Mohawk hands Aliquippa second loss of the season

Feb. 8—The Mohawk High girls basketball team handed Aliquippa just its second loss of the season Wednesday.

The Lady Warriors posted a 56-31 nonsection win over Aliquippa at home.

"The girls played really well," Mohawk coach Matt Walsh said of the win.

"We played zone defense the whole game and the girls really dialed in and played."

Mohawk (12-9 overall) ended up sinking a bucket right before the end of the first quarter to take a 9-7 advantage over the Lady 'Quips (19-2). After taking the lead, Mohawk never looked back.

The Lady Warriors outscored Aliquippa, 19-10, in the second quarter to enter halftime with an 11-point advantage. Erynne Capalbo paced Mohawk with 19 points, while teammate Kiera Julian netted 16.

"Kiera, she kind of took over the game at one point. Her confidence has skyrocketed from earlier in the season. I can't say enough about how hard she works day in and out," Walsh said. "Erynne does what she does. We feed her the ball and she gets to the hoop."

In the third quarter, Mohawk held Aliquippa to just six points.

Walsh credited the team's defense for a successful third.

"We were just getting all the rebounds and only letting them get one shot (off)," Walsh said. "We knew we had to stop (Carla Brown) and (Aunesty Johnson). I told the girls, 'Know where they are at all times,' and they just did what they did."

The Lady Warriors entered the final quarter of the game with a 44-23 lead and posted 12 points to Aliquippa's eight to walk away with the win.

Mohawk hosts Riverside at 7:30 p.m. tonight for its final WPIAL Section 1-3A game of the season.

Union 58, DuBois Central Catholic 23

The Lady Scots cruised to a nonsection win over DuBois Central Catholic after jumping out to a 22-point lead at the conclusion of the first quarter.

Union's Kelly Cleaver led her team with 22 points, 10 rebounds, eight steals and four assists.

Kylie Fruehstorfer supplied 14 points and three rebounds for the Lady Scots (15-5).

Union tacked on 18 points to DCC's nine in the second quarter to enter halftime with a 31-point lead over the District 9 team.

In the second half, the clock continued to run because of the mercy rule.

The Lady Scots outscored DCC, 14-10, in the second half.

Miera Gunn and Mia Preuhs recorded three boards apiece for Union, while Bella Cameron and Addie Nogay had three steals each.

Union travels to Eden Christian for a 7 p.m. game tonight to wrap up the regular season.