Feb 26, 2025 2 min read

After suffering a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss Monday in a WPIAL Class 2A consolation round game, it was important for the Chartiers-Houston girls basketball team to have a good start Wednesday against Laurel in the seventh-place game.

After all, the winner gained the district’s final spot in the PIAA tournament. And for the loser the season would be over.

Chartiers-Houston couldn’t have drawn up a better start.

The Bucs scored the game’s first 15 points, led 21-5 after the first quarter and cruised to a 60-27 victory in a game played on the Bucs’ home court.

The win was the 20th of the season for Chartiers-Houston (20-6), which will play the WPIAL champion, either Aliquippa or Neshannock, in the first round of the state tournament on March 7.

Laurel ends its season with a 10-16 record.

Chartiers-Houston received a huge game from freshman Ava Kolovich, who pumped in a game-high and career-high 24 points, which is more than double her season scoring average. Kolovich scored 13 points in the first quarter, which ended with the Bucs leading 21-5. C-H led 35-17 at halftime and 45-22 after three quarters. Kolovich had 20 points by halftime.

Ali Wingard added 14 points for the Bucs.

Maelee Hill did much of Laurel’s scoring as she finished with 17 points.

Rochester 59, Fort Cherry 45

Tia Yellock scored a game-high 22 points and Rochetser pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Fort Cherry 59-45 in the WPIAL Class 2A fifth-place game played on the Rangers’ home floor.

Rochester (12-13) led 25-21 at halftime and 33-29 at the end of three quarters. The Rams then outscored Fort Cherry (20-4) by a 26-16 margin in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Fort Cherry will be the sixth-place team from the WPIAL in the state tournament and will play the District 10 champion in the first round on March 7.

Gianna Biachini led the Rangers in scoring with 10 points.