WARREN, Pa. – District 9 and District 10 basketball teams look to keep their respective seasons going in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Wednesday.
Action got underway with a full slate of games on Tuesday, while on this day, the Class 3A and 2A boys, as well as the Class 5A, 4A, and 1A girls take center stage.
Here’s a closer look.
CLASS 3A BOYS
(7-6) Ellwood City at (10-1) Franklin, 7 p.m.
A matchup more likely reserved for a state semifinal, but Ellwood City got knocked off in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL tournament. Franklin’s (23-2) three-headed monster of Easton Fulmer, Damon Curry, and Luke Guth combined for all 63 points in a 10-point D10 title game win over Seneca, including 30 from Fulmer, the program’s all-time leading scorer. Alexander Roth checks in at 18.3 ppg. for Ellwood City (21-3), while Joseph Roth is at 17.4 and Stephen Auntono14.6
(10-2) Seneca vs. (7-4) South Allegheny at Hagerty Family Events Center, 7 p.m.
The D10 runner-up Bobcats (19-6) gave Franklin all they could handle in the D10 title game, and now draw South Allegheny, the No. 4 team out of the WPIAL. Forward Jacob Young and guard Logan Kibbe average 13.0 ppg. apiece for Seneca. South Allegheny, meanwhile, lost 46-43 in the WPIAL semis to Avonworth. Michael Michalski scored 18 points in that game, while Antonio Epps was also in double figures.
(10-3) Girard at (6-2) Bishop Guilfoyle, 6 p.m.
Girard (16-9) grinded out a 42-30 win over Mercyhurst Prep in the third-place game to get to states. While defense is the Jackets’ calling card, Dylan McDonald checks in at 11.9 ppg, Austin Shady 9.8, and JJ Lehman 8.6. They will be facing a Guilfoyle (20-6) team that is coming off a 70-69 loss to Richand in the D6 title game. Freshman Jude Haigh had a game-high 29 points and his brother, junior Patrick Haigh, had 24 points for the Marauders in the loss Junior Karson Kiesewetter had 10.
CLASS 2A BOYS
(10-4) Cambridge Springs at (9-1) Ridgway, 7 p.m.
Cambridge Springs (13-11) knocked off Eisenhower to get to the state tournament, before semifinal and third-place losses to Kennedy Catholic and West Middlesex. Nathan Held checks in at 14.6 ppg., Josh Reisnauer 11.1, and Parker Schmidt 9.2. Dom Allegretto knocked down a pair of free throws with 27.3 seconds to go to break a 37-all tie and lift Ridgway to the D9 title over Redbank Valley. Allegretto and forward Dan Park both average in double figures scoring, while Aaron Sorg, Jack Benninger and Erik Panebianco all play key roles for the Elkers (20-5).
(9-2) Redbank Valley vs. (6-3) West Shamokin at Clarion University, 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs (22-4) are capable of scoring in bunches and are led by the 1,000-point duo of Bryson Bain and Chris Marshall, as well as Marquese Gardlock and Owen and Mason Clouse. They will be facing a West Shamokin team (17-9). Trevor Smulik had 16 points and 13 rebounds in a D6 third-place win over United, while Lou Swartz had 12 points and Sean McCollough eight.
(9-3) Karns City at (6-2) Penns Manor, 7 p.m.
Karns City (19-7) knocked off Keystone to get to the PIAA tournament, is led by Luke Cramer (12.7 ppg.), Tate Beighley (12.4) and Micah Rupp (10.4). Penns Manor (20-5) lost 72-58 to Portage in the D6 title game, despite the best efforts of Grant Grimaldi, who poured in 34 points in the loss.
(7-6) Winchester Thurston at (10-1) Kennedy Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Kennedy Catholic’s (21-4) three-headed monster of Elijah Harden, Malik Lampkins-Rudolph, and Gio Magestro was at it again in the District 10 playoffs, winning every game by at least 14 points. The trio combines to average 50 points per game between them. Winchester Thurston lost 80-63 in the WPIAL quarterfinals against eventual runner-up Fort Cherry.
(10-2) Rocky Grove vs. (7-4) Carlynton at Oil City HS, 7 p.m.
Rocky Grove is 19-6 and battled Kennedy in the D10 title game before falling, 52-48. That run included a thrilling 52-50 win over West Middlesex in the semis. Senior 1,000-point scorer Isaac Clayton checks in at 16.8 ppg. and D’Andre Whitman 11.9 ppg. They will be facing a Carlynton team that is coming off a 10-point loss to Fort Cherry in the WPIAL semifinals. Khalil Kerr scored 15 and Jaiden McClure had 11 for Carlynton in that game.
(10-3) West Middlesex at (7-2) Fort Cherry, 7 p.m.
Richie Preston (18.2 ppg.) and the Big Reds get WPIAL runner-up Fort Cherry in the first round. Dylan Rogers led Fort Cherry with 13 points in their WPIAL title-game loss to four-time defending champion OLSH. Gio Rococi (9.4 ppg.) also had a big game for the Big Reds in their 50-43 win over Cambridge Springs in the D10 third-place game.
