Falcons hold on for 4-3 road victory over the Warriors
Connellsville built a three-goal lead in the with less than a minute to go in the second period Thursday night, and then held off a late finish by Central Valley for a hard-fought 4-3 victory in PIHL Class B Division play.
The Falcons (4-4-0-0) pull into a tie for third place with Elizabeth Forward in the South Division with eight points. Connellsville, though, has two games in hand.
The Warriors slip to 0-8-0-0.
Central Valley’s Mitchel Gagne netted his third goal of the game 3:26 into the third period, and the Alex Mitchell and the Falcons held on over the final 13陆 minutes for the road victory, including being a man down on a power play and the Bears pulling their goalie with 55 seconds left in the game.
Connellsville was on cruise control in the first 17 minutes, scoring three goals in a span of 4陆 minutes.
Milan Deffibaugh started with a goal assisted by Parker Firestone 5:09 into the first period. Firestone and Ian Zerecheck assisted on Gavin O’Brien’s goal three minutes later. Zak Koslosky added an unassisted goal with 7:17 left in the period.
Gagne scored 13:04 into the second period, but Connellsville seemed to score a momentum-changing goal when Tristan Lapinski beat Nick Lyon with only 55 seconds left in the period.
But, the momentum shifted back to the Warriors when Gagne scored with just six seconds remaining in the period.
Mitchell made 20 saves in the victory, including seven in the third period. Lyon turned aside 33 shots.
Girls basketball
Albert Gallatin 59, Laurel Highlands 30 — The Lady Colonials scored 20 points in each of the first two quarters for a Section 3-AAAAA home victory.
Albert Gallatin (3-2, 5-2) led 20-6 after the first quarter and 40-20 at halftime. The Lady Colonials outscored the visitors in the second half, 19-10.
Bryn Bezjak led Albert Gallatin with a game-high 20 points. Olivia Miller finished with 13 and Gianna Michaux added 11.
Essence Davis scored 15 points for Laurel Highlands (0-4, 1-6).
Thomas Jefferson 59, Connellsville 28 — The Lady Jaguars were tough at home, handing the Lady Falcons their first Section 3-AAAAA loss of the season.
Thomas Jefferson (3-0, 5-2) led 13-10 after the first quarter and 32-16 at halftime. The lead grew to 44-25 after three quarters.
Hillary Claycomb led Connellsville (2-1, 2-1) with 14 points. Graci Fairman scored a game-high 27 points for the Lady Jaguars.
Trinity 82, Uniontown 16 — The Lady Hillers held the Lady Raiders to just three points in the first half on their way to a Section 3-AAAAA home victory.
Akira Dade and Amiah DeShields both scored four points for Uniontown (0-3, 0-4).
Courtney Dahlquist finished with a game-high 22 points for Trinity (2-0, 5-1). Alyssa Clutter added 10.
Belle Vernon 40, Mount Pleasant 22 — The Lady Leopards got a little breathing room in the second quarter and carried the advantage through the second half for a Section 3-AAAA victory over the visiting Lady Vikings.
Belle Vernon (2-1, 3-2) led 8-3 after the first quarter and extended its lead to 22-9 at halftime. The Lady Leopards held an 18-13 advantage in the second half.
Presleigh Kolditz scored 10 points for Belle Vernon. Grace Henderson finished with 10 rebounds, four steals and four blocks. Teammate Taylor Rodriguez contributed six assists, three steals, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Elizabeth Forward 53, West Mifflin 46 — The Lady Warriors secured their first win of the season with a fourth-quarter rally at West Mifflin for a Section 3-AAAA victory.
Elizabeth Forward (1-2, 1-2) outscored the Lady Titans in the fourth quarter, 19-12, after the game was tied at 34-34 after three quarters.
Anna Resnik scored a game-high 18 points for Elizabeth Forward. Haven Briggs finished with 16.
Lauren Yuhas and Shelby Genes both scored 14, and Falyn Carr added 10 for West Mifflin (2-1, 2-2).
Waynesburg Central 47, Bentworth 10 — The Lady Raiders led 19-0 after the first quarter and breezed to a Section 2-AAA home victory.
Waynesburg Central (2-0, 4-1) led 35-2 at halftime.
Nina Sarra and Kaley Rohanna shared scoring honors for the Lady Raiders with 11 points apiece. Amber Sallee scored seven points for the Lady Bearcats (0-4, 0-6).
Washington 51, Brownsville 39 — The Lady Falcons had a rough go in their first game of the season, falling at home in Section 2-AAA action.
The Prexies (1-1, 2-3) led 18-10, 27-18 and 40-26 at the quarter breaks.
