WPIAL champs prepare for state runs
When Chartiers Valley hosts District 10 champion Warren in Saturday’s Class 5A quarterfinals, it will be a reunion of sorts for the Colts’ Hallie and Helene Cowan.
The twins just happen to be AAU teammates and good friends with Warren’s star player.
Warren features junior guard Emma Ruhlman, an all-state pick last season who plays with the Cowans on the Western Pa. Bruins.
“It’s going to be nice to play her since she lives so far away,” said Hallie Cowan, who scored 13 points in Chartiers Valley’s WPIAL championship win against Trinity on Monday.
It will actually be the second year in a row that Chartiers Valley (23-3) and Warren (22-3) will meet up in the PIAA playoffs. The Colts beat Warren, 72-39, in last season’s first round. Ruhlman scored 22 points.
Ruhlman provided the dramatic ending to Warren’s 40-39 district title win against Slippery Rock, knocking down three free throws with no time remaining to lift the Dragons to their third title.
“Oh my gosh. That was amazing,” Cowan said.
Class 4A loaded
The WPIAL’s only undefeated team might have the toughest road to winning a PIAA championship. Go figure. Beaver ( 20- 0), which hopes to pair its first WPIAL title with a first PIAA title, does not have it easy in the Class 4A bracket. The playoff field includes Philadelphia Catholic League champion Archbishop Wood (132), District 10 power Villa Maria (17-0) and District 3’s
Delone Catholic (19-1). Since 2010, Archbishop Wood has won five PIAA titles and has advanced to the final eight times. Villa Maria has won three titles since 2009. Delone Catholic won the Class 3A title in 2019.
Villa Maria played District 9 champ St. Mary’s in Wednesday’s first round. A win by the Victors would advance them to Saturday’s quarterfinals to take on Beaver in what would be a matchup of undefeated teams. Villa Maria, which has long been a thorn in the side of WPIAL champions in the PIAA playoffs, beat two strong WPIAL teams in the regular season, topping WPIAL Class 3A champion Mohawk, 68-44, and Class 6A semifinalist Mt. Lebanon, 3629.
A Beaver-Villa Maria game might not get out of the 20s. Beaver gives up 25.1 points per game and Villa Maria just 21.5.
Tiger time?
North Allegheny has had some strong runs in the PIAA tournament in recent years, but has yet to win its first title. But after another outstanding WPIAL season capped by a fourth title in five years, it would be no shock if the Tigers capture those elusive PIAA gold medals next week.
The Tigers are surely focused on quarterfinal opponent McDowell (16-4), but assuming they get past that game, a semifinal showdown with District 3 champion Cumberland Valley (201) could await. Cumberland Valley meets Wilkes-Barre in another quarterfinal.
Cumberland Valley and North Allegheny have history. When Cumberland Valley won the third of their three consecutive PIAA Class 4A titles in 2016, it edged North Allegheny, 4342, in the semifinals. The game included a memorable, but controversial finish. After North Allegheny’s Abby Gonzales made the goahead 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left, the Tigers were whistled for a foul 85-feet from the basket with 0.8 seconds left. Cumberland Valley drained two free throws to win the game.
As with most Cumberland Valley teams, a Jekot sister is leading the way this season. In fact, there are two of them this season. Senior Julie Jekot leads the Eagles with 16.3 points a game and freshman Jill Jekot is averaging 12.4. Julie is a La Salle recruit. Two older sisters are playing for Division I schools. Kelly is at Penn State and Katie at St. Joseph.
Wanted: First title
In addition to Beaver and North Allegheny, Mohawk, Neshannock and Rochester are all seeking their first titles. Of those five, only North Allegheny ( 2017) has reached the championship game.
Class 3A Mohawk and Class 2A Neshannock can become the first girls champions ever from Lawrence County, while Class 4A Beaver and Class 1A Rochester can join Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Blackhawk and Hopewell as Beaver County teams with PIAA titles.
Mohawk draws an undefeated opponent in the quarterfinals, and Rochester could, too. For Mohawk, it will be Punxsutawney (19-0), which beat Everett in Tuesday’s first round. Rochester will play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Kennedy Catholic (18-0) and Shanksville-Stonycreek.
‘Defending’ champs
When PIAA champions were last crowned in 2019, the gold medalists were Peters Township ( 6A), Chartiers Valley (5A), Bethlehem Catholic (4A), Delone Catholic (3A), Bellwood-Antis (2A) and Berlin Brothersvalley (1A). Only Chartiers Valley, Bethlehem Catholic and Delone Catholic qualified for this year’s tournament. Bethlehem Catholic, which now plays in 5A, played Shikellamy in a first-round game Wednesday.
Last ride
St. Basil Academy out of District 1 has a similar story to that of the Vincentian boys last season, as in its next game could truly be its last. St. Basil, located in Jenkintown, is closing at the end of the school year due to financial and enrollment difficulties. The Panthers, who will play Camp Hill Trinity in the Class 3A quarterfinals, are led by senior guard and Mississippi State recruit Denae Carter.