Local roundup: Lady Falcons clinch playoff spot with win at McGuffey
Skyler Gates scored a game-high 20 points and Brownsville held host McGuffey scoreless in the fourth quarter to rally for a key Section 4-AAA girls basketball win Thursday night.
The victory not only clinched a playoff spot for Lady Falcons (4-4, 11-8) but also elevated them into sole possession of third place ahead of the Lady Highlanders (3-5, 13-6).
McGuffey jumped out to a 16-8 lead in the opening frame. Brownsville battled back to even the score at 24-24 by halftime. The Lady Highlanders went back in front, 36-31, after three quarters but would not score again as the Lady Falcons rolled to a 13-0 advantage over the final eight minutes to win going away.
Zariah Reed followed Gates with 11 points for Brownsville.
Madison Gaso led McGuffey with 10 points.
Waynesburg Central 49, Yough 19 – The Lady Raiders kept their grip on first place in Section 4-AAA by overcoming a slow start to defeat the visiting Lady Cougars.
Waynesburg (8-0, 18-1), which sports the best overall record among WPIAL Class AAA teams, needs one more win or one more loss by second-place South Park to clinch at least a share of its third consecutive section championship.
Avery Davis led the Lady Raiders with 15 points and Kaley Rohanna followed with nine points.
Yough held a 7-6 lead after the first quarter but Waynesburg took control by outscoring the visitors 13-2 in the second for a 19-9 halftime advantage and pulled away from there.
Autumn Matthews led the Lady Cougars (1-7, 8-11) with 10 points.
Laurel Highlands 52, Belle Vernon 35 – Ayrianna Sumpter scored a game-high 16 points as the Fillies knocked off the visiting Lady Leopards to remain in a second-place tie with West Mifflin in the Section 3-AAAA standings.
Laurel Highlands (8-2, 16-2) led 12-6, 24-17 and 40-26 at the quarter breaks.
Miya Harris added 13 points for the Fillies.
Kenzi Seliga scored 15 points on five 3-pointers to lead the way for fourth-place Belle Vernon (6-5, 10-11).
Both teams had already wrapped up playoff berths.
Uniontown 61, Ringgold 41 – A’Kira Dade and Geelece Ingram celebrated the Lady Raiders’ senior night by combining for 41 points in a Section 3-AAAA victory over the visiting Lady Rams.
Dade poured in 26 points and Ingram followed 15 for Uniontown (3-8, 7-13) which also got 11 points from junior Emily Myers.
Ringgold (0-10, 3-16) held a 27-26 lead at halftime in a bid for its first section win of the season, but the Lady Raiders outscored the visitors 35-14 in the second half.
Jada Gernot scored 14 points and Rihanna Fordham added 10 for the Lady Rams.
Latrobe 60, Albert Gallatin 41 – The Lady Colonials pushed out to a 15-11 lead in the first quarter before the host Lady Wildcats stormed back to take the Section 3-AAAAA victory.
Elle Snyder tossed in 21 points and Belle Blossey had 12 for Latrobe (5-5, 10-10).
Mya Glisan paced Albert Gallatin (1-10, 4-15) with 17 points.
California 52, Bentworth 31 – Rakiyah Porter led all scorers with 20 points as the Lady Trojans pulled into a tie with third-place Beth-Center in Section 4-AA by defeating visiting Bentworth.
Hayley Gibson followed Porter with 18 points for California (6-4, 9-10).
Amber Sallee hits three 3-pointers in scoring 13 points for the Lady Bearcats (1-10, 4-16) who also got 11 points from Aubrie Logan.
Geibel Catholic 43, Mapletown 27 – Emma Larkin scored a game-high 21 points and Ava Henderson sank five 3-pointers in an 19-point performance as the visiting Lady Gators triumphed at Mapletown in a Section 2-A game.
The Lady Maples (3-5, 6-11) charged out to a 16-8 advantage in the first quarter but Geibel (6-2, 13-6) answered with an 18-2 edge in the second quarter to take a 26-18 halftime lead, then outscored the hosts 9-0 in the third quarter to put the game away.
Helena Cumpston had eight points for Mapletown, which also got 11 rebounds apiece from Emma Zalar and Isabella Garnek.
Monessen 45, West Greene 39 – The first-place Lady Greyhounds rallied in the fourth quarter to fight off the host Lady Pioneers in a Section 2-A battle.
Sidney Campbell and Hailey Johnson each scored 13 points for Monessen (8-0, 14-3) which trailed 32-29 after three quarters before overtaking West Greene with a 16-7 advantage in the final frame.
Kendra Tharp was the top scorer for West Greene (4-4, 7-12) with 12 points and Eryka Hackney contributed nine points.
Avella 40, Jefferson-Morgan 39 – Ava Frank scored 14 points as the Lady Eagles (2-6, 4-15) nipped the host Lady Rockets in a Section 2-A clash.
The game was tight throughout. J-M led 12-11 after one quarter, the score was tied 24-24 at halftime and the Lady Rockets held a 31-29 advantage after three quarters.
Kayla Larkin tallied a game-high 18 points in defeat for Jefferson-Morgan (1-7, 3-16).
West Mifflin 52, Southmoreland 24 – The Lady Titans took a 22-6 lead in the first quarter on their way to a Section 3-AAAA win at Southmoreland.
Kendell Lee and Savaughn Wimbs each scored 17 points for West Mifflin (8-2, 10-6).
Olivia Aumber tossed in 16 points for the Lady Scotties (1-9, 2-17).
Shady Side Academy 52, Mount Pleasant 21 – Maggie Spell scored 23 points as the first-place Lady Bulldogs romped to a Section 3-AAA win over the visiting Lady Vikings.
Cassie Sauer chipped in with 10 points for Shady Side (8-0, 16-2).
Carmella Spallone had six points for third-place Mount Pleasant (4-4, 12-7).
South Park 61, Charleroi 30 – Ella Clifford had 15 points in the Lady Eagles’ Section 4-AAA win over the visiting Lady Cougars.
Brooke Paylo and Nika Contakos followed with 12 and 10 points for South Park (7-1, 13-6).
Bella Carroto, Riley Jones and Ella Sypolt each scored seven points for Charleroi (1-7, 8-10).
Chartiers-Houston 73, Frazier 20 – Amelia Brose scored 20 points as the Lady Bucs toppled the visiting Lady Commodores in a Section 4-AA game.
Ava Capozzoli (18) and Ali Wingard (14) also hit double figures in scoring for Chartiers-Houston (10-1, 15-5).
Malana Burton led the way for Frazier (2-8, 5-14) with eight points.
Washington 32, Carmichaels 23 – Olivia Woods and Kaprice Johnson both had nine points as the Lady Prexies (9-1, 11-8) fended off the host Lady Mikes in a Section 4-AA game.
Megan Voithofer tallied a game-high 15 points for Carmichaels (2-8, 3-16).