Local roundup: Gators rally in second half to edge Vikings
Geibel Catholic rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to down Mount Pleasant, 64-59, on Tuesday in non-section boys basketball play at “The Swamp” on the campus of Geibel Catholic Junior/Senior High School.
The Gators (9-7) had a 23-16 lead after the first quarter, but the Vikings (5-12) used a 23-10 advantage in the second period for a 39-33 edge at halftime.
Geibel outscored Mount Pleasant, 17-11, in the third quarter to tie the game at 50-50 before using a 14-9 advantage in the fourth period for the victory.
The Gators’ Seth Dolan shared high-game scoring honors with the Vikings’ Greg Valone, as both put in 20 points. Geibel’s Evan Strimel (16) and John Hess (11) were in double figures.
Mount Pleasant’s Kade Hutchinson dropped 11 points.
Gateway 53, Laurel Highlands 43 — The Mustangs gave the section leaders all they could handle before falling in Section 1-5A play at Harold “Horse” Taylor Memorial Gymnasium on the campus of Laurel Highlands High School.
After a 10-10 first quarter, the Gators (8-1, 10-5) used a 15-13 edge in the second period for a 25-23 halftime lead. Gateway outscored Laurel Highlands, 14-10, in the third and fourth quarters to earn a double-digit victory.
Kayden Smith scored a team-high 13 points for the Mustangs (3-6, 8-7).
The Gators’ Jax Vovaris led all scorers with 18 points. Teammate Mykel Bruce-McCrommon had 15 and Isaiah Allah added 11 for the visitors.
Jefferson-Morgan 66, Beth-Center 44 — The Rockets took an early lead and cruised to a Section 3-2A victory.
Jefferson-Morgan (7-1, 14-1) had a 25-9 lead after the first quarter and a 43-20 halftime edge. The Rockets had a 13-12 edge in the third before the Bulldogs (5-4, 9-7) won the fourth period, 12-10.
Beth-Center’s Jason Zellie made four 3-pointers and had a game-high 19 points. Teammate Parker Amos put in 11 points.
Jefferson-Morgan’s Brayden Ellsworth scored a team-high 17 points. Ellsworth connected on four 3-pointers.
Dayten Marion and Jeremiah Robertson each had 15 for the Rockets. Teammate Triton Farabee put in 12 points.
Belle Vernon 79, Yough 43 — The Leopards came out on fire and never looked back in a Section 3-4A triumph over the Cougars at Belle Vernon Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Elijah Majors scored a game-high 23 points. Teammate Vincenzo Francia put in 10.
Yough (1-7, 2-13) was led in scoring by Hayden Smith, who put in 14 points.
The Leopards improved to 7-1 in the section and 11-7 overall.
South Park 47, Waynesburg Central 45 — The Raiders gave the Eagles everything they could handle, but South Park was able to pull out a non-section win at South Park High School.
The Eagles (14-2) had a 23-15 lead at halftime, but used an 18-9 advantage in the third quarter to hold a 33-32 edge heading into the fourth period. South Park outscored the visitors, 15-12, in the final frame.
The Eagles’ Luke Scarff scored a game-high 23 points. Teammate Cooper Hochendoner added 15.
Dane Woods led Waynesburg (5-9) in scoring with 20 points. He added eight rebounds. The Raiders’ Cole Headlee added 18 points and five assists.
West Greene 73, Mapletown 29 — The Pioneers were too much for the Maples in a Section 3-2A victory at West Greene Junior/Senior High School.
West Greene’s Landen Hill made five 3-pointers on his way to 19 points. The Pioneers’ Matthew Wassil (14), Brett Scott (11) and Joseph Blair (10) were also in double figures.
Mapletown’s Kaleb Evosevich shared game-high scoring honors with Hill.
West Greene improved to 5-4 in section play and 6-9 overall.
Riverview 52, Frazier 40 — The Raiders gradually pulled away from the Commodores in a Section 1-2A contest.
