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High school basketball: FC secures at least share of section title

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Fort Cherry’s boys basketball team hasn’t played many close games against Class 2A opponents this year but the Rangers were locked in one against Chartiers-Houston after three quarters Friday night.

The Rangers responded in impressive fashion.

Fort Cherry outscored Chartiers-Houston 19-10 in the pivotal fourth quarter and defeated the Bucs 61-48 in a Section 4 game played on the Rangers’ home court.

The win clinches at least a share of the section title for Fort Cherry (10-0, 18-2). The Rangers have won 16 consecutive games.

Chartiers-Houston is 9-2 in sewction and 15-5 overall. The Bucs are 0-3 against Fort Cherry and 15-2 against all other opponents.

The Bucs trailed 28-17 at halftime but made three of four attempts from three-point range in the third quarter, including one by Manny Ntumngia at the buzzer, to cut Fort Cherry’s advantage to 42-38. Ntumngia led C-H in scoring with 16 points.

Fort Cherry secured the win by putting together a big fourth quarter, outscoring the Bucs 19-10.

Owen Norman led the Rangers’ attack with a game-high 20 points and Shane Cornali followed with 19, including 10 in the second half. Adam Wolfe led the Rangers on the boards with 10 rebounds.

Avery Molek scored 10 points for Chartiers-Houston.

Peters Township 89, Ringgold 39: Peters Township showed why it is the highest-scoring team in Class 5A as the Indians rolled to an 89-39 victory over visiting Ringgold in Section 1.

The Indians put five players in double figures, led by Brendan McCullough’s 21 points, and scored 53 points in the first half to improve thei record to 7-1 in section and 16-3 overall. The Indians have won nine in a row.

Dylan Donovan scored 14 points, Cam Mills and jack Dunbar each had 11 and Jake Ziegler 10 for PT, which led 53-14 at halftime.

Lorenzo Glasser tallied 18 points for the Rams (1-7, 3-17).

Carmichaels 48, Frazier 39: Carmichaels maintained its grip on what would be the final playoff berth out of Class 2A Section 4 by defeating Frazier, 48-39.

The Mikes, however, had to come from behind to do so as Frazier (1-9, 2-18) led 21-15 at halftime. Carmichaels (5-5, 12-8) still trailed, 32-29, after three quarters before outscoring the Commodores 19-7 in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Tyler Richmond and Dom Colarusso led the Mikes’ charge by scoring 17 and 15 points, respectively. Richmond scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter.

Keyshaun Thompson scored 13 points and Conlan Higbee had 11 for Frazier.

Burgettstown 75, Bentworth 67: Zack Schrockman scored scored 27 points and Burgettstown overcame another big shooting night by Bentworth’s Landon Urcho as the playoff-bound Blue Devils won 75-67 in Class 2A Section 4.

Burgettstown (7-3, 11-8), which has won five straight, had to dig itself out of an early hole. Bentworth (4-7, 10-10) led 22-14 after one quarter. Burgettstown took a 38-35 lead into halftime and maintained a three-point edge entering the final period. The Blue Devils held a 19-14 scoring edge in the fourth.

Schrockman led four Blue Devils in double figures. Caleb Russell scored 19 points, Andrew Bredel had 17 and James Leuice had 10.

The high-scoring Urcho poured in a game-high 31 points for Bentworth. Christian May followed with 16.

Thomas Jefferson 72, Trinity 68:

Evan Berger scored 28 points and Thomas Jefferson outlasted Trinity 72-68 in overtime in Class 5A Section 1.

TJ overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force OT tied at 58-58.

Jacob Dunkle led Trinity in scoring with 18 points. Tim Hughes and Owen Wayman each had 13 and Drew Collins finished with 11.

Monessen 70, West Greene 39: Lorenzo Gardner poured in 33 points and Monessen kept its spot atop the Class A Section 2 standings with a 70-39 victory over West Greene in a game played on the Greyhounds’ home court.

