Scouting the WPIAL girls' basketball playoffs: A look at the first-round matchups
A total of 81 teams from the six classifications qualified for the WPIAL Girls Basketball Championships.
Thirteen of those 81 teams are from the Beaver County Times’ coverage area.
The tournament begins Friday, Feb. 16 with first-round games in Class 2A and a preliminary-round game in Class 5A and on Saturday with first-round games in Class 3A.
Here’s a class-by-class breakdown of the girls tournament:
CLASS 6A
Local teams in the bracket: None (there aren’t any 6A teams in the BCT coverage area).
Top seeds: 1. Norwin. 2. Peters Township. 3. North Allegheny. 4. Mount Lebanon.
Depending champ: North Allegheny beat Upper St. Clair last year, 71-45.
Facts & figures: With four starters back from a 24-5 team that made it to the WPIAL and PIAA semifinals last year, top-seeded Norwin (18-3) is poised to win its first WPIAL title since it won Class 3A crowns in 2015 and 2016 … The Knights have not lost to a WPIAL team this year. Their losses have come against Spring-Ford (20-4), Kennedy Catholic (16-3) and Wheeling Park, WV (17-4). Those three losses were close decisions by a combined total of seven points … Norwin is led by 6-foot-2 senior center Lauren Palangio, who’ll play college basketball at NCAA Division II Holy Family University in Philadelphia. She averages 15.1 points per game … the Knights also have a strong backcourt in 5-10 junior guard Kendall Berger, who earned third-team all-state honors last year, and 5-2 senior guard Bailey Snowberger … No. 2 seed Peters Township (21-1) was 20-0 before suffering an upset loss to section rival Canon-McMillan (12-10) … The Indians also have a dynamic one-two punch in 5-10 senior guard Gemma Walker and 6-3 junior forward Natalie Wetzel. Walker, a St. Francis (Pa.) recruit, averages 15.4 ppg. Wetzel, who earned first-team all-state honors last year as a sophomore, already has 25 Division I offers including offers from Pitt, West Virginia, Minnesota, Boston College and Villanova. She averages nearly a double-double (17.2 points and nine rebounds per game … No. 3 seed North Allegheny (20-2) is a perennial power that has won five WPIAL 6A titles since the PIAA went from four classifications to six in 2017.
Projected winner: Peters Township.
CLASS 5A
Local teams in the bracket: Lincoln Park, Moon.
Top seeds: 1. Oakland Catholic. 2. McKeesport. 3. Trinity. 4. Lincoln Park.
Depending champ: South Fayette beat Oakland Catholic last year, 64-49.
Facts & figures: Only one team in the WPIAL, boys or girls, has yet to lose. That would be top-seeded Oakland Catholic (22-0), the overwhelming favorite to win its first WPIAL title since 2006 … After losing to South Fayette last year in the WPIAL final and the PIAA semifinals, the Eagles are determined to win the seventh WPIAL in school history. They won six 3A titles in an eight-year span from 1999 through 2006 … Oakland Catholic is led by 5-8 junior guard London Creach, who already has a few major-college scholarship offers (St. Bonaventure is the most recent). Creach averages 16 ppg … The Eagles also have an outstanding freshman guard in Kaylee DeAngelo, who made seven 3-pointers in a game this year, and a strong post player in 6-2 junior center Josephine Fontana … McKeesport (18-3) landed the No. 2 seed even though it was a second-place team. But the Tigers were second in their section behind Oakland Catholic. McKeesport has already lost twice to Oakland Catholic. They could meet again in the WPIAL championship game … Trinity (17-5) and Lincoln Park (20-2) landed the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds after tying for first place in their section. They split their two games, each winning on the road … Lincoln Park is led by senior guards Maddie Syka (18 ppg) and J’La Kizart (17 ppg) … Don’t count out sixth-seeded South Fayette (14-8). The Lions did finish third in Section 4 behind Trinity and Lincoln Park, but they have won the past two 5A WPIAL titles ... Tenth-seeded Moon (14-8) finished fourth in section play behind Trinity, Lincoln Park and South Fayette.
