Feb 5, 2024 4 min read

Another game of amazing long-distance marksmanship by Ruby Morgan enabled Trinity’s girls basketball team avenge an earlier loss to South Fayette as the Hillers beat the defending WPIAL champion Lions 52-46 Monday night in Class 5A Section 4.

Morgan, on Senior Night, poured in a game-high 31 points that included nine three-point baskets. She made four of those early in the first quarter as Trinity (7-2, 16-5) bolted out to a 19-13 lead after eight minutes.

South Fayette closed to within four points at halftime and the gap remained at four after three quarters.

Agatha Niccolai scored 10 points for the Hillers.

Erica Hall led South Fayette (5-4, 11-8) in scoring with 16 points and Julietta Leroux added 13.

Trinity has won five in a row, which has come on the heels of four straight overtime losses. The Hillers have not trailed at the end of regulation since Dec. 5, at Elizabeth Forward, in the second game of the season.

Washington 60, California 36

Washington continued its drive for at least a share of the Class 2A Section 4 championship by rolling over visiting California, 60-36.

The Prexies won their fifth consecutive game, improving to 10-1 in section and 12-8 overall. Washington is tied for first place in the section with Chartiers-Houston.

California is playoff-bound. The Trojans are 6-5 in section and 9-11 overall.

Washington led by only 25-18 at halftime but pulled away in the third quarter, when it outscored California 23-8 to take a 48-26 lead.

Kaprice Johnson had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Prexies. Olivia Woods also tossed in 17 points and Tayler Barnes had 15.

Rakiyah Porter was the leading scorer for California with 17 points.

Monessen 60, Mapletown 29

Hailey Johnson led three Monessen players in double figures with 14 points and the Greyhounds won the Class A Section 4 title outright with a 60-29 home-court win over Mapletown.

Monessen (9-0, 15-4) will try to finish undefeated in section when it plays at Avella on Thursday. Mapletown is 3-6, 6-12.

Madison Johnson scored 12 points for Monessen and Sidney Campbell tossed in 10.

Isabella Garnek scored a game-high 19 points for Mapletown.

Fort Cherry 54, Northgate 17

Katie Blickenderfer scored 12 points as Fort Cherry ran its winning streak to eight games with a 54-17 thumping of host Northgate in Class 2A Section 2.

The win makes Fort Cherry 8-1 in section and 16-4 overall.

The Rangers dominated throughout, leading 15-1 after one quarter and 33-2 at halftime. Raney Staub scored 10 points for FC.

Northgate (3-5, 6-12) received eight points from Nia Salih.

Burgettstown 51, Brentwood 20

Paige Klodowski fired in a game-high 20 points, including four three-point baskets, to lead Burgettstown to a 51-20 victory over Brentwood in a Class 2A Section 2 game played on the Blue Devils’ home court.

Klodowski’s scoring helped Burgettstown (6-1, 10-9) build leads of 8-5 after one quarter and 27-8 at halftime.

Carlee Pennington chipped in with 12 points for Burgettstown.

Brownsville 68, Charleroi 45

Zhariah Reed poured in a game-high 26 points, sparking Brownsville to a 68-45 win at Charleroi in Class 3A Section 4.

Reed led three players in double figures for the Falcons (4-4, 11-8), who led 33-19. Ava Clark tossed in 16 points and Skyler Gates had 15.

Charleroi (1-8, 9-11) was led in scoring by Bella Carroto and Ella Sypolt, each finishing with 12 points.

Upper St. Clair 56, Canon-McMillan 48

Mertedith Huzjak led a balanced scoring attack for Upper St. Clair as the Panthers edged visiting Canon-McMillan 56-48 in Class 6A Section 2.

Claire Rosenberry and Ryan Prunzik each tallied 10 points for USC (6-5, 12-9), which led 27-23 at halftime.

Nadia Davis scored a game-high 21 points for Canon-McMillan (6-5, 12-9) and Loren Borella finished with 14.

Elizabeth Forward 55, Belle Vernon 28

Chloe Zombeck scored 17 points, powering Elizabeth Forward to a 55-28 win over host Belle Vernon in a battle of playoff-bound teams from Class 3A Section 4.

EF (11-0, 18-2), the section leader, led 24-27 at halftime and held Belle Vernon (6-6, 10-12) to only 11 points in the second half.

Caroline Lee led the Leopards with eight points and 15 rebounds.

Yough 27, McGuffey 26

Autumn Matthews scored nine points as Yough picked up a Class 3A Section 4 victory, beating visiting McGuffey, 27-26.

Yough (2-7) 9-11) kept its slim playoff hopes alive. The Cougars led 15-12 at halftime and 22-20 after three quarters.

Taylor Schumacher, with six points, was the leading scorer for McGuffey (3-6, 13-7).

In other games

In Class 2A Section 4, Carmichaels won 65-43 at Frazier and Beth-Center was a 37-16 winner at Bentworth. In Class A Section 2, Gebel Catholic was a 63-36 winner over visiting Avella. Southmoreland was a 45-42 winner over Ringgold in Class 4A Section 3.