ERIE, Pa. – McDowell built an 11-point halftime advantage en route to its third consecutive District 10 Class 6A title, 51-40 over Erie.
The Trojans (18-5) got off to a hot start offensively in building the 31-20 halftime advantage, as Caylen Spano scored a team-high 13 points to lead a balanced effort.
Jessica Hetz finished with 12 points for McDowell, while Amaiya Nelson added nine points.
“We pushed the ball down the floor and rebounded well,” said McDowell coach Beth Crider. “When things weren’t going our way we just continued to keep our composure.”
Audreyna Neavins had 12 points for Erie.
McDowell will travel to Pittsburgh City League champion Allderdice for a subregional game next Wednesday.
CLASS 3A QUARTERFINALS
(2) Wilmington 45, (7) Seneca 29
FARRELL, Pa. – Wilmington won its first playoff game since long before any of its current players were born in a 45-29 win over Seneca.
Sophomore sensation Lia Krarup didn’t have her best shooting game but still finished with a game-high 19 points as the Greyhounds won their first playoff game since 1995.
“It feels really good,” Krarup said. “We’re faster this year and we really wanted to get this win tonight.”
See Krarup’s full interview here:
Wilmington (20-3) established its defense earlier, allowing just four points in taking a nine-point lead, with the margin swelling to 27-13 at halftime.
With Krarup’s shots not falling early, Reese Bruckner picked up the offense slack, scoring all 12 of her points in the first half.
“Reese really stepped up,” said Wilmington coach Mike Jeckavitch. “This is so special. I’m so happy for our seniors, especially with all the hard work and leadership they provide to this team. Kudos to the girls.”
Krarup scored 17 of her 19 points after the first quarter, including 10 in the second half, while Annalee Gardner added seven.
Meghan Konkol led Seneca (13-10) with 10 points, while Abby Wisniewski added eight.
With the win the Greyhounds advance to play No. 3 Greenville in the semifinals. The two teams split during the regular season.
(3) Greenville 43, (6) North East 29
MEADVILLE, Pa. – It was a memorable playoff win for Greenville, as senior Josie Lewis scored the 1,000-point club in a 43-29 win over North East.
Greenville (18-5) led 16-10 at halftime, with Lewis hitting the 1,000-point milestone in the second quarter.
Greenville’s Josie Lewis with head coach Samantha Faler. Photo courtesy Chris Burtch.
Leading 24-17 after three quarters, Greenville closed the game on a 19-12 run.
Lewis scored 14 points, while Grace Cano had nine and Peyton Davis seven for Greenville.
Gigi Gaston and Alex Cozzens had nine points each for North East (14-9).
(5) Sharpsville 37, (4) Northwestern 30
ERIE, Pa. – Sharpsville outscored Northwestern 27-18 in the second half en route to a 37-30 quarterfinal win.
Sharpsville, which has now won seven-straight games, got 14 points and four steals from Lily Palko.
Tori Kimpan and Chasie Fry scored 11 points each for the Blue Devils (13-10.
Northwestern (16-7) got 14 points from Chloe Yazembiak and 12 from Makayla Presser-Palmer.
Sharpsville advances to play Mercyhurst Prep, the No. 1 seed and the lone team in the bracket to receive a first-round bye, in the semifinals.
CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS
(1) Kennedy Catholic 85, (8) Eisenhower 16
FARRELL, Pa. – Eisenhower actually had the first bucket of the game against Kennedy Catholic, but it was all Golden Eagles after that in an 85-16 win.
Kennedy (19-4), the state runner-up in Class 1A a year ago, appears to have all the makings of a team that could make a similar run in Class 2A this season.
Layke Fields led four Kennedy Catholic players in double figures with 20 points, as the Golden Eagles put up 32 points in the first quarter.
Kennedy coach Justin Magestro called timeout just 1:35 into the game, and Fields said the message was received.
“He was just telling us to stay in it,” Fields said. “This could be our last game, so he just told us to play hard, stay focused and stay together.”
See Fields’ full interview here:
Fields scored 14 of her 20 points in the first half, while Izzy Bianco had 19 points, Bella Magestro 17 and Hayden Keith 14, including four 3s (three in the first quarter).
Monique Vincent nearly made it five Kennedy Catholic players in double figures with nine points.
Lainey Font led Eisenhower (12-10) with six points, while Clara Steinberg added five.
With the win, Kennedy advances to play No. 4 Lakeview, a 50-21 winner over Union City, in the semifinals.
(2) Maplewood 50, (7) Mercer 37
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Maplewood rode a strong start and a balanced scoring effort to a 50-37 quarterfinal win over Mercer.
The Lady Tigers (19-4) jumped out to a 15-6 lead after the first quarter and 25-13 at halftime while holding off a Mercer push in the second half.
Bailey Varndell knocked down three 3s and finished with a team-high 11 points for Maplewood, while Madison O’Hara had 10 and Sadie Thomas and Savannah O’Hara nine each.
Maplewood was 8-for-19 from the free throw line, while Mercer was 12-of-15.
Ashlynn Heckathorn led the Mustangs (12-11) with 13 points, while Pressley Washil added nine.
