High school basketball: Johnson sparks Monessen to win at Avella
Hailey Johnson had one of her best offensive games, scoring 19 points, and Monessen rode a big first quarter to a 54-39 victory over host Avella in a key Class A Section 2 girls basketball game Wednesday night.
Monessen (2-1, 6-3) jumped out to a 13-3 lead at the end of one quarter and pushed the margin to 26-13 at halftime.
Mercedes Majors had 17 points for the Greyhounds.
Avella (2-1, 4-5) lost for the firts time in section. The Eagles received 14 points from Katie Dryer.
Belle Vernon 50 Ringgold 26: Belle Vernon held visiting Ringgold to only two points in the first quarter and went on to a 50-26 non-section victory over the Rams.
The win extended Belle Vernon’s winning streak to four games. The Leopards (9-2) led 13-2 after one quarter and moved out to a 24-12 edge at halftime.
Viva Kreis led a balanced attack for Belle Vernon, scoring a game-high 12 points. Jenna Dawson and Farrah Reader each chipped in with 11 points. Tessa Rodriguez had nine rebounds, six assists and four steals. Kreis also grabbed eight rebounds and had four steals.
Kirra Gerard and Abbey Whaley each scored eight points for Ringgold (4-6).
Albert Gallatin 52, Charleroi 35: Courtlyn Turner and Grayce Panos combined for 29 points as Albert Gallatin won at Charleroi, 52-35, in a non-section game.
Turner scored 16 points and Panos chipped in with 13 for the Colonials (6-2), who raced out to a 20-11 lead at one quarter before Charleroi closed to within 28-23 at halftime. AG outscored Charleroi 18-8 in the pivotal third quarter.
McKenna DeUnger scored a game-high 18 points for Charleroi (7-5), which had its three-game winning streak snapped. Riley Jones scored 10 points.
West Greene 60, Geibel Catholic 13: Anna Durbin scored 21 points and West Greene had no trouble defeating Geibel Catholic 60-13 in Class A Section 2.
Brooke Barner scored 17 points and Katie Lampe had 10 for the Pioneers (3-0, 8-3), who led 33-2 after one quarter and 48-4 at halftime.
In other games: The Serra Catholic girls were a 68-25 winner over Carmichaels in Class 2A Section 2.