South Fayette, Chartiers Valley win to set up WPIAL showdown
Eleanor Bailey/the Almanac
Mia and Maddie Webber rush to celebrate with Erica Hall (32) while McKeesport players in the background despair after South Fayette’s victory, 51-48, in the WPIAL Class 5A girls’ semifinal basketball game. Maddie Webber fired in 25 points, 11 in the decisive fourth quarter, to pace the Lady Lions.
By Eleanor Bailey/Almanac Sports Editor/ebailey@thealmanac.net
South Fayette’s Maddie Webber rises up above the defense of Madeline Cherepko (23) and Rachel Manfredo (20) of McKeesport during WPIAL Class 5A semifinal playoff action. Webber fired in 25 points in a 51-48 win for the Lady Lions.
South Fayette (21-4) slipped past McKeesport, 51-48, while Chartiers Valley handled Moon, 57-35, to set up a confrontation between the top Class 5A girls basketball teams in the WPIAL championship held March 5 at the Petersen Events Center.
Maddie Webber spearheaded SF’s attack in a semifinal clash played March 1 at North Allegheny. The junior fired in 25 points, including 11 in the final frame. Webber buried five 3-pointers.
Ava Leroux followed in double digits. The 6-2 junior center scored all 11 of her points in the first half before being saddled with foul trouble.
The Lions led, 21-18, at halftime. They expanded the margin to 34-26 on a 3-pointer from Lainey Yater and a driving hoop by Mia Webber. The advantage swelled to 40-30 before the Tigers made their move in the fourth quarter.
Behind Rachel Manfredo, who finished with 23 points, McKeesport cut the gap to 46-44. Manfredo tossed in nine points in the final frame, including the trey that made it a two-point game.
Though SF made only five of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter, Maddie Webber converted single shots from the charity stripe with 40 and 25 seconds to play to provide a 50-46 cushion for the Lions.
Mia Webber scored the final point from the line putting the Tigers in desperation mode to make a tying trey with under seconds to play.
“I held my breath until the final buzzer,” said SF coach Bryan Bennett. “I was not thinking good thoughts,” he added especially after the Lions squandered most of a double-digit fourth-quarter advantage.
Bennett, however, was more relaxed and delighted as his Lady Lions celebrated their trip to the finals.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to be involved in championship games at different programs. Most high school kids don’t get to experience this. I told them to enjoy this.”
Meanwhile, CV enjoyed its fifth trip to the finals in six seasons thanks to its triumph against Moon. The Colts owned the past three WPIAL titles.
In addition, the win was CV’s third of the season against the Tigers. The Colts beat Moon, 49-45, and 59-45, in section battles.
This time at the AHN Arena inside Peters Township High School, CV hit on all cylinders. The Colts even invoked the Mercy Rule for the entire second half after mounting a 44-14 halftime lead.
“This has been the best we’ve played in a couple years,” said CV coach Tim McConnell. “We played like a well-oiled machine. It was a great team effort.”
Four starters scored in double figures. Perri Page led the way with 16 tallies while the Cowan twins, Helene and Hallie, pitched in with 12 and 11 markers. Aislin Malcolm finished with 10 points.
With their wins, the Lions and the Colts qualified for the PIAA tournament, which commences with playoff action on March 9. The state finals will be held March 19 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
CV lost to Cardinal O’Hara in last year’s final. The Colts were state champions in 2019 but were unable to defend their title in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Note: Chris Dugan, O-R sports editor, contributed to this story.
Undefeated and top-ranked North Hills (23-0) dispatched Mt. Lebanon, 48-36, in a WPIAL Class 6A boys’ semifinal basketball game played March 1 at North Allegheny High School.
The win put the Indians in a district championship contest for only the second time in school history and prevented the Blue Devils from pursuing their seventh path to the Petersen Events Center under head coach Joe David.
The Indians used the 1-2 punch of Royce Parham and Will Blass to best the Blue Devils. A sophomore, Parham pumped in 11 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked four shots. A senior point guard, Blass also supplied 13 tallies.
For the Blue Devils, Christian Mallon and Christian Powers provided 12 and 11 points.
The pair propelled Lebo to the Final Four. Mallon fired in 17 and Powers pitched in 22 as the Blue Devils eliminated Upper St. Clair, 58-53, in the quarterfinals.
Tanner O’Grady provided 14 points for the Panthers, who finished 16-8.
Despite the defeat, the Blue Devils (16-9) are qualified for the PIAA tournament.