 2 seed, New Castle, on Feb. 20.

The Indians, who picked up key midseason wins over playoff-bound teams in Woodland Hills, New Castle and Seneca Valley, were paced in the regular season by senior Zach Pollaro, who scored over 21 points per game, as well as sophomore Nathan Schanbacher, who averaged over 18.5 points.

However, North Hills lost four of its final five games in the regular season, with two setbacks coming in overtime. That included a finale defeat at the hands of Woodland Hills, 59-34, which helped the Wolverines clinch a spot in the postseason.

Girls season ends

After a breakthrough season in 2023-24, the North Hills girls basketball team was unable to follow up with a second straight trip to the postseason.

The Indians finished the season 7-15 overall and 3-7 in Section 1-6A — good for fifth place among the six teams.

A year ago, North Hills reached the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals and also played two consolation games.

This season, North Hills earned section wins over Woodland Hills twice, as well as Butler. The Indians had tight losses in section play against Butler (55-53 in overtime), Pine-Richland (45-43).

The good news for North Hills? Coach Jason Pirring, who just finished his first season, loses only two seniors in Gia Minton and Grace Zickefoose.

The Indians’ roster featured eight freshmen this season, as well as four sophomores and just three juniors.

North Hills hockey clinches

With the PIHL hockey season nearly complete, North Hills’ hockey team continues to battle for position in the postseason hunt.

The Indians had compiled a record of 7-8-2 as of Feb. 10, having won four of their last five games before the regular season finale Feb. 20 at Freeport.

The Indians have been led this year by Jonathan Trosky, who has scored 25 goals and assisted 12 more in his junior season. Trosky scored a pair of goals and added an assist in a 6-1 win over Richland on Feb. 10.

Christopher Muschar added five goals and led the team with 13 assists. Parker Tallerico played the majority of the minutes in net and posted a 4.01 goals-against average.

With seven teams making the postseason from each of Class A’s two divisions, the Indians have secured a spot as at least the seventh-place team from the Blue Division.

Regardless of how it ends, the season has been a solid bounce-back year for North Hills, which won just one game in 2023-2024.

Tags: North Hills