Peters Twp. and South Fayette girls set for PIAA quarterfinals
Rematch of WPIAL 5A championship looms if both teams win
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
The Monday after South Fayette’s loss to Peters Township in the WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball championship, the team gathered to watch the film of that game.
It was almost like closing the book on what was a tough weekend for the Lions and then the start of a reset.
Through two state playoff games South Fayette has looked like the dominant team it has been for most of the season.
Now one game stands between them and a potential rematch with the Indians.
South Fayette (26-2) plays District 6 champion Hollidaysburg (25-3), 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Armstrong in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals.
Peters Township (25-3), meanwhile, faces District 10 champ Cathedral Prep (18-7), 2:30 p.m., at Slippery Rock University.
If both teams win, they’ll meet in the state semifinals next Saturday.
The Lions have cruised past a pair of District 3 teams in their two state playoff games. They topped Lower Dauphin at home, 56-27, in the first round and then made the trek to Altoona and beat West York, 70-41, Wednesday.
“From the time we hit end on that film (of the WPIAL final), we haven’t really thought about it,” Lions coach Bryan Bennett said. “We’ve just focused on what we needed to do to get better. Usually, this time of year we come in and do skill work, a walkthrough of what we need to do for our game plan and get out of there, but the kids pleaded with me to go live. They’ve gone at it like it’s the first day of practice.
“I give our kids credit. They have high expectations of themselves and want to see what they can do with the rest of this season.”
Hollidaysburg won a second-round state playoff game for the first time in 31 years when they defeated District 3 champ York Suburban, 51-37, Wednesday. The Golden Tigers also have a win over Indiana, 43-34, in the first round.
Senior guard Bella Vent is an IUP recruit.
Through film study, Bennett has seen a lot of similarities between Hollidaysburg and his own team.
“Probably, top to bottom, they are the most tough, physical team that we’ve faced,” Bennett said. “Peters has the size and physicality. This team is more guard oriented. They really remind me of us. They like to pressure the basketball. They like to get into passing lanes and will bump you off your cuts. They like to push the ball in transition and offensively they like to dribble-drive and have plenty of capable shooters.”
Peters Township is coming off a fourth win over rival Thomas Jefferson and got the job done in comeback fashion. The Indians trailed the Jaguars by seven points after three quarters, but rallied to win 57-53.
The Indians will face a team with plenty of state playoff experience.
Cathedral Prep is in the quarterfinals for a fourth consecutive season after knocking off District 3’s Middletown, 52-40, Wednesday. The Ramblers beat Baldwin 67-55 in the first round.
The matchup features a pair of future NCAA Division I players in Peters Township’s Natalie Wetzel, who’s headed to Miami (Fla.), and Cathedral Prep’s Addie Biel, an Appalachian State recruit.
Both are 6-3 forwards.
Biel had 29 points in the win over Middletown. Wetzel poured in 27 points against Thomas Jefferson.
The Indians have stared down adversity against Thomas Jefferson and South Fayette in their playoff run and will draw on those experiences against the Ramblers Saturday.
“We’re a resilient group,” Wetzel said after Wednesday’s win. “We all love the team. You have to play really hard from here on out or your season is going to end and none of us want that.”