Jan 26, 2024 7 min read

Trinity’s boys basketball team gave its playoff chances a huge boost with a dominant 85-51 victory over Connellsville in a Class 5A Section 1 game played Friday at Hiller Hall.

Trinity moved to 3-3 in the section and 8-9 overall.

The Hillers had too much of Jacob Dunkle for Connellsville (1-4, 2-14). Dunkle, a 6-7 junior, pumped in a career-high 32 points. He helped Trinity move out to a commanding 39-20 halftime lead.

Kaden Hathaway followed with 12 points and Jonah Willamson had 11.

Anthony Piasecki tossed in 19 for Connellsville.

Beth-Center 40, Carmichaels 34

Brody Tharp made a tiebreaking three-point field goal from the left wing with 1:42 remaining and Beth-Center went on to a 40-34 win over host Carmichaels in Class 2A Section 4.

Tharp’s basket gave B-C (3-5, 5-12) a 37-34 lead. Carmichaels (0-8, 3-12) then ran off more than one minute before being called for a charging foul.

Beth-Center then sealed the win with three free throws.

Jason Zellie scored a game-high 15 points for the Bulldogs, who overcame a 15-12 halftime deficit. Santino Revi added 12 points.

Dom Colarusso paced the Mikes with 12 points.

West Greene 61, California 49

West Greene followed its upset win at Monessen this week with a workmanlike 61-49 home-court victory over California in Class A Section 2.

Lane Allison led three players in double figures for West Greene (5-1, 11-5) with a game-high 17 points. Parker Burns contributed 14 points and Matt Wassil checked in with 10.

The Pioneers outscored California (3-3 in section) in each of the first three quarters and led 50-32.

Vinny Mazella scored 15 points for the Trojans.

Avella 61, Western Beaver 49

Avella scored 28 points in the fourth quarter and held off host Western Beaver for a 61-49 victory in Class A Section 1.

Westley Burchianti had a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds for Avella (4-2, 9-9), which led 24-20 at halftime and 33-30 after three quarters.

Nate Cilia added 15 points for the Eagles and Bryce Wright had 13.

Avella overcame a 31-point performance by Western Beaver’s Jackson Liller.

Monessen 74, Geibel Catholic 41

The Gators kept it close in the first quarter before the Greyhounds pulled away for a 74-41 victory at Monessen in Class A Section 2 play.

The Greyhounds (5-1, 13-2) were coming off their first section setback after losing to West Greene, 46-43, on Wednesday at home.

Monessen had a 23-18 lead after the first quarter before clamping down on defense and outscoring the Gators, 19-5, in the second for a 42-23 halftime advantage. The Greyhounds increased their lead to 64-32 after three quarters before holding a 10-9 edge in the fourth.

The Greyhounds were led in scoring by Lorenzo Gardner’s 23 points. Teammate Terrodric Williams had 14.

Geibel’s Gary Tharbuck led his team and the game in scoring with 25 points.

Mt. Pleasant 48, Charleroi 40

The Vikings clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to defeat the Cougars 48-40 in Class 3A Section 4 action at Mt. Pleasant.

The Cougars (2-7, 7-12) had a 37-35 lead heading into the final period, but were outscored by the Vikings 13-3 in the fourth.

Charleroi was led in scoring by Jackson Keranko’s 12 points. Jake Chambers added 10 for the visitors.

Dante Giallandardo led Mt. Pleasant (5-2, 6-8) and the game in scoring with 22 points.

Canon-McMillan 51, Norwin 47

The Big Macs outscored the Knights by five in the second half to earn a 51-47 victory and sweep the season series in Class 6A Section 2 play at Canon-McMillan.

Canon-McMillan (3-3, 8-9) trailed 24-23 after the first half but had a 17-13 advantage in the third quarter and an 11-10 edge in the fourth period.

The Big Macs’ Eamon O’Donoghue scored a game-high 15 points and Roman Koenemund added 14.

Norwin (1-5, 7-9) was led in scoring by Mario Csukas, who put in 10 points.

Fort Cherry 71, Frazier 43

The Rangers jumped out early and cruised to a 71-43 victory in Class 2A Section 4 victory at Fort Cherry.

Derek Errett had 17 points for the Rangers (8-0, 13-4). Teammate Shane Cornali added 14, as 10 players scored for Fort Cherry.

The Rangers have played the last three games with Matt Sieg, who is nursing an ankle injury.

Chartiers-Houston 54, Bentworth 47

The Bucs used an eighth-point advantage in the third quarter to turn a one-point deficit into a seven-point lead in a 54-47 victory over the Bearcats in Class 2A Section 4 play.

