Trinity gets big win over South Fayette
Trinity watched a 10-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate, then closed the game on a 7-0 run as the Hillers defeated South Fayette, 50-43, in a non-section meeting Saturday of two of the top WPIAL girls basketball teams in Class 5A.
Trailing 38-28 entering the fourth quarter, South Fayette (15-5) went on a 15-5 run to tie the game at 43-43 with 46 seconds remaining.
But Sierra Kotchman hit a three-pointer coming out of a timeout and then Alyana Cappelli and Kotchman both made a pair of free throws to give the Hillers (20-2) the victory.
South Fayette, the defending WPIAL Class AAA champions, defeated Trinity three times last season, including 59-52 in the WPIAL championship game. The two teams were put into different sections this season when the PIAA shifted to six classifications, with South Fayette moving to Section 1-5A and Trinity shifting to Section 3-5A. Both teams won their respective sections and figure to be highly seeded when the WPIAL announces its playoff pairings Tuesday.
Kotchman finished with 19 points to lead Trinity.
Carlee Kilgus and Sam Kosmacki had 15 points each for the Lions, who also got 11 points from Maddie Gutierrez.
Charleroi 62, Waynesburg 13: Kaitlyn Riley scored 17 points as Charleroi wrapped up its Section 2-AAA schedule with a 62-13 win over Waynesburg.
Maria Claybaugh added 16 points, while Sierra Short had 10 for the Cougars (10-2, 17-4), who finished second in the section behind East Allegheny, the WPIAL’s lone unbeaten girls basketball team.
Shay Echegaray led Waynesburg, which finishes 0-12, 1-21, with six points.
Peters Township 90, Keystone Oaks 63: Michael Cortese scored a career-high 32 points and hit eight of Peters Township’s 19 three-pointers as the Indians closed out their season with a 90-63 non-section win at Keystone Oaks.
Matt Thelk had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Indians (13-9), who also got 17 points from Danny Kita and 15 from Kory Hilliard.
Jake Mellon had 19 points and Josh Snell 11 for Keystone Oaks (4-18).