Emma Seto scored 18 points for Brownsville (0-1, 0-1).
Washington’s Cass Lewis finished with a game-high 17 points. Kiera Woods (11) and Sam Maurer (10) were also in double figures.
Beth-Center 41, Jefferson-Morgan 22 — Anna Sloan paced the Lady Bulldogs with 22 points for a non-section victory over the visiting Lady Rockets.
Beth-Center (3-1) led 9-4, 22-12 and 31-14 at the quarter breaks.
Julia Ogrodowski added nine for the Lady Bulldogs.
Savannah Clark scored eight points for Jefferson-Morgan (1-5).
California 65, Carmichaels 42 — Kendelle Weston scored a game-high 23 points to help the Lady Trojans secure a Section 2-AA home victory.
Makayla Boda added 13 for California (2-0, 2-0).
The Lady Trojans led 21-3 after the first quarter, 37-18 at halftime and 57-29 after three quarters.
Sophia Zalar (20) and Mia Ranieri (16) combined for all but six points for Carmichaels (1-1, 1-3).
Kiski Area 38, Yough 15 — The Lady Cavaliers held the visiting Lady Cougars scoreless in the first quarter for a non-section home victory.
Dejah Burnett scored 16 points for Kiski (2-3). Yough slips to 0-4 overall.
Boys basketball
Greensburg C.C. 71, Frazier 64 — The non-section game was tied after three quarters, and the Centurions pulled out the victory by outscoring the visiting Commodores in the final eight minutes, 23-16.
The home team held a slim 32-21 lead at halftime.
Luke Santo poured in a game-high 30 points for Frazier (4-2). Owen Newcomer finished with 13 points and Noah Oldham added 11. Colton Arison pulled down 10 rebounds.
Christian McGowan led the Centurions (4-1) with 28 points. Brevan Williams finished with 25.
Bentworth 56, West Greene 50 — The Pioneers’ late rally came up a couple baskets short in a non-section loss to the visiting Bearcats.
West Greene (1-2) led 18-8 after the first quarter and 24-17 at halftime, but Bentworth surged into the lead with a 28-6 advantage in the third quarter. The Pioneers outscored Bentworth in the fourth quarter, 20-11.
Jerzy Tomlin scored a game-high 25 points for Bentworth (1-3). Landon Urcho finished with 16 and Tucker McMurray added 10.
Caleb Rice scored 12 points and Kaden Shields had 11 for the Pioneers.
Boys swimming
Belle Vernon 92, Ringgold 71 — The Leopards had first-place finishes through their lineup for a Section 5-AA victory over the visiting Rams.
Sam West (200 freestyle, 100 freestyle) and Ian Shahan (100 butterfly, 100 backstroke) both won two individual event with Shahan hitting the WPIAL Class AA qualifying time in the 100 backstroke.
Cody Danto (200 IM) and Garrett Ursiny (50 freestyle) also had first-place finishes for the Leopards (2-0, 3-0).
Nick Reda, Danto, Shahan and West won the 200 medley relay, and Luke Miller, Danto, West and Shahan finished first in the 400 freestyle relay.
Penn-Trafford 90, Connellsville 66 — The Warriors were solid throughout the lineup for a Section 1-AAA victory over the visiting Falcons.
Connellsville made the most of Penn-Trafford swimming the backend of the meet in exhibition with first-place finishes from the 200 freestyle relay (Michael Gebe, Kasey Stanton, Declan Peterson, Jamison McPoyle), Peterson (100 backstroke, 1:22.27), James Staggers (100 breaststroke, 1:31.65), and the 400 freestyle relay (Gavin McPoyle, Zachary Coughenour, Staggers, Shane Morrow).
Girls swimming
Ringgold 100, Belle Vernon 56 — The Lady Rams were too deep for the Lady Leopards for a Section 5-AA road victory.
Marlee Davis (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) and Delaney Patterson (500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke) both won a pair of events for Belle Vernon (1-2, 1-2-1). Marty Maley finished first in the 100 backstroke.
Maley, Patterson, Maya Engstrom and Davis won the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
Penn-Trafford 98, Connellsville 77 — The Lady Falcons had a tough road trip, losing a Section 1-AAA meet to the Lady Warriors.
Connellsville’s Molly Maloy won the 200 IM in 2:34.92. The home team swam the final few events in exhibition, and Rachel DiRoma (100 backstroke, 1:57.70) Sophie Detwiler (100 breaststroke, 1:26.51 and the 400 freestyle relay quartet of Elizabeth Jackson, Aeriale Knopsnider, Chloe Dillon and Ryann Lilley (4:48.49) made the most of the opportunity with first-place finishes.