Mt. Lebanon survives Bethel Park push in semifinal
Bethel Park spent most of the season getting pushed around by Mt. Lebanon.
There were the two regular-season losses by 21 and 26 points, respectively, followed by a 19-point blowout in the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals at Robert Morris.
This time, however, the Black Hawks gave the Blue Devils all they could handle. But they just couldn’t finish it off at the end.
Bethel Park (13-11) had the upset in its sights. But Ashleigh Connor was clutch for the Blue Devils as she scored a game-high 20 points, including 17 from the stripe, to help them move into the quarterfinals with a 50-41 victory in the second round of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs at Peters Township.
Reagan Murdoch also chipped in 14 to help the Mt. Lebanon (25-1) cause.
Bethel Park led, 30-29, after three quarters and was locked in a 34-34 tie midway through the final frame. But Mt. Lebanon, as it has done against the Black Hawks all season, found a way and pulled away at the end.
Class 3A
Freedom 56, Greenville 28: Shaye Bailey had herself a night. The Bulldogs sophomore guard, who finished the regular season averaging 16.3 points per game, outdid her average as she dropped in 27 and junior forward Julia Mohrbacher went for 14 as the WPIAL runner-up Bulldogs (20-5) blew past the District 10 champion Trojans (20-6) and into the quarterfinals. Anne Harpst scored 12 and was the only Greenville player in double figures.
North Catholic 56, Lakeview 25: It’s hard to say if the Trojanettes are actually four times as good as the Sailors, but they certainly played that way in the first half. Alayna Rocco scored a gamehigh 23 and Dacia Lewandowski finished the night with a doubledouble as she posted 19 points and 10 boards. North Catholic, the WPIAL champion, led Lakeview, the District 10 runner-up, 36-9 at halftime and enacted the mercy rule in the second half.
Forest Hills 65, Laurel 46: The Spartans (14-12) were tied, 28-28, at the intermission, but could not find a way to pull off the upset of the District 6 runner-up Rangers (21-7). Forest Hills blew it open in the second half when it outscored Laurel, 21-9, and took a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter. Johnna Hill and Danielle Pontius each had 11 to lead the Spartans, while Remi Smith had a game-high 18 for the Rangers.
Class 2A
Neshannock 44, Cambridge Springs 25: It wasn’t a blowout, but the WPIAL champion Lancers (26-2) will take it as they inched another step closer to making it back to the state title game. Megan Pallerino and Neleh Nogay each led Neshannock with 13 points and Mairan Haggerty chipped in 10 as the team put this one in the books by halftime. The Lancers rolled out to a 29-11 intermission lead over the Devils (19-7) and were never really challenged.
Shenango 59, Seton LaSalle 53: The Wildcats (16-9) and Rebels (18-8) don’t really travel in the same circles. If fact, the two hadn’t played each other for more than 20 years before they squared off in the second round of the state tournament, with Shenango taking the win.
Homer Center 55, Serra Catholic 48: The Eagles (21-3) were down, 25-24, in the third quarter when the District 6 champion Wildcats (25-4) went on a 15-4 run to close out the period and extend their lead out of reach.