What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Feb. 8, 2021: 6A girls basketball heats up

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, February 7, 2021 | 12:01 AM

As we begin the stretch run of this unique basketball season, most folks are checking out the races for section titles in the final two-plus weeks of the regular season.

That is not the case in Section 1-6A.

Defending champion North Allegheny, barring a collapse, will notch another section title on its championship belt.

However, the pecking order behind NA has become a parkway-like logjam.

One game separates Penn-Trafford (7-2), Norwin (6-2) and Butler (6-3) in the section.

On Monday, Norwin visits Butler as the Golden Tornado try not to fall out of the chase for second place with seeding and home court at stake. The Knights cruised to a 23-point win at home in the first meeting.

Penn-Trafford hosts Shaler on Monday.

Beaver bash

Five WPIAL girls basketball teams enter the final two weeks with perfect records. One of them will be tested in a big section showdown Monday.

Beaver is 9-0 overall, 7-0 and in first place in Section 2-4A. The Bobcats can pretty much seal the deal in the section with a victory over visiting Quaker Valley.

The Quakers quietly are having a strong season at 6-1 in the section and 8-3 overall. QV has won five straight since a late-January loss to Mt. Lebanon.

The Quakers’ only section loss came Jan. 14 at home to the Bobcats, 40-37.

Wrestling team sectionals

Blink and you might miss the one-week WPIAL team wrestling playoffs. The district will hold its team sectionals at seven sites Monday.

In the past, the top five teams from each section advanced to the WPIAL playoffs, but this year, the district is taking only the top two teams from each section, putting more emphasis on the 6 p.m. sectional semifinals.

The two semifinals winners qualify for the district tournament and meet in the sectional finals at 7:30 p.m. for seeding purposes.

There will be eight Class AAA and six Class AA teams advancing to the WPIAL quarterfinals and semifinals on Wednesday.

Tags: Beaver, Butler, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Quaker Valley, Shaler