South Fayette cruises past PT to reach 5th straight WPIAL final
DORMONT – Coming off their lowest scoring performance in the last few years, the South Fayette girls basketball team were determined to get back on track offensively.
The Lions nearly matched their entire output of 26 points in a three-point win against Trinity Wednesday by scoring 22 in the first quarter Saturday against Peters Township.
They were off and running from there to clinch another trip to the Petersen Events Center.
No. 1 South Fayette advanced to its fifth straight WPIAL title game with a 66-27 victory over No. 12 Peters Township in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals at Keystone Oaks.
“I didn’t think we came out with the intensity we needed against Trinity and kind of fell into their game plan and that really refocused our kids,” South Fayette coach Bryan Bennett said. “Our girls did an outstanding job today.”
The Lions (24-1) will play Thomas Jefferson in the Class 5A championship, 7 p.m. Friday at Petersen Events Center.
Peters Township (15-10) is in the state tournament and will face Penn-Trafford in the third-place game.
Juliette Leroux finished with a double-double with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lions were in control from the start.
Behind eight points from Leroux, South Fayette opened the game on a 15-3 run and never looked back.
“The margin of error is really low against (South Fayette),” Peters Township coach Steve Limberiou said. “Credit Trinity. They turned in one of the best game plans I’ve ever seen in high school basketball. In some ways that game probably motivated South Fayette, but they’re really good. When they play well I don’t think, at least on this side of the state, there’s a team that can beat them.”
The Lions led 22-8 at the end of the first quarter and Peters Township never got within double digits again.
“We were extremely motivated,” Leroux said. “The last game fueled our anger and after losing to Peters last year to get to play them again to get back to WPIALs was extremely exciting. I’m just so proud of our team.”
Peters Township and South Fayette met twice in the playoffs last season. The Indians beat South Fayette in the WPIAL finals, but South Fayette got revenge by winning in the state semifinals on its way to a PIAA championship.
This was a much different Peters Township team, however. The Indians pulled a pair of upsets beating Plum and Baldwin to get to the semifinals, but their magic ran out Saturday.
“I think we won eight or nine in a row to get here and really have been playing playoff games for the last five weeks,” Limberiou said. “I’m really proud of them. They have nothing to hang their heads about. I think in any other classification we’d have a chance at a championship, but unfortunately not in (5A). We’ll regroup and get ready for the state playoffs and hopefully make a run in that bracket.”
Leroux made a driving layup to make it 53-22 and put the game into mercy rule with 29.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Ryan Oldaker and Haylie Lamonde scored 12 points apiece for the Lions and Lailah Wright scored 10, while dishing out a bunch of assists.
Jordyn Welsh led Peters Township with 16 points and Alina Sopko scored eight.
Peters Township 8 10 4 5 – 27
South Fayette 22 13 20 11 – 66
Peters Township: Jordyn Welsh, 16 points.
South Fayette: Juliette Leroux, 20 points; Ryan Oldaker, 12; Haylie Lamonde, 12; Lailah Wright, 10.