Riverview’s Rex Roberts led all scorers with 18 points. Teammates Benji Franciscus (12) and Jake Sprajcar (10) were in double figures.
Kolby Stewart paced Frazier in scoring with 16 points.
Springdale 76, California 34 — The Dynamos took care of business in a Section 1-2A triumph over the Trojans at California Area High School.
Alan Dennis led California in scoring with 13 points.
Hempfield 83, Connellsville 65 — Trevor Donsen scored 21 points in the Spartans’ Section 2-6A win over the visiting Falcons.
Lucas Simmons and Danny Husenits followed close behind with 20 and 19 points for Hempfield (5-4, 12-5).
Lucas Harwood tallied 17 points for Connellsville (0-9, 4-11), which also got 14 points from Christian Thomas and 13 from Jayden Mickens.
Penn-Trafford 61, Albert Gallatin 35 — Nick Ponko had 16 points in the Warriors’ Section 1-5A win at Albert Gallatin.
Penn-Trafford led 14-6 after the first quarter before the Colonials pulled within 21-17 at halftime. The Warriors out-scored AG 37-18 in the second half.
Zach Feldman added 11 points for Penn-Trafford (5-4, 6-9).
Darrin Ford led the Colonials (0-9, 2-13) with 13 points
Chartiers-Houston 54, Carmichaels 19 — Tommy Dzura led the host Buccaneers (9-0, 14-3) with 11 points in a Section 3-2A victory over the visiting Mikes.
Alex Toth tossed in seven points for Carmichaels (2-7, 3-12).
Quaker Valley 82, Southmoreland 50 — Zach Washington had 19 points and Nicholas Cohen scored 18 as Class 4A power Quaker Valley (11-3) triumphed over the host Class 3A Scotties in a non-section game.
Sam Chapman (16), Kolton Jonson (12) and James Irwin (12) also hit double figures for Quaker Valley.
Noah Felentzer paced Southmoreland (9-6) with 17 points.
Girls basketball
Belle Vernon 57, West Mifflin 25 — The Lady Leopards won their eight straight game in a non-section contest at Belle Vernon Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Aubrey Brown scored a game-high 17 points. She added seven rebounds. The Lady Leopards’ Lyla McConnell put in 12 points.
Belle Vernon improved to 14-3, while West Mifflin dropped to 6-11.
Washington 51, Connellsville 47 — The Lady Prexies rallied in the second half to edge the Lady Falcons in non-section play at Washington High School.
Connellsville had leads of 13-11 after the first quarter and 26-23 after the second period, but Washington took a 37-36 advantage heading into the fourth. The home team outscored the visitors, 14-11, in the final frame.
Saige Mickens led the Lady Falcons in scoring with 15 points. Teammates Macey Orndorff (13) and Natalie Jacobs (10) were also in double digits.
The Lady Prexies’ Olivia Woods had a game-high 25 points.
Brownsville 44, Jefferson-Morgan 42 — Ava Clark and Ciara Horabik combined for 32 points in the Lady Falcons’ non-section win at Jefferson-Morgan.
Brownsville led 17-11 after the first quarter and 30-21 at halftime but the Lady Rockets (8-8) surged ahead, 39-37, with an 18-7 edge in the third.
The Lady Falcons (4-12) out-scored the hosts 7-3 in the final frame to earn the victory.
Clark and Horabik both finished with 16 points.
Ava Wood rang up a game-high 20 points for Jefferson-Morgan.
Yough 59, Frazier 19 — Diasy Miller tallied 13 points in the Lady Cougars’ non-section victory over the visiting Lady Commodores.
Evelyn Gates added 12 points for Yough (6-10) and Bella Dolekary had 10.
Chloe Harger and Emersyn Roebuck scored six points apiece for Frazier (4-9).
University, W. Va. 67, Laurel Highlands 25 — Taylor Schwertfeger scored 14 points but the Lady Mustangs (5-11) fell to host University of Morgantown (10-3) in a non-section game.