Westmoreland high school week ahead: Week of Jan. 15, 2018

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 15, 2018 | 12:20 AM

Highlights of the week ahead in Westmoreland high school sports:

MONDAY

Girls basketball

After absorbing its first section loss, Belle Vernon (8-4, 5-1) hits the road for another tough challenge, at Elizabeth Forward (9-3, 5-1) in Section 3-4A.

Mt. Pleasant (4-7, 2-4) will try to score an upset at Southmoreland (7-5, 2-4), where it won last year to eliminate the Scotties from the WPIAL playoffs.

One team will get its first win when Derry (0-11, 0-6) visits Yough (0-13, 0-6) in another 3-4A game.

The best game of the night could be in Carbon where Greensburg Central Catholic (5-6, 4-2) hosts rival Jeannette (4-9, 2-4) in Section 3-2A.

Boys basketball

Franklin Regional (9-2, 3-0) hosts Armstrong (5-7, 1-2) in a Section 3-5A game.

Hockey

Hempfield (8-3) welcomes Penn-Trafford (7-6) to Kirk Nevin Arena for a 7:15 p.m. faceoff.

Franklin Regional (8-4) hosts Shaler (6-5) at 6:30 p.m. at Center Ice Arena in Delmont.

TUESDAY

Boys basketball

Jeannette (7-1, 3-0) has won four in a row and will welcome former coach Jim Nesser back to town for a Section 1-2A game. Nesser is the coach at rival Greensburg Central Catholic (1-10, 1-2).

Other top games: Penn Hills (14-0, 6-0) at Latrobe (9-4, 4-2), Norwin (7-6, 2-4) at Hempfield (4-9, 1-5) and Penn-Trafford (6-8, 3-3) at Woodland Hills (10-2, 5-1) in Section 3-6A; Franklin Regional at Greensburg Salem (8-4, 1-2) in Section 3-5A; Derry (4-4, 2-1) at Indiana (8-1, 4-0) in Section 1-4A; and Clairton (8-1, 2-0) at Monessen (3-6, 2-0) in Section 2-A.

Girls basketball

Norwin (5-6, 3-1) visits Hempfield (5-7, 2-2) in Section 2-6A, and Franklin Regional (7-6, 2-3) at Plum (3-10, 1-4) is a key game in Section 4-5A.

Two nonsection games of note include Greensburg CC at Fox Chapel and Altoona at Penn-Trafford.

WEDNESDAY

Wrestling

Another night that won't be short on strong local matchups features Franklin Regional at Penn-Trafford, Greensburg Salem at Latrobe, and Hempfield at Norwin in Section 1-AAA. Belle Vernon hosts Connellsville in a Section 2-AAA clash.

And Section 2-AA's top matches have Derry at Mt. Pleasant and Southmoreland at Yough.

Girls basketball

A nonsection game to watch is Belle Vernon at Ligonier Valley.

THURSDAY

Girls basketball

Southmoreland has its sights on a playoff berth, and an upset, in Section 3-4A as the Scotties host first-place Keystone Oaks. Derry visits Mt. Pleasant in another Section 3 game.

Butler at Latrobe is a notable nonsection game.

Hockey

Class AA South/East leader Latrobe (9-4) makes the long trek to Kittanning to take on North/West leader Armstrong (9-1) in an 8:20 p.m. start at Belmont Complex.

FRIDAY

Boys basketball

Section 3-6A is at it again. Rivals Norwin and Penn-Trafford meet for the second time in three weeks, this time in Harrison City. Latrobe at Woodland Hills is a rematch of Woodland Hills' 84-79 win in December. And Fox Chapel at Hempfield was mostly close the first time.

More games to watch: Derry at Yough (1-4A), Belle Vernon at South Fayette (3-4A), GCC at Springdale (1-2A) and Summit Academy at Jeannette (1-2A).

Franklin Regionl hosts Moon in a rematch from last year's PIAA playoffs.

Girls basketball

Norwin at Penn-Trafford is an interesting matchup in Section 2-6A, along with Fox Chapel at Hempfield.

Two of the top scorers in the county square off in a nonsection game when Cali Konek and Southmoreland go to Greensburg Salem to face Megan Kallock and the Golden Lions.

SATURDAY

Boys basketball

Greensburg Salem travels to Gateway for a Section 3-5A makeup game.

Belle Vernon at Monessen will be a nonsection test for both teams. Tip is 2:30 p.m.

Girls basketball

Latrobe will play the third game of a six-game homestand when it hosts Shaler in nonsection play.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield Area, Jeannette, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford