Class 6A Girls Basketball Quarterfinal Preview

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It’s been awhile since any of these teams have played a meaningful game. Due to there only being two sections, the eight team tournament had to wait for everyone else to play, giving them an extended break. The break is over.

The quarterfinals will begin tonight, with all four games starting at 6:30 p.m. on a neutral court.

No. 1 Peters Township Indians (22-0) vs. No. 8 Fox Chapel Foxes (15-7) At Mt. Lebanon

It was a historic regular season for Peters Township as they finished as the only undefeated team in Class 6A. The Indians had one game go into overtime against Bethel Park, but easily steamrolled through their competition this season. They are led by a trio of first-team all-section picks with senior guards Makenna Marisa and Isabella Mills and freshman forward Journey Thompson. Marisa was fourth in the regular season in the WPIAL with 22 points per game. They also have the Section Coach of the Year, Bert Kendall. Peters Township beat Hempfield in last year’s quarterfinals, 48-40…Fox Chapel witnessed a good amount of success in its first year in a new section, winning 15 games and finishing in fourth place in the section. They have won four out of six games entering the playoffs. They are led by second-team all-section junior guard, Gabby Guerrieri. Fox Chapel missed the playoffs last year after finishing in last place…This is the first meeting of the season between these two teams.

No. 2 North Allegheny Tigers (21-1) vs. No. 7 Upper St. Clair Panthers (11-11) At West Allegheny

The two-time defending WPIAL champions are back at it. North Allegheny went undefeated in the regular season a year ago, but did suffer a loss this season, pushing them back to the No. 2 seed. Since their loss to Norwin, the Tigers have rattled off four straight wins. They are led by a trio of first-team all-section picks in senior guards Rachel Martindale and Brynn Serbin and sophomore guard Lizzy Groetsch. This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal game where North Allegheny won, 45-26, at Fox Chapel…Upper St. Clair finished .500 overall and in the section to secure the fourth place spot in the section. The Panthers have won three out of their last four games entering tonight. They are led by a pair of second-team all-section picks in seniors Sarah Price and Cassandra Kartsonas…This is the first meeting of the season between these two teams.

No. 3 Norwin Knights (20-1) vs. No. 6 Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils (12-10) At Fox Chapel

After a couple of down years to its standards, Norwin has risen once again as one of the elite teams in the highest classification, They became the WPIAL team in two years to defeat North Allegheny. Their lone loss also came to the hands of the Tigers. The Knights have won 12 straight games to end the regular season. They are led by two first-team all-section picks in junior guards Olivia Gribble and Jayla Wehner. They also have the Section Coach of the Year, Brian Brozeski….Mt. Lebanon finished in the middle of the pack in its section, but came on strong in section play. The Blue Devils have won seven out of their last nine games. They place four players on the all-section second-team with freshman Ashleigh Connor, sophomore Morgan Palmer, junior Patrice Smith and senior Jamey Napoleon. This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal round that Mt. Lebanon won, 53-40, at Peters Township…This is the first meeting of the season between these two teams.

No. 4 Bethel Park Black Hawks (20-2) vs. No. 5 Seneca Valley Raiders (15-7) At North Allegheny

If it wasn’t for Peters Township, Bethel Park would have an unblemished record, losing once in overtime and once in regulation to the Indians. The Black Hawks have won five straight entering the playoffs. Bethel Park had a trio of players named to first-team all-section with sophomore Olivia Westphal, junior Madelyn Dziezgowski and senior Maria Cerro making the team. Westphal leads the team with 16.4 points per game. Bethel Park defeated Latrobe in the quarterfinals last year, 70-50…Seneca Valley had another solid regular season, finishing with 15 wins and in third place in the section. The Raiders have won four of five games entering tonight. They are led by senior first-team all-section guard, McKenna Gross. Gross is averaging 15.2 points per game. Seneca Valley last made the quarterfinals in 2006, a 45-35 loss to Oakland Catholic…This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

For a complete look at the bracket, click here.