County schools set to begin a quest for a PIAA basketball championship

Mar. 8—One final mission remains for seven Lawrence County high school basketball teams.

Six county squads earned "at-large" berths to the PIAA playoffs, while the Union girls are the lone district champion among the group.

The Lady Scots won their second consecutive WPIAL Class 1A championship on Saturday with a 50-43 overtime decision over St. Joseph.

The Neshannock and Wilmington girls squads will compete in the Class 3A bracket, while the Union boys (Class 1A), along with Ellwood City Lincoln, Mohawk and Neshannock all will participate in the Class 3A boys bracket.

The PIAA basketball championship games are scheduled March 21 through March 23 at Hershey's GIANT Center.

Boys basketball — WPIAL Class 1A playoffs: Union at Monessen

Union High's Lucas Stanley takes it to the rim Wednesday night against Monessen in the WPIAL Class 1A playoffs.

CODY W. PATTISON — NEWS

UNION VS. TURKEYFOOT VALLEY, 6 P.M. FRIDAY (PIAA CLASS 1A)

This game will be played at Pitt-Johnstown.

The Scotties (15-11) took third place out of the WPIAL. Union defeated Rochester on the road in the third-place game, 62-59.

Lucas Stanley has 565 points this season for the Scotties and he has 886 for his career.

The Rams (19-6) lost the District 5 championship game to Berlin, 81-43.

The winner moves on to battle the survivor of the Elk County Catholic-Monessen contest on Tuesday at a time and site to be determined.

NESHANNOCK AT CHESTNUT RIDGE,

7 p.m. FRIDAY (PIAA CLASS 3A GIRLS)

The Lady Lancers (18-8) secured the third seed out of the WPIAL with a 64-54 road win over Beaver Falls. Neshannock coach Luann Grybowski won her 750th career game in that verdict.

Kaitlyn Fries is the lone senior for Neshannock, which boasts no juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen.

The Lady Lions (13-12) won the District 5/8 championship with a 55-24 win over Westinghouse. Chestnut Ridge dropped a 41-34 verdict to Karns City in the PIAA 5/8/9 sub-regional to earn the 5-2 designation on the bracket.

The winner advances to meet the survivor of the Mercyhurst Prep-Our Lady of the Sacred Heart matchup on Tuesday at a time and site to be determined.

Harlan-WilmingtonVsNW-TM-8.jpg

Wilmington's Avery Harlan shoots a free throw against Northwestern in the District 10 3A semifinal on Wednesday at Meadville High School.

TANNER MONDOK — Herald

WILMINGTON AT AVONWORTH, 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY (PIAA CLASS 3A GIRLS)

The Lady Greyhounds (20-5) clinched their second consecutive appearance in the state playoffs and their second straight 20-win season.

Wilmington is 0-2 all-time in the PIAA playoffs. The Lady Greyhounds reached the state playoffs with a 69-40 victory over Seneca in the District 10, Class 3A consolation game.

Lia Krarup has scored 1,295 career points for the Lady Greyhounds. She also is averaging 19.2 markers a matchup this season.

The Lady Antelopes (22-2) lost to Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL championship game, 52-45. Avonworth ousted Neshannock in the WPIAL semifinals, 72-51.

Greta O'Brien and Rebecca Goetz have scored over 1,000 points each for the Lady Antelopes and both are averaging over 15 markers a game.

The victor moves on to battle the winner of the Forest Hills-Pequea Valley tilt on Tuesday at a time and site to be determined.

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Boys basketball — WPIAL Section 1-3A: Freedom at Neshannock

Neshannock High's David Kwiat is shown here attempting a perimeter shot. Kwiat leads the Lancers in scoring at 16.8 points a game.

FILE — NEWS

NESHANNOCK AT FRANKLIN, 1 P.M. SATURDAY (PIAA CLASS 3A BOYS)

The Lancers (20-5) dropped a third-place game in the WPIAL Class 3A bracket to Mohawk, 61-59.

The Knights (20-5) lost to Girard in the District 10 championship game, 60-50. Franklin was the top seed in the tournament. The Knights had won three consecutive District 10 titles.

David Kwiat leads Neshannock in scoring at 16.8 points a game.

Jalen Wood paces Franklin at 18.3 markers a matchup.

The winner moves on to battle the victor of the Chestnut Ridge-Shady Side Academy contest on Wednesday at a time and site to be determined.

Boys basketball — WPIAL Section 1-3A: Neshannock at Ellwood City

Ellwood City High's Joseph Roth drives the basketball past Neshannock's LJ Keith.

CODY W. PATTISON — NEWS

ELLWOOD CITY AT WESTMONT HILLTOP, 3 P.M. SATURDAY (PIAA CLASS 3A BOYS)

The Wolverines (17-9) held on for a 40-37 decision over Yough in the seventh-place game in the WPIAL playoffs. Ellwood City dropped an overtime heartbreaker to eventual district champ Deer Lakes, 39-38, which pushed the team to the consolation bracket.

The Hilltoppers (20-5) defeated Forest Hills for the District 6 crown, 59-52.

Joseph Roth leads the Wolverines in scoring at 24.8 points a game. He has 2,049 career points, which ranks seventh on the county's all-time list. Wilmington graduate Warren Sallade ranks sixth all-time with 2,075 markers.

The winner moves on to meet the survivor of the Mohawk-Moniteau matchup on Wednesday at a time and site to be determined.

Boys basketball — WPIAL Class 3A playoffs: McGuffey at Mohawk

Mohawk High's Bobby Fadden takes the ball up the court Monday night. Fadden paced Mohawk with a game-high 25 points against McGuffey.

CODY W. PATTISON — NEWS

MOHAWK AT MONITEAU, 6 P.M. SATURDAY (PIAA CLASS 3A BOYS)

The Warriors (18-8) are the third-place representative out of the WPIAL after edging Neshannock in the consolation game, 61-59. It was the third meeting of the season between the teams and second Mohawk win.

Bobby Fadden paces Mohawk with 566 points on the season, while netting 1,028 for his career.

Moniteau (13-11) is the District 9 champion, upending Brookville, 58-57. It marked the first District 9 crown for Moniteau.

The winner advances to clash with the victor of the Ellwood City-Westmont Hilltop tilt on Wednesday at a time and site to be determined.

Girls basketball — WPIAL Class 1A playoffs: Riverview at Union

LEFT: Union High's Kelly Cleaver is shown here driving past Riverview's Juliette Brun during a WPIAL Class 1A playoff matchup. The Lady Scots open defense of their PIAA Class 1A championship on Saturday at home against Port Allegany. RIGHT: Mohawk High's Bobby Fadden is shown here bringing the ball up the court. Fadden has scored over 1,000 career points. He guides the Warriors into the PIAA Class 3A playoffs for an opening-round matchup against Moniteau.

file — NEWS

PORT ALLEGANY AT UNION, 1 P.M. SATURDAY (PIAA CLASS 1A GIRLS)

The WPIAL Class 1A champion Lady Scots (19-5) have won 14 games in a row. Union also comes in as the defending PIAA Class 1A champs.

Union is looking to become the ninth WPIAL school to win at least two consecutive state championships. The last time it happened was Blackhawk and Vincentian Academy, both accomplishing the feat in 2014 and 2015.

Kelly Cleaver scored 25 points for the Lady Scots in the WPIAL championship game. Mia Preuhs pulled down 14 rebounds for the Lady Scots, including a key one with just over a minute left in regulation, in the win over St. Joseph.

The Lady Gators (19-7) are the fifth-place representative out of District 9.

The winner advances to battle the winner of the Ridgway-Northern Bedford encounter on Wednesday at a time and site to be determined.