High school basketball: C-H’s defense is able, leads way over Kane
High school basketball
Chartiers-Houston got off to a slow start, perhaps the impact a three-hour bus ride, but once the Bucs got going there was no stopping them.
Alli Wingard and Ava Kolovich combined for 26 points and the Bucs dominated the middle quarters en route to a 46-29 win over District 9 runner-up Kane in the first round of the PIAA Class 2A girls basketball playoffs on Friday night.
Chartiers-Houston (22-4) advances to the second round Tuesday against either District 6 champion Bishop McCort, a 60-29 winner over Mercer.
The Bucs held a 9-7 lead after one quarter but took charge over the next 16 minutes. C-H held a 13-4 scoring edge in the second quarter to open a 22-11 halftime lead. Chartiers-Houston ended any chance of a Kane comeback in the third quarter as the Bucs outscored the home team 17-10 to open a 39-21 lead.
Kolovich scored eight of her 11 points in the third quarter. She made a pair of three-pointers in the period. Wingard led the Bucs in scoring with a game-high 15 points, seven coming in the third quarter.
Much of C-H’s success can be attributed to its defense. Kane has the leading scorer in District 9 in Addison Haight, who was held to 12 points.
“Most of those came late in the game,” C-H coach Brad Scott pointed out. “Our defense … we stopped her tonight. This was a good win for us.”
Wilmington 68, Fort Cherry 34: Alyssa Flick scored a career-high 24 points and District 10 champion Wilmington defeated visiting Fort Cherry 68-34 in the first round of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs.
Wilmington used a dominant first half to take control of the game. Fort Cherry fell behind 21-9 after one quarter and 47-13 at halftime.
Reese Bruckner scored 15 points for Wilmington (22-4).
Sophomore Amarah Martino led Fort Cherry (18-8) in scoring with 10 points, all coming in the second half. Junior Julie Klose had eight points in the first half.
Neshannock 80, Burgettstown 26: Burgettstown ran into a buzzsaw of a basketball team in WPIAL champion Neshannock. The Lancers rolled to an 80-26 home-court win over the Blue Devils in a Class 2A first-round game.
Neshannock (23-3) led 21-9 after one quarter and then raced out to a commanding 47-13 halftime advantage.
Burgettstown’s season ends with an 18-9 record.
Boys results
West York 64, Ringgold 57: Ringgold threw a mighty scare into District 3 champion West York before falling 64-57 in a PIAA Class 5A game played on the Bulldogs’ home court.
Ringgold, which ends the season with a 15-9 record after a late-season flurry, led at halftime, 26-23.
Ringgold’s David Wachinski pumped in a game-high 25 points and Dennis Hawkins chipped in with 12.
Elk County Catholic 61, Monessen 29: Elk County Catholic and Monessen have played some memorable state playoff games over the years, but Friday night was not among them.
Elk County Catholic, the District 9 champion, rolled to a 61-29 victory over the visiting Greyhounds in a Class A first-round matchup.
The Crusaders (25-2) move on to the second round on Tuesday while Monessen’s season ends with a 13-11 record.
ECC led by only 12-9 after one quarter but took charge in the second period and led 36-13 at halftime. Monessen was outscored 24-4 in the second quarter.