Penn-Trafford notebook: Girls basketball team runs into No. 1 North Allegheny

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, January 31, 2021 | 9:01 AM

Penn-Trafford girls basketball coach John Giannikas was honored before the Jan. 25 game against North Allegheny for winning his 200th game.

But the veteran coach would rather have had the win against the Tigers that night instead.

North Allegheny claimed sole possession of first place in WPIAL Section 1-6A with a 66-41 victory.

Penn-Trafford will get another shot at the Tigers on Feb. 19.

It was a poor start to the second half that did in the Lady Warriors.

The state’s No. 1 team ran its winning streak to 21 and moved to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in section, looking every bit the part.

The Tigers dealt the Warriors (6-1, 5-1) their first loss.

“It was a close game, and in about a three-minute stretch, it got out of hand,” Giannikas said. “They are a phenomenal team. They showed why they’re No. 1.”

Kenzie Powell led the Warriors with 12 points, Allie Prady had 10 and Maura Suman chipped in nine.

Taking aim at first

The Penn-Trafford coed rifle team continued its winning ways with wins against Armstrong and Plum.

The victories improved the Warriors to 4-1 and ran their winning streak to three.

Penn-Trafford had matches scheduled against Indiana and Butler in the last week.

Stadium reopens

Penn-Trafford school officials reopened Warrior Stadium after shutting it down to the public because groups were using shovels to clear snow from the field.

School officials worried that people would damage the field turf.

Penn-Trafford athletic director Kerry Hetrick said there were at least three different groups that were using the field to play football and soccer.

“We want the public, especially our students, to use the field,” Hetrick said. “That’s why we want the field open.”

The stadium reopened Jan. 26.

Warriors win 2 on ice

The Penn-Trafford hockey team returned to action with a pair of victories.

The Warriors (6-1) defeated rival Franklin Regional, 3-2, and then edged Plum, 4-3 in overtime.

Xavier Solomon scored an even-strength goal at the 10:39 mark to lift the Warriors past the Panthers.

Goals by Brandon Grkman and Nico Martucci in the first period gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Goalie Jackson Kerrigan stopped 27 of 29 shots.

Against Plum, the Warriors rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the second period to defeat the Mustangs in overtime on a goal by Carter Scholze.

Nate Loughner’s goal in the second period trimmed the Mustangs’ lead to 3-1, and goals by Jack McKenzie and Solomon in the third period tied the score.

Kerrigan relieved Nick Chesky in the second period to earn the win.

Penn-Trafford is tied with Hempfield for second place in Class AA Southeast Division with 12 points. Franklin Regional (6-3) is in first with 13 points.

The Warriors, who were scheduled to play Franklin Regional on Monday, play host to Butler on Thursday.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

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