Peters Township prepares for challenge in basketball
Peters Township tipped off the boys’ basketball season with a split decision, beating Jeannette, 44-30, in the opener and falling to 2014 PIAA Class AA runner-up Seton-La Salle, 50-43, during the championship game.
The tournament was an indicator of things to come as the Indians prepare for their Section 5-AAAA opener at Baldwin on Dec. 12. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. The Indians also host Bethel Park (Dec. 16) and Moon (Dec. 23) before the holiday break. Then the Indians kick off the New Year hosting Chartiers Valley on Jan. 7. The Colts were the WPIAL Class AAA runners-up last year and feature Matt McConnell. The Robert Morris recruit exploded for 31 points in a 110-70 win over Monessen.
“CV will be the toughest section opponent, but everyone really is going to be a challenge,” said head coach Gary Goga. “The section is full of really good programs coached by great guys with a lot of talented players. It’s a grind but it’s a blast being able to coach in this section.”
While the Indians worked on execution in their own tip-off tournament as well as last night’s non-league game against Steel Valley, where Goga is a teacher, they have demonstrated a strong work ethic and unity in victory as well as defeat. Those two ingredients will key the squad’s success this winter.
“I have a great group of kids. They work hard and stick together,” Goga said. “We need to stick together and get better everyday if we are going to compete in a really tough section.”
Seniors Timmy Swoope and Rylan Faloni expect to lead the Indians. A 6-4 forward, who is coming off a spectacular football season, Swoope averaged 8.5 points and four rebounds last year. “He has really come into his own as a leader,” Goga said. A 6-foot guard, Faloni helped lead the Indians to a state title in soccer this fall. “He is a champion and a true point guard,” Goga said. “He’s a leader, too. I expect a lot out of both Timmy and Rylan.”
Goga also anticipates production from Connor Freeley at center as well as Kelson Marissa and Nick Valentic at the other starting guard positions. Freeley is a 6-5 senior while Marissa and Valentic are juniors. Marissa also played on the successful soccer squad.
“We need Nick and Kelson to really step up and perform as we know they are capable of,” said Goga as the Indians strive to earn a playoff spot. “That’s our first goal,” he said, “and, we’ll go from there.”
From the PT tournament, Seton-La Salle took away the top award. Ryan Norkus led the Rebels in the win over the Indians, firing in 17 points. He pumped in 18 tallies in the team’s opening victory against Blackhawk, 77-45. In that win, Christian DelGreco also scored in double digits, finishing with 19 points.
Other boys’ tournament highlights included:
• Jake Dixon’s 24 points and 15 rebounds in Bethel Park’s 63-39 win against Thomas Jefferson. Despite double figures from Joe Mascaro, the Hawks lost in overtime, 75-73, in the championship contest against Allderdice.
• Jonny David drained six, 3-pointers and racked up 26 points in Mt. Lebanon’s 60-55 win against Westinghouse. The Blue Devils won their own tournament with a 62-40 win against Central Catholic in the finals.
• Zach Pateras buried five, 3-pointers and finished with 21 points in Upper St. Clair’s 77-55 win against Monessen. The Panthers also bested Franklin Regional, 83-55, in the round-robin event.
• Jake Ritson led CV’s 3-point assault on Monessen. He posted six, 3-pointers and finished with 22 points in the 110-70 uprising. McConnell (31), Eddie Flohr (22) and Ross Wilkerson (16) all had four, 3-pointers.
• Canon-McMillan beat Burgettstown, 77-32, and Washington, 51-45, in tournament play while Bishop Canevin won the Keystone Oaks event with victories over Brashear, 95-69, in the opener and 88-39 against the host club in the finals. KO beat Fort Cherry, 72-67, in its opener.
Highlights in girls’ action included:
• Madison Kerr firing in 20 and 19 tallies to pace Peters Township to victories over Belle Vernon, 47-37, and Keystone Oaks, 48-29, in its own tip-off tournament.
• Justina Mascaro’s 20 points paced Bethel Park to victory against South Park, 51-49. Earlier, the Lady Hawks dropped a 48-46 decision to Thomas Jefferson.
• Madison Serio scored 18 points and Rachel Mazzie buried four, 3-pointers to lead Upper St. Clair to a 55-40 win against Hopewell in the South Fayette Tournament. In the finals, the Lady Panthers lost to the host Lions, 42-39. SF beat North Hills, 50-43, in its opener.
• Krista Suda connected on six, 3-pointers but that was not enough as Chartiers Valley succumbed to Penn Hills, 57-50, in the North Allegheny Tournament. The Colts beat Kiski, 65-15, in the consolation contest.
• Mt. Lebanon defeated State College, 44-35, and Central Dauphin, 56-42, in the Altoona Tournament.
• Cheyene Trest exploded for 22 points in Canon-McMillan’s 63-33 win against Keystone Oaks.
• Despite 14 points each from Cassidy Walsh and Morgan Henderson, Seton-La Salle dropped a 64-48 decision to Vincentian Academy. Both squads were district and state champions in different classifications earlier in 2014. The Rebels also lost to Pine-Richland, 51-46, in tip-off tournament action.