Mar 14, 2026 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

McMURRAY – As the buzzer sounded the final score read South Fayette 67, Baldwin 46, but that doesn’t really depict the consternation the Lions went through Saturday afternoon at Peters Township’s AHN Arena.

Midway through the third quarter, the Lions lead was three points and a Baldwin team that had been a thorn in their side from the opening tip started to look like it could pull the upset.

Then the Lions mashed the gas pedal and took off.

They had a 26-5 run between the third and fourth quarters and ended up pulling away to earn their spot in the Class 5A state semifinals for a second year in a row.

“We didn’t come out ready to play today and that’s on me,” South Fayette coach Bryan Bennett said. “I give Baldwin all the credit in the world. They came out with a great game plan and their kids believed.”

The Lions will face Peters Township in the state semifinals for a second consecutive year. They’ll play Tuesday at a site and time to be announced. Peters Township beat District 3 champion York Suburban, 52-48, in overtime.

After Julianne Ott converted an old-fashioned three-point play for Baldwin, South Fayette’s lead was down to 36-33.

Bennett called time out and after that the Lions righted themselves.

Haylie Lamlonde had six points, including two runouts for layups, which helped the Lions take a 48-36 lead into the fourth.

Lamonde began the fourth by making a layup, Lailah Wright converted a drive in the lane and Ryan Oldaker connected on a three and suddenly the lead was 55-36.

Lamonde finished with a game-high 22 points.

“I thought of the starting five, Haylie was the one that was most ready to play mentally,” Bennett said. “Not that the other ones didn’t play hard, but we weren’t doing the little details that in the playoffs that you have to do, because everyone is good at this point of the year.”

A major key for South Fayette in the second half was slowing down Baldwin point guard Lynsey Bernotas.

Bernotas had 14 points, including her 1,000th career point on a free throw late in the first quarter.

But the Lions did not allow her to score in the second half.

She finished with 14, the same number of points as her sister Laci Bernotas.

Bennett said the Lions did a better job executing their game plan on Lynsey in the second half.

“We knew she was a very talented and athletic kid that wants to go left and we let her get to her left hand at will in the first half,” Bennett said. “We saw it on film, when you let that happen she’ll make you pay. We put Haylie (Lamonde) on her in the second half and I thought she did a really nice job taking away the left hand.”

Baldwin coach Jamal Woodson coaches four of South Fayette’s players in AAU, so he knows their talent. He was proud of his team’s effort to hang with them, but ultimately the game got away from the Highlanders.

“I know their tendencies and you would think it would help with gameplanning, but it doesn’t because they’re really that good,” Woodson said. “They’re going to play high level NCAA Division I basketball.”

Julianne Ott made a runner at the buzzer, which gave Baldwin a 17-16 lead after one.

The teams traded the lead a couple of times in the second, but Haylie Lamonde scored on a drive to give the Lions the lead at 25-24 and then converted a three-point play on South Fayette’s next possession.

The Lions led for the remainder of the first half, but the Highlanders did not go away. Ott made a driving layup to cut the lead to two before Oldaker’s three, which made it 34-29.

Oldaker finished with 15 points and made a trio of three-pointers. Juliette Leroux had 10 points.

Baldwin 17 12 7 10 – 46

South Fayette 16 18 14 19 – 67

Baldwin: Lynsey Bernotas, 14 points; Laci Bernotas, 14; Julianne Ott, 10.

South Fayette: Haylie Lamonde, 22 points; Ryan Oldaker 15; Juliette Leroux, 10.