With the win, Maplewood meets rival Cambridge Springs, a 43-32 winner over West Middlesex, in the semifinals. Maplewood won both regular season meetings by scores of 42-31 and 30-29.
(3) Cambridge Springs 42, (6) West Middlesex 31
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Cambridge Springs built a 34-15 lead after three quarters and held off a late West Middlesex push for a 42-31 win.
Finley Rauchser was on fire from beyond the arc, knocking down four 3s on her way to a game-high 14 points for Cambridge Springs. Three of those came in the third quarter when the Blue Devils (18-5) extended their lead from 10 to 19.
Caitlin Stephens scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter, all from the free-throw line, to try and push West Middlesex back, while Emma Mild scored all eight of her points in the fourth as well for the Big Reds(11-12).
Makenzie Yanc was also in double figures for Cambridge Springs with 11 points, while Brooklynn Cole had eight and Jordyn Wheeler six.
Alexis Babock added nine points for West Middlesex.
(4) Lakeview 50, (5) Union City 21
FARRELL, Pa. – Lakeview’s defense was dominant surrendering six points or fewer in every quarter in a 50-21 quarterfinal win over Union City.
“I think we know that we can always show out on the offensive end of the floor but the defensive end is a lot more technical and a lot harder to be consistent with,” said Lakeview’s Emma Marsteller. “This whole week that was the goal on defense”
See Marsteller’s full interview here:
Offensively, it was Kyndra Seddon and Marsteller leading the way with 16 and 12 points, respectively, with Seddon scoring 10 of her points in the first half.
Union City (12-11) was within six, 15-9, on a Jessica Messenger layup with five minutes to go in the first half, but Lakview (17-6) closed the half on a 9-0 run, sith Seddon scoring five points and Marsteller four.
“I was real happy with our defense,” said Lakeview coach Gary Burke. “I thought we played fundamental defense. “We had a great week of practice and I thought everybody was prepared.”
Kelsey Seddon added seven points and Delaney Kepner six for Lakeview.
Messenger had six points and Cathryn Reynolds had five for Union City.
CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS
(1) Fairview 47, (8) Hickory 23
ERIE, Pa. – Fairview looked every bit the part of a No. 1 seed, racing past Hickory, 47-23.
The Lady Tigers (17-6) jumped out to an 18-6 lead after the first quarter and 30-12 at halftime on their way to reaching the semifinals.
Sara Gennuso scored nine of her game-high 12 points in the first half to help propel Fairview to the big halftime advantage.
Hope Garrity and Bre Heidt tallied 11 points each for the Lady Tigers, while Ella Garrity added eight.
Kimora Roberts lead Hickory (10-13) with 10 points.
With the win, Fairview advances to play Conneaut, a 42-22 winner over Franklin, in the semifinals, as all the top seeds won in the Class 4A bracket.
(3) Warren 45, (6) Grove City 21
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Warren “turned up the pressure a bit more” in the second half and limited Grove City to just six points to earn a 45-21 win in their District 10 Class 4A quarterfinal on Saturday.
In addition to the low second-half output, the Dragons’ defense limited the Eagle’s top two scorers, Piper Como (14.3 ppg) and Delaney Callahan (11.2 ppg) to a combined two points for the game.
“Super proud of Alyssa Farr, Emily Davidson, and Sammie (Ruhlman),” Warren coach Lisa LaVan said. “We turned up the pressure a bit more (in the second half). Alyssa and Emily held Piper scoreless (and) Sammie held Callahan to just two.”
Warren took the early lead and was ahead 13-8 after the first quarter. The Dragons extended the lead to 10, 25-15, at halftime.
Both defenses were on display to start the second half as the Dragons and Eagles combined for just two points, a Karis Perample bucket, through the first 5:30 of the third quarter. The Dragons burst through for six points over the next 90 seconds to take a 31-17 lead into the fourth.
Warren’s offense came alive with 14 fourth-quarter points, while the defense held Grove City to just a pair of field goals.
Izzy Gamble led the Eagles with 10 points, while Perample had seven.
Alana Stuart had a game-high 11 points. Farr had seven points, Meea Irwin six, and Ruhlman five points and six assists. Gracie Ruhlman pulled down eight rebounds and chipped in three points, while Halle Kuzminski had seven boards and four points.
Warren advances to the Class 4A semifinals where the Dragons will face Harbor Creek on Wednesday at the Hagerty Family Events Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. but will follow the Cathedral Prep vs. DuBois Class 5A subregional.
(4) Conneaut 42, (5) Franklin 22
FARRELL, Pa. – Lainie Harrington and Conneaut made a playoff statement against Franklin, beating the Lady Knights 42-22 for the first postseason win in program history.
Harrington scored 20 points in the win for CASH (15-8), while the Lady Eagles, who led 21-15 at halftime, allowed just seven points in the second half to pull away.
It was part of a solid all-around game for Harrington, who scored 10 points in each half. She also had four rebounds and three steals.
Hannah Brady had 11 points for CASH and Morgan Poff seven, while Poff also had seven rebounds and three assists.
Eliza Harrington added six rebounds and Kaitlyn Crabb three steals for the Lady Eagles.
Katie Boal had seven points and Estella Adams had six for Franklin.
