What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 15, 2022: Shenango gets 4th crack at Neshannock

By: Don Rebel
Monday, March 14, 2022 | 8:00 PM

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High scoring, mid-scoring or low scoring — none of those have worked yet for the Shenango girls basketball team against rival Neshannock.

The Wildcats are 0-3 against the two-time WPIAL champion Lancers this season, setting the stage for a fourth meeting that will produce a trip to the final four for Neshannock or a quarterfinals stunner for Shenango.

The two Lawrence County foes go at it again Tuesday at Blackhawk in a PIAA third-round girls basketball state playoff game.

In their two Section 1-2A meeting this season, Neshannock won by scores of 52-32 and 72-25.

The two met for a third time in the WPIAL quarterfinals with the Lancers winning in a defensive struggle, 35-17.

Now, after both teams picked up wins in the first two rounds, they clash for a spot in the state semifinals and to see which team will be the last from the WPIAL in the 2A final four.

D-7 vs D-6

The four teams that played in the WPIAL and District 6 girls basketball championship games will square off in a Class 3A girls basketball quarterfinals doubleheader at Norwin.

In the first game at 6 p.m., WPIAL champion North Catholic will face District 6 runner-up Forest Hills.

The Trojans have cruised to the third round with wins over Penn Cambria and Lakeview by 16 and 31 points.

The Rangers also have a pair of double-digit wins with a 12-point victory over Mercyhurst Prep and a 19-point triumph over Laurel.

The second game features Freedom against D-6 champion River Valley.

In the second round, the Bulldogs’ Shaye Bailey nearly outscored Greensville herself. She had 27 points in Freedom’s 56-28 win.

River Valley is in its first season following the mergers of the Saltsburg and Blairsville school district.

Red rover, red rover

WPIAL 6A girls basketball champion Mt. Lebanon will battle the third team out of District 11, Easton, on Tuesday at Bald Eagle Area.

The Blue Devils bring a 25-1 record into the quarterfinals and have won five straight since their lone loss to Upper St. Clair.

Don’t be deceived by the fact that Easton did not even reach the D-11 title game.

The Rovers won their first 15 games of the season before losing to Bethlehem Catholic in their regular season finale and to Parkland in the district semifinals.

5A all the way

One WPIAL team is guaranteed to play for Class 5A state gold in Hershey in two weeks.

Four District 7 teams have won their first two PIAA postseason games. They will face each other in the quarterfinals with the winners meeting in the semifinals Friday.

After losing in the WPIAL quarterfinals, Penn Hills has rebounded with a pair of wins in the state playoffs.

The Indians will now face New Castle. The Red Hurricane has bounced back nicely after a controversial, heartbreaking double overtime loss to Laurel Highlands in the WPIAL title game.

In the second game, district champion Laurel Highlands will battle Gateway for a spot in the state semis.

Both the Mustangs and Gators had to work overtime to get past round two. Laurel Highlands beat Highlands by five points while Gateway defeated Hershey by three in OT.

Both games will be played at the UPMC Events Center at Robert Morris.

Headed for a fourth in 4A?

WPIAL Section 2-4A rivals Quaker Valley and Montour are one win away from a fourth meeting this season.

But first, they have to take care of business in the 4A quarterfinals.

Undefeated Quaker Valley will take on District 10 champion Fairview at Sharon. The Tigers have an impressive resume of their own with a 25-2 record.

Montour heads east to challenge District 12 power Archbishop Carroll. The Patriots have lost 10 games this season, but many of those losses are to teams in higher classifications.

The Spartans and Patriots will meet at Penns Valley.

Three for A show

Last year, the PIAA basketball playoffs were champions only and the year before, the state playoffs ended after the second round due to the covid-19 outbreak.

So the last full PIAA tournament played was in 2019. That year, three boys Class A teams from the WPIAL reached the quarterfinals.

They were Vincentian Academy, Monessen and Cornell. The Royals reached the state title game but lost to Sankofa Freedom Academy.

Three years later, three different WPIAL teams have again reached the quarters: Bishop Canevin, Imani Christian and Union.

On Tuesday, WPIAL champ Bishop Canevin faces Imani Christian at Gateway in a matchup of the top two seeds from the district playoffs.

Union heads to Clarion University to take on District 9 champion Elk County Catholic.

2A semifinals hockey

The PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs continue Tuesday with a pair of Class 2A semifinals games at the RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island.

In the first game at 7 p.m., Thomas Jefferson takes on Penn-Trafford.

The Jaguars needed a wild comeback over Hempfield in the quarterfinals to advance. TJ trailed 4-1 in the second period and 6-4 in the third but rallied to tie the game before Nick Stock registered a hat trick with a goal in overtime.

Penn-Trafford scored three goals in the opening period and Xavier Solomon tallied twice for the Warriors as they ousted Meadville, 5-2, in the quarterfinals.

In the second game, Franklin Regional faces off against South Fayette.

Franklin Regional exploded with four goals in the first and four more in the second period on its way to a convincing 10-2 win over Butler. Matty Knizner and Luke Lavrich scored two goals each for the Panthers.

South Fayette needed overtime to knock off Armstrong, 2-1, in the 2A quarters.

Trevor Dalessandro netted the game winner while goaltender Brandon Timmins stopped 22 of 23 shots for the Lions.