Projected winner: Oakland Catholic.
Local schedule: Penn-Trafford (14-8) at Lincoln Park (19-2); Moon (14-8) at Indiana (17-5). Both games Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Local teams in the bracket: Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hopewell, Quaker Valley.
Top seeds: 1. Blackhawk. 2. North Catholic.3. Elizabeth Forward. 4. Highlands.
Depending champ: North Catholic beat Blackhawk last year, 51-35.
Facts & figures: In Blackhawk’s first season with Greg Huston as coach – the former Beaver coach replaced Steve Lodovico – the Cougars (20-2) are purring along quite nicely. They landed the No. 1 seed and seem quite capable of winning the ninth WPIAL title in the program’s rich history … Last year, in Lodovico’s 18th and final season as coach, Blackhawk (25-5) made it to the WPIAL and PIAA championship games, where they lost to North Catholic and Lansdale Catholic, respectively … This year’s squad is led by 5-10 senior guard Alena Fusetti, who’ll play college basketball at NCAA Division II Mercyhurst. Fusetti, who averages 16.2 ppg, earned first-team all-state honors last year … according to Blackhawk’s roster, all five of its starters are 5-10. Aubree Hupp, a sophomore forward who averages 12.5 points and 7.2 rebounds pg,, is one of the WPIAL’s best underclassmen. Andrea Kinger, a junior, handles the point guard position while the Romigh twins -- senior forwards Haley and Piper – give the Cougars a strong inside presence … Of course, for Blackhawk to win the title, it will probably have to get by long-time nemesis North Catholic (14-7), the No. 2 seed. The Trojans have won 22 WPIAL titles over the years, and are the reigning 4A champs. In their last five meetings vs. North Catholic, the Cougars are 1-4 but they did beat the Trojans last year in the state semifinals … North Catholic is led by senior guard Alayna Rocco, a Harvard recruit who averages 19.1 ppg. Rocco was first-team all-state last year … Third-seed Elizabeth Forward (20-2) enters the playoffs on an 18-game winning streak. The Warriors are led by 6-1 senior center Alyssa Terza, a Clarion recruit, and 5-10 junior forward Chloe Zombeck … Three other Beaver County area teams who finished behind Blackhawk in Section 2 have made the playoffs: No. 7 seed Central Valley (11-10), No. 9 Hopewell (11-11) and No. 12 Quaker Valley (5-15) … QV’s Oumou Thiero, a 6-3 sophomore forward, averages 19.4 ppg.
Projected winner: Blackhawk.
Local schedule: Hopewell (10-11) at Greensburg Salem (15-7); Quaker Valley (5-15) at Laurel Highlands (18-2); West Mifflin (10-8) at Central Valley (11-10). All three games Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Local teams in the bracket: Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
Top seeds: 1. Avonworth. 2. Shady Side Academy. 3. Beaver Falls. 4. Neshannock.
Depending champ: Avonworth beat Laurel last year, 48-40.
Facts & figures: With 1,000 career point scorer Rebecca Goetz leading the way, top-seed Avonworth (19-1) seems poised to repeat. The Antelopes’ only loss this season was Armstrong (18-4), a 5A program that’s a fifth-seed in the 5A bracket … Avonworth guard Greta O’Brien, a junior, needs just points to reach 1,000 for her career … While Avonworth deserves the No. 1 seed, No. 2 seed Shady Side Academy (20-2) also has what it takes to win it all. Maggie Spell, a 5-10 sophomore guard, averages 19.8 ppg while Karis Thomas, another sophomore guard, averages 16. Thomas is the girl who was offered a scholarship from Duquesne when she was in fourth grade … Shady Side’s only two losses were against Lincoln Park, the No. 4 seed in 5A, and Seneca Valley, the No. 8 seed in 6A … Beaver Falls (14-6) and Neshannock (15-7), who shared the Section 1 title, landed the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds … BF is led by sophomore guard Taylor Pullen (15 ppg) … Tenth-seed Ellwood City (15-7) finished in third place behind BF and Neshannock … No. 7 seed OLSH (15-7) tied for second place in Section 2.