Chartiers-Houston (6-3, 13-5) was led in scoring by Avery Molek, who put in 12 points. Justus Buckingham added 11 and Nate Gregory 10 for the Bucs.

Bentworth’s Ben Hays and Lucas Burt shared game-high scoring honors with 14 points.

Chris Harper added 11 for the Bearcats.

Washington 64, Brownsville 39

The Prexies ran their winning streak to 11 games in a 64-39 Class 3A Section 4 victory on the Falcons at Washington.

D’Ondre Daugherty scored 19 points for the Prexies (8-0, 11-5). Ruben Gordon added 17 and Zxavion Willis had 13.

Brownsville’s Trenton Wible scored a game-high 18 points. Teammate Harlan Davis put in 11.

Jefferson-Morgan 66, Mapletown 58

Jase Bedillion scored 19 points, Houston Guesman added 17 and Jefferson-Morgan defeated host Mapletown 66-58 in Class A Section 2.

J-M (4-2, 12-6), led 28-27 at halftime and pulled away by outscoring Mapletown (1-4, 2-12) by a 21-13 margin in the third quarter.

Deyton Marion scored 16 points for the Rockets. Mapletown’s Jeremiah Mick had a game-high 20 points and A.J. Vanata added 14.

Yough 58, Waynesburg 50

Terek Crosby pumped in 35 points, powering Yough to a 58-50 raod win over Waynebsurg in Class 3A Section 4.

Cole Headlee led Waynesburg in scoring with 15 points to go with six assists. Alex Eck grabbed 11 rebounds.

Girls results

Peters Township 44, Upper St. Clair 36

Natalie Wetzel scored 15 points and Peters Township dominated the middle quarters to defeat visiting Upper St. Clair 44-36 Friday night and remain undefeated.

The Indians are 9-0 in Class 6A Section 2 and 18-0 overall.

PT led 8-7 after one quarter but moved out to a 22-18 edge at halftime and were up 38-27 after three quarters.

Daniela Radulovich tossed in 11 points and Gemma Walker had 10 for the Indians.

Meredith Huzjak scored a game-high 17 points for USC (3-5, 9-9).

Chartiers-Houston 52, Bentworth 28

The Bucs’ defense held the Bearcats to 10 points at halftime and cruised to a 52-28 victory in Class 2A Section 4 play at Chartiers-Houston.

The victory sets up the Bucs’ Monday showdown at section rival Washington (7-1, 9-8). Chartiers-Houston (9-0, 13-4) handed the Prexies their lone loss in section play in a 64-40 triumph on Jan. 4.

The Bucs had a 20-7 lead after the first quarter and a 34-10 halftime advantage. Chartiers-Houston extended its lead to 46-17 after three quarters. Bentworth (1-8, 4-14) had an 11-6 edge in the fourth period.

The Bucs had four players in double figures with Ella Richey’s 12 leading the way. Amelia Brose and Mia Mitrik had 11 points apiece and Ava Capozzoli added 10.

The Bearcats’ Amber Sallee scored a game-high 15 points.

Washington 59, Frazier 44

Kaprice Johnson had a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds as Washington defeated host Frazier 59-44 Thursday to stay on the heels of first-place Chartiers-Houston in Class 2A Section 4.

Washington (7-1, 9-8) trailed 13-11 after one quarter but managed to take a lead into halftime and then pulled away in the second half by outscoring the Commodores 34-20.

Olivia Woods tossed in 13 points to help the Wash High attack.

Frazier (2-7, 5-13) received a game-high 16 points from Ally Yauch and 14 from Chloe Harger. The Commodores have lost six in a row.

South Fayette 47, Moon 43

South Fayette trailed Moon 17-11 after one quarter but played shutdown defense the rest of the way and outlasted the Tigers 47-43 in overtime in Class 5A Section 4.

The Lions (4-2, 10-6) outscored Moon 8-4 in the overtime.

Erica Hall had a big game for South Fayette, scoring 22 points.

Moon’s Jaedin Griggs had a game-high 23 points.

Fort Cherry 60, Carlynton 16

Fort Cherry again put four players in double figures, led by Brooke Cornali’s 18 points, and Raney Staub had a double-double of 10 points and 11 assists as the Rangers crushed Carlynton 60-16 in Class 2A Section 2 Thursday.

Fort Cherry (5-1, 13-4), which sits in second place in the section, scored 44 points in the first half and led by 35 at intermission.

Bella Bianchini scored 12 points for the Rangers and Olivia Kemp had 10.