PIAA basketball playoffs roundup for March 14: Pine-Richland boys roll past State College

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 | 11:12 PM

All season, Pine-Richland boys basketball coach Jeff Ackermann said his team was at its best with at least four players in double figures.

The Rams got that and then some Wednesday night en route to an 83-63 victory over District 6 champion State College in the PIAA Class 6A second round at Pitt-Johnstown.

Phil Jurkovec had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Greg Shulkosky added 20 points for the Rams (22-6), who pulled away with a 19-11 run in the third quarter.

Daniel Petcash scored 14 points, Kenny White tallied 11 and Andrew Kristofic had 10 in the win.

Pine-Richland will play City League champion Allderdice (26-2) in the PIAA quarterfinals Saturday at a time and site to be determined.

Fairview 56, Seton LaSalle 54 (OT) — Nick Franos scored 18 points to guide District 10 champion Fairview (24-3) to a PIAA Class 3A second-round win in overtime at Sharon.

George Mike had 16 points to lead WPIAL runner-up Seton LaSalle (20-7), which had a chance to tie in overtime, but the Rebels' shot was blocked at the buzzer.

Greenville 62, Lincoln Park 55 — District 10 runner-up Greenville (17-9) reached the PIAA quarterfinals for the first time since 1976 with a Class 3A second-round win over WPIAL champion Lincoln Park (20-7) at Butler.

Lancaster Mennonite 52, Westinghouse 50 — In the PIAA Class 3A second round at Altoona, Lancaster Mennonite coach Geoff Groff earned his 400th career win as the District 3 fourth-place finisher advanced to the quarterfinals. Westinghouse finished its season 18-7.

OLSH 74, Coudersport 66 — Austin Wigley had 23 points to guide WPIAL runner-up OLSH (24-3) to a PIAA Class 2A second-round win at Brookville. Donovan Johnson had 17 points and Dante Spadafora added 15 for the Chargers, who will play District 10 champ West Middlesex (21-6) in the quarterfinals.

Owen Chambers had 27 points for District 9 champ Coudersport (22-4).

Sewickley Academy 44, Ridgway 41 — The defending PIAA Class 2A champion Panthers needed three foul shots by Isiah Warfield in the final 47 seconds to pull out a second-round victory in a slowdown encounter at Armstrong.

The Panthers (23-4) came into the contest averaging 72 points. Isaiah Smith had 14 points for Sewickley, five to start the pivotal fourth quarter. The Elkers (24-2) were led by Daunte Allegretto's 11 points and Andy Breier's 10.

Girls basketball

Gateway 57, Harbor Creek 25 — WPIAL champion Gateway (25-3) made it 17 straight wins with a PIAA Class 5A second-round victory over Harbor Creek (21-6) at Farrell. Lexi Jackson scored a game-high 19 points for the Gators, while Mary Kromka and Jordan Edwards had 10 apiece in the win.

Allison Benim led Harbor Creek with 11 points.

Gateway took a 26-14 lead into the break.

Mars 61, Thomas Jefferson 53 — Bucknell recruit Tai Johnson scored 35 points to lead Mars (21-6) over Thomas Jefferson (21-5) in a PIAA Class 5A second-round game at Plum.

Mars, the WPIAL's fourth-place team, used an 18-9 fourth-quarter edge to pull away. Lauren Wasylson, a Xavier recruit, added 12 points and Bella Pelaia 10 for the Planets, who advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday against Gateway, another WPIAL opponent.

Jenna Clark led Thomas Jefferson with 21 points. Marina Petruzzi added 19 for the Jaguars, the fifth-place team in the WPIAL.

Oakland Catholic 46, Palmyra 34 — Sierra DeAngelo had 16 points and Cierra Christian scored 12 as WPIAL runner-up Oakland Catholic (19-8) won a PIAA Class 5A second-round game at Altoona. Amelia Baldo had 14 points for District 3's Palmyra (16-12).

The Eagles will play District 12's Archbishop Carroll (20-7) in the quarterfinals.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic 73, Ambridge 40 — Dani Short scored 21 points to guide WPIAL champion Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (24-3) to a PIAA Class 4A second-round win over Ambridge (14-12) at Baldwin.

Tess Myers had 12 points and Kylee Lewandowski added 10 for the Trojanettes, who will play Villa Maria Academy in the quarterfinals.

Villa Maria Academy 55, Beaver 40 — Bella Posset scored a game-high 15 points, but WPIAL runner-up Beaver (19-7) lost a PIAA Class 4A second-round game to District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy (21-4) at Sharon. Sydney Barney had 11 points for the Bobcats.

Bishop Carroll 51, Winchester Thurston 28 — Alyssa Martinazzi scored 26 points to lead Bishop Carroll (24-2) over two-time WPIAL champion Winchester Thurston (20-6) in a PIAA Class A second-round game at Plum.

Bishop Carroll, the runner-up in District 6, started slowly but built a double-digit lead midway through the second quarter and never was threatened.

The Huskies held Winchester Thurston's top two players — Xavier recruit Ayanna Townsend and Gia Thorpe — to a total of 12 points.

Tags: Roundup