Feb 6, 2020 6 min read

Jersey Wise and Anna Durbin each scored 22 points as the West Greene girls basketball team completed a perfect regular season by defeating visiting Avella, 78-40, in a Class A Section 2 game Thursday night.

The dominant performance by the Pioneers, who improve to 12-0 in the section and 22-0 overall, extended their section winning streak to 45 games and home winning streak to 31. They are believed to be the first basketball team, boys or girls, from Greene County to complete and undefeated regular season.

Durbin’s 22 points was a career high. Brooke Barner also scored 14 points for West Greene, which led 35-21 at halftime. The Pioneers extended their lead to 33 points after a 30-point third quarter.

Bess Lengauer and Katie Dryer each finished with nine points for Avella (9-3, 16-6), which had its five-game winning streak snapped.

Washington 49, McGuffey 42: Cass Lewis scored 17 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter as Washington erased its 14-point deficit entering the final eight minutes to defeat the Highlanders 49-42 in a Class 3A Section 2 game.

The Prexies trailed 36-22 after three quarters.

A fourth-quarter comeback was also led by Randi Thomas, who finished with 10 points for Washington (6-8, 8-13).

Kiera Nicolella and Abby Donnelly both scored in double figures for McGuffey (5-9, 9-11). Nicolella had 17 and Donnelly added 13.

Charleroi 52, Beth-Center 46: Bella Skobel led five players for Charleroi to score at least eight points as the Cougars edged Beth-Center, 52-46, in a Class 3A Section 2 game.

Skobel scored a game-high 19 points for Charleroi (10-4, 14-7), which narrowly led 25-23 at halftime. The Cougars pulled away with a balanced offense in the final two quarters. Skobel was 11-for-11 from the free-throw line.

Hannah Keranko finished with nine points for the Cougars. Cierra Gazi, Kaitlin Wagner and Leena Henderson each scored eight.

A two-headed attack of Elizabeth Trump and Olivia Greco wasn’t enough for Beth-Center (4-10, 8-13) to keep up. Trump had 18 points and Greco added 11, including nine from behind the arc.

Burgettstown 45, Fort Cherry 21: Controlling the final three quarters, Burgettstown defeated Fort Cherry 45-21 in a Class 2A Section 3 game.

The Blue Devils scored 13 points in each of the last three quarters, outscoring Fort Cherry during the 24-minute stretch 39-16.

Geena DeMario scored 12 points to lead Burgettstown (10-2, 16-6).

Kayla Salvini led Fort Cherry (4-8, 6-14) with seven points.

Belle Vernon 58, Elizabeth Forward 48: Erasing a 12-point halftime deficit, Belle Vernon also erased all playoff hopes for Elizabeth Forward in a 58-48 comeback victory in Class 4A Section 3.

A win for Elizabeth Forward (8-6, 9-11) would have earned the Warriors a spot in the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.

The second-half comeback for Belle Vernon (9-5, 16-6) was led by Rachel Wobrak, who scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Leopards outscored Elizabeth Forward 22-11 in the third quarter and 18-7 in the fourth for the victory.

Jenna Dawson also reached double figures for Belle Vernon with 14 points.

Three Warriors balanced their scoring. Haven Briggs led the way with 15, Abigail Bickerton scored 12 and Anna Resnick chipped in 11.

Monessen 49, Mapletown 18: Sophomore Kendelle Weston scored 24 points and senior Qitarah Hardison had a double-double as playoff-bound Monessen rolled to a 49-18 win at Mapletown in Section 2-A.

The win was the 300th in the career of Monessen coach Janine Vertacnik, who has guided the Greyhounds, Jeannette, Yough and Greensburg Salem.

Monessen (7-4, 13-7) held Mapletown (2-10, 3-17) to only six points in the first half as the Greyhounds built a 15-point lead behind Weston and Hardison, the latter finishing with nine points and 18 rebounds.

Taylor Dusenberry led Mapletown in scoring with eight points.

Chartiers-Houston 68, Bentworth 28: Dominique Mortimer scored a career-high 22 points and Chartiers-Houston cruised to a 68-28 victory over visiting Bentworth in the Class 2A Section 3 finale.

Chartiers-Houston (8-4, 12-9), which has clinched a playoff berth, took control early and led 40-8 at halftime. Zamierah Edwards and Zalayah Edwards each scored 10 points for the Bucs.

Caroline Rice made six three-point field goals and finished with 20 points for Bentworth (1-11, 5-17).

Peters Township 63, Canon-McMillan 30: Journey Thompson led three Peters Township players in double figures with 13 points and the Indians dominated the second half to defeat Canon-McMillan 63-30 in Class 6A Section 2.

The win snapped a seven-game losing streak for Peters Township (4-10, 6-15). Canon-McMillan (0-14, 1-20) has lost 18 in a row.

The game was tied, 22-22, at halftime before PT held Canon-McMillan to only eight points in the final 16 minutes. The Indians took control of the game when they outscored the Big Macs 20-6 in the third quarter.

Abby Peyton scored 12 points and Emma Devine had 10 for PT. McKenna Carroll led C-M with nine points.

Frazier 51, Carmichaels 39: Carmichaels couldn’t protect a halftime lead as it fell to Class 2A Section 3 foe Frazier, 51-39.

The Mikes led 19-16 at halftime. That’s when Kaelyn Shaporka and Frazier (6-6, 9-12) came to life.

Shaporka scored 14 of her game-high 19 in the second half as the Commodores retook the lead with a 19-point third quarter. Sierra Twigg and Lindsey Somers each finished with 11 points for Frazier.

Kylie Sinn led Carmichaels (1-11, 4-17) with 10 points.

Thomas Jefferson 50, Trinity 44: Graci Fairman and Alyssa DeAngelo combined to score 27 points as Thomas Jefferson made free throws down the stretch to defeat Trinity in a Class 5A Section 1 game, 50-44.

Fairman finished with 17 points and DeAngelo had 10. Fourteen of the Jaguars’ 19 points in the fourth quarter were on free throws. The two teams were tied at 31-31 entering the fourth quarter.

Courtney Dahlquist scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Trinity (11-3, 15-4). Ashley Durig added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Hillers.

Thomas Jefferson improves to 10-4 in the section and 15-6 overall.

In other games: In Class 5A Section 1 girls basketball, Chartiers Valley defeated South Fayette 76-37. In Class 4A Section 3, Ringgold was a 45-35 winner over Yough. In Class 3A Section 2, Brownsville defeated Waynesburg 45-33. No game details were made available by press time.

Boys results

Washington 51, McGuffey 30: Brandon Patterson had 20 points and 17 rebounds, and Washington broke open a close game by holding host McGuffey scoreless in the third quarter en route to a 51-30 victory in Class 3A Section 4.

Washington (10-2, 15-6) finishes as the section co-champion along with Charleroi. McGuffey (8-4, 15-6) will finish no lower than tied for third in the section.

Washington led 27-22 at halftime, then outscored the Highlanders 16-0 in the pivotal third quarter. McGuffey scored only eight points in the second half.

Marlon Norris scored 10 points for Washington. C.J. Cole’s 11 points led McGuffey. Ethan Janovich added 10.