CLASS 5A GIRLS
(7-6) Oakland Catholic at (10-1) Warren, 7 p.m.
The Lady Dragons captured their third D10 title in the last four seasons, winning each playoff game by double-digits. Senior 1,000-point scorers Riley Childress and Emma Ruhlman scored 16 and 10 points in the title game win over Slippery Rock, while freshman Alanna Stuart also added 10. They will be facing an Oakland Catholic team that lost 47-36 to eventual WPIAL runner-up Chartiers Valley. Maura Schorr posted a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Rachel Haver also added 11 points while Alexa Washington chipped in with 10 points and eight boards for the Eagles in a quarterfinal win, 42-35 over Hampton.
(7-4) Moon at (10-2) Slippery Rock, 7 p.m.
Ella McDermott, Bronwyn McCoy, Gianna Bedel, and Katie Book have been among the players to get it done this season for a balanced Slippery Rock (14-9) squad. They get 7-4 Moon (19-5) in the first round. Senior 1,000-point scorer Reilly Sunday leads Moon.
(10-3) Harbor Creek at (7-2) Chartiers Valley, 7 p.m.
Harbor Creek’s reward for beating Grove City in the third-place game in D10 is the state’s top program over the last handful of years, Chartiers Valley. Brooke Przybylski (12.2 ppg.) and Samantha Zank (9.3 ppg.) lead Harbor Creek against a Chartiers Valley squad that is led by Aislin Malcom (17.1 ppg.), Perri Page (16.1 ppg.) and Hallie Cowan (12.4 ppg.)
CLASS 4A GIRLS
(7-5) Quaker Valley at (10-1) Villa Maria, 7 p.m.
The defending PIAA runner-up Victors (21-2) have begun their playoff run with a pair of blowout wins over Fort LeBoeuf and St. Marys. Carissa Dunham (14.8 ppg.), Jayden McBride (13.7) and Daniella Shaugnessey (8.8) have been leaders for the Victors all season. They will be facing a Quaker Valley (12-11) team that is led by Lauren Blackmer and Maria Helkowski, who both average 8.3 ppg.
CLASS 1A GIRLS
(7-6) Monessen at (9-1) Elk County Catholic, 7 p.m.
Elk County Catholic used great defense on its run to the D9 title, including a 39-28 win over Otto-Eldred. Syd Alexander, Lucy Klawuhn, Tori Newton, and Sami Straub all lead a balanced offensive attack for ECC (24-3). They get a Monessen team (17-6) that is coming off a 60-37 loss to Aquinas Academy in the WPIAL quarterfinals.
(6-3) Bishop Carroll at (9-2) Otto-Eldred, 6 p.m.
The D9 runner-up Lady Terrors (22-3), led by 1,000-point scorer Katie Sheeler, drew 6-3 Bishop Carroll. O-E beat North Clarion in the D9 semis before falling to Elk County Catholic. They get a Bishop Carroll (10-15) team that beat Glendale, 58-48 in the D6 third-place game. Savannah Smorto had 24 points in the win for BC.
(9-3) North Clarion at (10-1) Kennedy Catholic, 6 p.m.
A D9 vs. D10 matchup sees North Clarion (21-6) battle D10 champ Kennedy Catholic, (21-2). KC rolled to a D10 title game win over Farrell and has got balanced scoring all season, as Bellah DiNardo, Hayden Keith, Paris Gilmore, and Layke Fields all average between 10 and 11 points per game. North Clarion is similar with Gwen Siegel leading the way at just over 12 ppg., followed by Claire Kriebel and Emma McFarland.
(9-4) Ridgway vs. (6-2) Williamsburg at Claysburg-Kimmel HS, 7 p.m.
Jenna Kasmierski, Carli Thomas, and Payton Delhunty lead a balanced Ridgway (15-9) team, which scored a win over DCC in the D9 quarterfinals, against a Williamsburg squad that is coming off a five-point loss to Portage in the D6 title game. Ayla Hileman led Williamsburg with 12 points in that game.
(9-5) DuBois Central Catholic at (7-1) Bishop Canevin 7 p.m.
DCC (17-9) battled into fifth and a state playoff berth, where they will meet a loaded WPIAL champion in Bishop Canevin (16-9). Faith Jacob, Lexi Berta, Kayley Risser, and Jessy Frank have been key cogs for the Lady Cardinals all season, and they will need to be again to slow down a Canevin team that came from the No. 7 seed to win the WPIAL title. In that game, Ashley Lippold, Rachel Boehm, Josie Bochicchio, and Mackenzie Huet all had 13 points in the win for Canevin.
(10-2) Farrell at (7-3) Union (New Castle), 7 p.m.
Farrell and 1,000-point scorer Sanaa Brodie make the short trip to New Castle to take on Union. Brodie averages 17 ppg. and Jaylie Green 9.7 ppg. Kylie Fruehstorfer had 11 points for Union in their WPIAL semifinal loss to Bishop Canevin.
