News

by: Don Rebel

Three of the final four teams in boys Class 6A have won recent district championships.

Top-seeded Mt. Lebanon won it all five year ago, defeating Butler in the 2019 WPIAL championship game.

Three years ago, No. 3 Upper St. Clair knocked off Pine-Richland in the district title game to capture gold in 2021.

Last season, No. 2 Central Catholic defeated New Castle in the WPIAL 6A finals to win its first basketball crown in 15 years.

Then there is Baldwin.

The Highlanders have knocked one playoff drought off their backs this postseason when they defeated North Allegheny in the quarterfinals for the school’s first playoff win since 2003.

Now No. 4 Baldwin hopes to reach the title game for only the second time in school history and the first time in nearly four decades.

The Highlanders’ only other trip to the WPIAL championship game came in 1987, when they lost to Latrobe, 67-59.

Baldwin (17-6) will battle Mt. Lebanon (19-4) for the third time this season in a semifinal at Bethel Park at 7 p.m., a game you can hear on Trib HSSN.

The Blue Devils crushed the Highlanders on the road on the second day of 2024, 73-50. The second game was much closer as host Mt. Lebanon edged Baldwin, 51-46.

In the other 6A semifinal, defending champion Central Catholic (15-8) faces Upper St. Clair (18-5) at Gateway at 8 p.m. and heard here on Trib HSSN.

The teams met in the semifinals a year ago with the Vikings rolling past the Panthers, 65-41. Senior Dante DePante scored a game-high 25 points to lead the onslaught for Central Catholic.

DEFENDING CHAMPS STILL ROARING

When two-time defending WPIAL girls basketball 5A champion South Fayette finished in third place in Section 4-5A, two games behind co-champions Lincoln Park and Trinity, and was the No. 6 seed when the brackets were released, few people thought a three-peat was remotely possible.

However, the postseason has been the Lions’ time to roar in recent years and they are back in the semifinals where on Tuesday, South Fayette (16-8) faces No. 2 McKeesport (20-3).

Sophomore Haylie Lamonde has been a force on the score sheet for the green and white.

Lamonde scored 24 points in South Fayette’s 55-36 first-round victory over Mars. She then scored 19 points in the 53-39 quarterfinal win over section rival Trinity.

Senior Rachel Manfredo has been the unstoppable force for McKeesport all season and into the postseason. 

Manfredo scored 14 points in the Tigers tight opening-round win over Hampton, 49-46. In the quarterfinals, Manfredo scored 16 as McKeesport knocked off Indiana, 50-41.

On Jan. 18, these teams met in a nonsection game at McKeesport with the Tigers taming the Lions, 62-44. Senior Kaylee Charles scored 23 points while Manfredo had 16 for McKeesport. Sophomore Juliette Leroux led South Fayette with 18 points.

The rematch Tuesday is at Peters Township at 8 p.m. and can be heard on Trib HSSN.

In the other 5A semifinal, top seed and undefeated Oakland Catholic faces Armstrong at Fox Chapel. It can be heard on Trib HSSN at 8 p.m.

Now 24-0, the Eagles were led by junior London Creach and her 17 points in the first-round win over Penn Hills, then junior Josie Fontana led the way in the quarterfinals with 12 points as OC rolled past North Hills by 19 points.

Trib HSSN player of the week Emma Paul has led the way for No. 4 Armstrong in two playoff wins.

The senior scored 20 points in an opening-round victory over Latrobe and followed up with 25 points in the quarterfinals win over Lincoln Park by 28 points to improve the River Hawks to 20-4.