Projected winner: Avonworth.
Local schedule: Ellwood City (15-7) vs. OLSH (15-7) at Avonworth; McGuffey (14-7) at Beaver Falls (14-6), noon. Both games Saturday, Feb. 17 at noon.
CLASS 2A
Local teams in the bracket: Aliquippa, Freedom, Rochester, South Side.
Top seeds: 1. Greensburg Central Catholic. 2. Aliquippa. 3. Serra Catholic. 4. Fort Cherry.
Depending champ: Shenango beat Freedom last year, 44-34.
Facts & figures: This has been a special season so far for second-seeded Aliquippa (19-3). This is the Quips’ first winning season since 2014. They won a section title for the first time since 2011. They finished unbeaten in section play for the first time since 1993. So, might they win a WPIAL championship for the first time since they rattled off four in a row from 1987 through 1990? … Just like the Aliquippa boys team, the Quip girls may have to beat Greensburg Central Catholic in order to bring home the gold. In the 2A boys bracket, Aliquippa and GCC are the top two seeds … This much is for sure, the top-seeded Centurions (16-6) are battle tested. Four of their losses have come against playoff teams in 4A, 5A or 6A (McKeesport, Oakland Catholic, North Catholic and Peters Township). They’re other two losses came in a tournament in Virginia in December … GCC guard Erica Gribble, who earned second-team all-state honors last year, averages 20.1 ppg … No. 7 Freedom (12-10) opens the tournament with an intriguing first-round game against 10th-seed Clairton (17-4). The Bulldogs feature star senior Shaye Bailey, a first-team all-state selection last year who ranks sixth in the WPIAL with an average of 21.3 ppg. Bears star Iyanna Wade leads the WPIAL at 41.3 ppg … Rochester (14-7), which tied Freedom for second place in Section 1 behind Aliquippa, and fourth-place South Side (13-9) landed the Nos. 9 and 12th seeds … South Side’s Bailey Strnisa, a 5-11 junior guard/forward, averages 18.8.
Projected winner: Greensburg Central Catholic.
Local schedule: Rochester (15-7) at Burgettstown (14-9); South Side (12-9) at Chartiers-Houston (16-5); California (10-11) at Aliquippa (19-2); Clairton (16-4) at Freedom (12-10). All four games Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Local teams in the bracket: None.
Top seeds: 1. Union. 2. Aquinas Academy. 3. St. Joseph. 4. Riverview.
Depending champ: Union beat Aquinas Academy last year, 52-35.
Facts & figures: Last year, Union was the only WPIAL girls team to win a state title. At this stage of the season, the Scotties certainly look like they can repeat as WPIAL champs. Most of their rotation from last year returned this year, including 6-0 senior guard/forward Kelly Cleaver, a Millersville recruit who averages 15 ppg. Cleaver earned first-team all-state honors last year while teammate Kylie Fruehstorfer, a guard, earned second-team all-state honors as a sophomore … No. 3 seed St. Joseph leads all 1A schools in scoring at 62 ppg. Julie Spinelli, a 5-11 senior guard who’s a Frostburg State recruit, averages 21.0 ppg for the Spartans. Spinelli earned third-team all-state honors last year … Geibel (16-6), the No. 7 seed, has one of the WPIALs most prolific scorers in Emma Larkin. Only a sophomore, she averages 29.5 ppg and ranks second in the WPIAL in scoring behind Clairton’s Iyanna Wade, and has already scored over 1,000 points in her career.
Projected winner: Union.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Scouting the WPIAL girls' basketball playoffs: A look at the first-round matchups