Gardner helped Monessen (7-1, 17-2) build leads of 20-9 after one quarter and 47-15 at halftime.

Davontae Clayton scored 11 points for the Greyhounds.

Lane Allison had another big scoring game for West Greene (1-6, 4-15) as he tossed in 20 points.

Avella 55, Cornell 50: Westley and Colton Burchianti combined for 38 points and Avella moved closer to a playoff berth with a 55-50 home-court victory over Cornell in Class A Section 1.

The Eagles (3-5, 6-14), who hold the final playoff spot from the section, were locked in a close game throughout but made the most of a big third quarter in which they outscored Cornell 18-8 to forge a 44-33 lead.

Westley Burchianti had a game-high 28 points. Colton Burchianti followed with 10.

Cornell (0-8, 1-16) also put two players in double figures led by Julian Cordice’s 24 points. Amir Turner had 16.

Hempfield 67, Canon-McMillan 47: Hempfield used a strong first half and 20 points from Harry Sowers to beat Canon-McMillan 67-45 in a Class 6A Section 2.

Hempfield (2-6, 7-13) held Canon-McMillan to 12 points in the first half and took a 13-point lead into halftime.

Aaron Woodley scored 13 points for the Spartans and Drew Gordon had 12.

Canon-McMillan (0-8, 3-17) received a game-high 21 points from Michael Dixson. Eamon O’Donoghue scored 10.

Jefferson-Morgan 64, California 51: Jefferson-Morgan moved out to a 42-19 halftime lead and then held off a late rally for a 64-51 win over California in Class A Section 2.

The Rockets (5-3, 11-9) still held a 23-point lead entering the fourth quarter. California put together a late run with a 24-14 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Troy Wright paced Jefferson-Morgan with a game-high 28 points. Preston Wood finished with 11 points.

Vinny Manzella was the top scorer for the Trojans (1-7, 6-13) with 14 points. Aidan Lowden added 13.

In other games: South Fayette edged Mars 77-72 in triple overtime.The Washington-Waynesburg game in Class 2A Section 4 was postponed.

Girls results

Baldwin 55, Canon-McMillan 32: Kathleen Lucarelli scored 28 points and Baldwin held visiting Canon-McMillan to five points over the middle two quarters en route to a 55-32 victory in Class 6A Section 2.

Baldwin (5-6, 9-10) led 20-10 after one quarter and the Highlanders’ defense enabled them to push out to a 38-15 lead at the end of three quarters.

Nadia Davis was the leading scorer for Canon-McMillan with 15 points. The Big Macs are 1-9 in the section and 5-13 overall.

Charleroi 63, West Greene 47: Charleroi is still trying to secure a Class 3A playoff berth and Friday the Cougars played a non-section game against a team that has clinched a spot in the Class A postseason field.

McKenna DeUnger scored a game-high 31 points and Charleroi was a 63-47 winner over host West Greene.

The Cougars (10-8) outscored the host team in every quarter but led by only 28-21 at halftime.

Ella Sypolt contributed 14 points for Charleroi.

Kasie Meek led West Greene (10-9) with 19 points and Taylor Karvan had 12.

Mt. Lebanon 53, Peters Township 49: Mt. Lebanon held Peters Township scoreless in the fourth quarter and rallied for a 53-49 victory in Class 6A Section 2.

PT (3-7, 9-10) led 49-43 after three quarters but did not score again. Payton Collins and Gina Smith led the Lebo (8-3, 14-6) comeback and finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

The Indians’ Natalie Wetzel scored a game-high 15 points, Gemma Walker had 14 and Brianna Morreale 10.

Avella 69, Beth-Center 51: Avella Katie Dryer fired in 32 points, sparking Avella to a 69-51 non-section win at Beth-Center.

Ava Frank also had a big game for the Eagles as she scored 16 points, helping Avella move its record above .500 at 11-9.

Callie Dorsey had a big game for B-C, scoring 26 points. Lauren Brown had 11.

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