What to watch for in Western Pa. sports for March 4, 2025: North Allegheny, Central Catholic to meet in PIHL quarterfinals

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | 1:40 PM

Following a heavy dose of high school hockey Monday, there are only two games left in the quarterfinal round of the PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs, and both games are set for Tuesday.

In the chase for the Class 3A Penguins Cup, No. 3 North Allegheny (9-8-3-0) will host No. 6 Central Catholic (9-8-0-3) at the Baierl Ice Galaxy in Wexford at 8:30 p.m. in a game you can hear on Trib HSSN.

The Tigers and Vikings split their two regular season games.

Back in October, North Allegheny won a close one at home in overtime, 2-1.

Joey Mitchell scored the game-winner in OT for NA while teammate Cam Junker stopped 22 of 23 shots for the Tigers.

In the rematch in late January, Central Catholic cruised at home to a 6-0 shutout win.

Noah Hritz tallied a pair of goals and Ben Balla stopped all 32 shots for the Vikings.

Central Catholic is trying to win its second high school hockey championship and first since 1998.

North Allegheny is hoping to skate away with a fifth Penguins Cup title and first since 2021.

PIHL Division 2 playoffs

Three playoff games are in the books with one more quarterfinal remaining in the 2025 PIHL Division 2 high school hockey playoffs.

Top-seeded Morgantown (17-1-2-0) will be challenged by No. 8 Gateway (10-8-1-1) at Printscape Arena at Southpointe at 7 p.m.

The Mohigans won the Gold Division this season while the Gators finished in third place in the White Division.

In the only meeting of the season between the two teams, Morgantown crushed Gateway, 12-3, on Oct. 28.

The Mohigans had three players combine for 10 goals as Jacob Hollander scored four goals and John Dibartolomeo and Weston Mazey tallied three goals each. The three also added seven assists.

C.J. Evans had the hat trick for the Gators.