Laurel shares title, its first
Spartans roll over Shenango, 76-28
It might not have been an outright title, but when your school has never won a championship of any kind, it’s worth celebrating. In her last regular season home game, Laurel senior Caroline Gibson scored a game-high 29 points while Faith Gibson and Mikyla Slater each contributed 10 as the Class 2A No. 3 Spartans (17-4, 13-1) cruised to a 7628 win over Shenango (6-16, 3-11) to tie Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (16-4, 13-1) for the Section 1 title.
Other top girls games
■ Greensburg Salem locked up a Class 4A WPIAL playoff spot -— and no worse than a third-place tie as the Golden Lions (11-10, 7-7) rolled over Apollo-Ridge (15-6, 7-6), 66-45, in Section 1 action. Megan Kallock scored 28 points, including 9 of 10 from the foul line down the stretch, and Nikki Mellinger chipped in 22.
■ In a winner-take-all game, Corinne Washington scored a game-high 25 points as Quaker Valley (11-9, 5-7) pulled out a 45-43 overtime victory over Ambridge (8-13, 4-8) that gave the Quakers the last WPIAL Class 4A playoff spot out of Section 2. The Bridgers were eliminated from postseason contention.
■ Winchester Thurston (98, 6-6) needed a win to qualify for the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs and pulled it off as Nya Nicholson scored 12 points and Emma Small had 13 in a 32-20 win over the Ellis School. The Bears finished in a third-place tie with Riverview (9-11, 6-6) and the Ellis School (14-7, 6-6).
■ Class 3A No. 3 Carlynton (18-2, 12-2) showed no letdown after its upset win against Shady Side Academy earlier this week as the Cougars got 20 points from Jada Lee, who led three players in double-figures in a 60-41 victory over Steel Valley (2-19, 212) in their Section 3 finale.
■ Class 5A No. 1 Chartiers Valley (22-0, 14-0). capped off its first undefeated section slate since 2011-12 as Mackenzie Wagner led three players in double-figures with 18 in the Colts’ 63-29 victory over South Fayette (13-9, 7-7).
■ Elizabeth Forward (14-6, 12-2) already had the Class 4A Section 3 title clinched, but the Warriors probably didn’t want to head into the playoffs with an upset loss to Belle Vernon (14-8, 10-4). Rachel Wobrak went for a game-high 23 points and Lindsay Steeber had 20 in a 64-52 win. Belle Vernon locked up a third-place tie with McKeesport (12-8, 10-4.
■ It took overtime, but Class 3A No. 2 Shady Side Academy (17-2, 13-1) rebounded well from its Tuesday loss to Carlynton as Ariana Goitz scored 21 points to lead the Indians to a 41-38 win at Deer Lakes (15-5, 10-4).
Thursday’s stars
■ Serra Catholic junior Rayna Andrews scored 12 points and set a school record with 26 rebounds as the Class 2A No. 5 Eagles (16-4, 11-1) beat Jeannette (4-17, 2-10), 54-33, and clinched a tie with Brentwood (17-3, 11-1) for the Section 2 title.