Westmoreland basketball playoff capsules: Games for Friday, March 5, 2021

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, March 4, 2021 | 6:21 PM

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Here’s a look at Friday’s WPIAL basketball playoff games involving Westmoreland County teams:

Boys

Class 6A

Quarterfinals

6-Pine-Richland (12-5) at 3-Hempfield (12-5)

6 p.m. Friday

Coaches: Bob Petcash, Pine-Richland; Bill Swan, Hempfield

Winner plays: Winner of 7-North Allegheny (16-6) at 2-Fox Chapel (19-2), 6 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals

About Pine-Richland: Junior 6-foot-4 swingman Luke Shanahan scored 22 points, senior guard Joey Petcash and junior forward Joey Dudkowski (6-3) had 17 apiece and junior guard Andrew Alexander had 13 in a 79-67 win over Peters Township in the first round. Dudkowski averages 18 a game. The Rams, who have won six of their last seven and are averaging 70.4 points, lost in the quarterfinals last year to Upper St. Clair, 62-59.

About Hempfield: Hempfield held off a ferocious comeback from No. 14 Baldwin to advance with a 66-63 victory. Senior Mike Hosni scored a game-high 22 points, senior Christian Zilli added 16 and junior guard Sean Gordon had 15. Baldwin scored 29 in the fourth after scoring 34 through three quarters. The Spartans hadn’t won a playoff game in six years. Hempfield last made the semifinals in 2003.

5-Butler (11-8) at 4-Penn-Trafford (13-5)

6 p.m. Friday

Coaches: Matt Clement, Butler; Doug Kelly, Penn-Trafford

Winner plays: Winner of 9-Seneca Valley (11-10) at 1-Upper St. Clair (17-1), 6 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals

About Butler: The defending WPIAL champion Golden Tornado is averaging 74.1 points and has won six of its last seven games, including 59-46 over Norwin in the first round. A fast-paced team is led by junior guard Devin Carney, who scored 24 against Norwin. He averages 30 a game. Also watch guard Maddix Clement, whose father and coach, Matt, is a former major league pitcher.

About Penn-Trafford: The Warriors won a playoff game for the first time since 2001 as they downed North Hills, 63-50, while forcing 20 turnovers. Senior Josh Kapcin had 16 points and a key block that propelled the Warriors forward. Point guard Chase Vecchio, who had 10 points in the first round, is the floor leader, and forward Ben Myers is a tough matchup. He had 14 points and nine rebounds in the playoff opener. Penn-Trafford is riding a six-game winning streak.

Girls

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

11-Mt. Pleasant (11-7) at 3-Southmoreland (15-4)

6 p.m. Friday

Coaches: Scott Giacobbi, Mt. Pleasantl Amber Cernuto, Southmoreland

Winner plays: Winner of 7-Montour (13-9) at 2-Quaker Valley (13-4), 6 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals

About Mt. Pleasant: A 38-31 overtime win at No. 6 Freeport pushed the Vikings into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. They lost to Blackhawk, 69-48, that year. Sophomore Tiffany Zelmore has emerged as a legit scoring threat. She had 25 points and 10 rebuounds in the first-round win and has scored at least 30 three times this season. The Vikings lost twice to Southmoreland in Section 3 play: 46-24 and 59-37.

About Southmoreland: A win will propel the Scotties into the semifinals for the second straight season. They toppled Deer Lakes in the first round, 53-24, as sophomore Olivia Cernuto had 15 points, sophomore Maddie Moore added 13 and junior Gracie Spadaro had 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Scotties have held 11 opponents to fewer than 35 points. Three of their losses are to 5A teams. They edged past Freeport in the quarters last year, 54-52.

Class 2A

12-Greensburg CC (9-4) at 4-Sewickley Academy (12-5)

6 p.m. Friday

Coaches: Sam Salih, Greensburg CC; Mark Gaither, Sewickley Academy

Winner plays: Winner of 8-California (11-3) at 1-Neshannock (14-2), 6 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals

About Greensburg CC: After losing to California in the first round last year, the Centurions are into the quarters. They capped a long road trip to No. 5 Burgettstown with a 52-39 win as junior forward Bailey Kuhns scored 16 points, freshman Mya Morgan added 15 and 5-11 junior forward Laura Kondas chipped in 12. Their last four wins have been by an average of 50 points.

About Sewickley Academy: The Panthers cruised past Seton LaSalle in the opening round, 53-30, as senior Kamryn Lightcap scored 14 points, junior Desirae Nance added 11 ad senior Bre Warner had 10. They shut out the Rebels in the first quarter. Sewickley Academy split with No. 1 Neshannock during section play.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Butler, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Pine-Richland, Sewickley Academy, Southmoreland