Peters faces defending champ
Peters Township is one win away from playing for the PIAA Class 6A title.
Its lone remaining obstacle is a pretty big one.
Upper Dublin is the defending champion.
Peters Township (28-0) and Upper Dublin (25-4) will meet in a semifinal Monday at Bald Eagle, with the winner advancing to play in Friday’s final in Hershey.
Don’t let the fact that Upper Dublin is the fifth-place team from its district fool you. Since losing to SpringFord in overtime in the District 1 quarterfinals, the Cardinals have won five in a row, including a 41-32 triumph against North Allegheny in the second round. Peters Township beat North Allegheny, 43-40, in overtime to win the WPIAL title.
“If Upper Dublin can beat NA, they can probably beat just about anybody,” Peters Township coach Bert Kendall said. “Every game is different. We think we have a solid game plan.”
With four starters 5 feet 11 or taller, Peters Township has a noticeable size advantage against most teams, but that won’t be the case against Upper Dublin, which features 6-3 junior center Jackie Vargas, one of the top post players in the state. Vargas is averaging 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks per game.
“She’s about as complete of a player you can have. You don’t see girls with that size as skilled as Jackie,” said Upper Dublin coach Morgan Funsten.
Sophomore guard Dayna Balasa is shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range and has made more than 140 career 3-pointers.
Upper Dublin is about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, but Funsten is well aware of Peters Township star Makenna Marisa. Like Vargas, Marisa was a first-team allstate selection last season. Marisa averages 21 points per game.
“I know Marisa is the real deal,” Funsten said. “There are a lot of girls who can put the ball in the basket, but what makes her so special is that she also makes her teammates better. That’s what I’ve been so impressed with.”
Them again
It will be Chartiers ValleyThomas Jefferson IV when the Colts (28-0) play the Jaguars (22-7) in a Class 5A semifinal Tuesday at Peters Township.
Chartiers Valley is 3-0 against Thomas Jefferson this season, beating its section rival twice in the regular season (68-50 and 41-38) and again in the WPIAL championship (64-48).
“People are saying the fourth time’s a charm, so we’ll see,” said Thomas Jefferson coach Lisa Fairman. “We don’t have anything to lose. We have surpassed everybody’s expectations.”
It’s not uncommon for there to be a WPIAL girls championship rematch in the PIAA semifinals. In fact, this marks the sixth time in eight seasons that it has happened. The WPIAL champion has prevailed in the rematch four of the previous five times.
Chartiers Valley slipped past Oakland Catholic, 46-43, in the quarterfinals. The Colts trailed by one going into the fourth quarter. Oakland Catholic had a tying 3-point attempt rim out at the buzzer.
In the WPIAL championship, Chartiers Valley shot 53 percent from the field and led, 30-15, at the half. Megan McConnell and Aislin Malcolm led the Colts 18 points apiece, while Jenna Clark had 19 for Thomas Jefferson. Clark is averaging 20 points per game.
“We know they’re very good,” Chartiers Valley coach Tim McConnell said. “We have to be ready. Jenna can take over any time, [Alyssa] DeAngelo can shoot it, and [Dalaney Ranallo] is good.”
Thomas Jefferson is in the semifinals for the first time, while Chartiers Valley is in for the second time. The Colts lost to Cumberland Valley in the 2013 semifinals.
North Catholic
WPIAL Class 4A champion North Catholic is facing another of the state’s top teams in the semifinals. It’s just not the one most people thought it would be.
North Catholic (25-3) takes on District 4 champion Mifflinburg (26-4) Tuesday at Saint Francis University. Mifflinburg stunned Lancaster Catholic, 72-70, in overtime in the quarterfinals. Lancaster Catholic was the defending champion and had won a PIAA record 62 consecutive games.
Mifflinburg, which is in the semifinals for the first time, is led by senior twins Riley and Reagan Griffith. Riley is the school’s all-time leading scorer. Against Lancaster Catholic, Reagan scored 20 points and Riley 18. Their mother, Kelly, is the team’s coach.
After rallying from 16 points down at the half to beat Blackhawk in the second round, North Catholic played one of its best games of the season when it topped District 10 champ Villa Maria, 6141, in the quarterfinals. Junior Tess Myers led the Trojanettes with 25 points.
North Catholic is trying to reach the final for the 14th time. It lost to Berks Catholic in last year’s semifinals.