Mark Bagley scored a career-high 30 points, Penns Manor connected on 28 free throws and the Comets held off a fourth-quarter push to defeat Philipsburg-Osceola, 75-70, in a non-conference boys’ basketball game at home Monday.
The Mountaineers grabbed a 12-11 lead in the first quarter, but Penns Manor used a 23-11 second quarter to take the 34-23 halftime advantage and extend it to 54-41 after the third.
Philipsburg’s Jacob DeSimone scored 17 of the Mountaineers’ 31 points in the fourth quarter, but his team couldn’t complete the comeback.
Bagley drained a pair of 3-pointers and went 6-for-6 from the line in his big game. Max Hill followed with 19 points on the back of 11-for-12 free throw shooting, including 7-for-8 in the fourth quarter. Ashton Courvina connected on 6 of 8 free throw attempts and chipped in 10 points.
DeSimone finished with 28 points for Philipsburg-Osceola (7-8), and Nick Johnson added 18. The Mountaineers went 16-for-24 from the line.
Penns Manor (7-9, 3-5 conference) plays host to Purchase Line this evening.
UNITED 56, CONEMAUGH TOWNSHIP 54: Dylan Dishong made a layup with 10.6 seconds left to lift United to a home victory over Conemaugh Township in a non-conference game.
The game was knotted at 14 after the first eight minutes, and the Indians grabbed a 31-24 halftime lead and extended held a 41-36 edge after three quarters.
Isaac Worthington hit his second 3-point field goal of the fourth quarter with 52.9 seconds left to tie it at 54, and Dishong deflected a pass to Joe Marino, who dived to secure the steal and sent the ball to teammate Brad Felix. Felix found Dishong for the game-winning layup and met Robertson on the other end to contest a desperation 3 from Conemaugh Township as time expired.
Worthington connected on four 3s and finished with 18 points for United. Felix followed with 16 points, and Marino chipped 14.
Tanner Shirley led the Indians (10-5) with 22 points on the back of five 3-pointers, and Jon Updike added 16 points.
United sits in first place in the District 6 Class 2A rankings and Heritage Conference West. The Lions (15-1) visit River Valley today.
PORTAGE 67, FOREST HILLS 65: Trae Kargo drained five 3-point field goals and Portage slipped past Forest Hills in a back-and-forth non-conference game.
Forest Hills held a one-point lead at halftime, 27-26, but the Mustangs rallied with an 18-12 third quarter to take the lead. The Rangers scored 26 points in the final frame but fell short of the comeback.
Andrew Miko led Portage with 19 points on the back of 8-for-9 free throw shooting, and Kargo finished with 15. Luke Scarton chipped in 14 points.
The Mustangs went 15-for-24 from the line, while the Rangers were 13-for-13.
Koy McGough (18) and Michael May (12) each reached double figures for Forest Hills (7-6).
Portage (16-1) leads the District 6 Class 1A rankings and Heritage Conference East. The Mustangs look to remain undefeated in the conference tonight at Northern Cambria.
NORTHERN CAMBRIA 57, PURCHASE LINE 47: Northern Cambria used two 20-point quarters to propel past Purchase Line in a Heritage Conference game.
The Colts led 28-26 at halftime outscored the Red Dragons 29-21 in the second half.
Andrew Smarsh scored 12 points, and Braydon Albright came down with six rebounds for Purchase Line.
No details were available for Northern Cambria.
Both teams return to action tonight. Purchase Line (3-14, 1-9 conference) visit Penns Manor, and Northern Cambria (8-8, 5-5) welcomes Portage.
SOUTHMORELAND 76, LIGONIER VALLEY 55: Haden Sierocky scored 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to lead Ligonier Valley past Southmoreland in a WPIAL non-section game.
The Rams were up 14-13 after the first quarter, but Southmoreland scored 23 points in the middle quarters to take a 59-43 lead. The Scotties took the fourth quarter 17-13.
Southmoreland’s Noah Felentzer led all scorers with 25 points, and Ronnie Collins scored 13.
Sierocky netted eight field goals and went 6-for-10 from the line en route to his team-high total. Parker Hollick and Chet Dillamen each connected on a pair of 3-pointers and scored 11 and 14 points, respectively.
Ligonier Valley plays host to Burrell this evening.
GIRLS
RIVER VALLEY 69, PORTGAGE 43: River Valley, one of the top teams in District 6 Class 3A, eased past Portage, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, in a Heritage Conference girls’ basketball game Monday night.
River Valley, 15-2 overall, clinched a berth in the Heritage Conference semifinals at 10-0.
The Panther jumped out to a 23-6 lead in the first quarter and outscored the Mustangs 46-37 the rest of the way.
Hannah Artley poured in 23 points to lead River Valley. Ava Persichetti chipped in 16, and Emilee Staats and Abby Pynos combined for 15.
Ari Wozniak scored 13 and Ashlyn Hudak had 10 for Portage (14-4, 6-4), which continued to play without starter Jenna Burkett. The Mustangs fell out of first-place tie with Penns Manor in the Heritage Conference East.
Both teams play Wednesday. River Valley visits United, and Portage plays host to Northern Cambria.
SOUTH FAYETTE 81, INDIANA 47: Indiana had its five-game winning streak snapped and South Fayette extended its to eight in a row as the Lions downed the Indians in a WPIAL Class 5A non-section game.
South Fayette jumped out to a 21-8 lead in the first quarter and took a 15-point advantage, 44-29, into halftime. The Lions continued to pour in the points in the second half, outscoring the Indians 37-18.
Maddie Webber piled on 20 points, and Ava Leroux followed with 16 for the Section 4-leading Lions (15-2). Lainey Yater chipped in 15, and Erica Hall added 14 points.
Indiana’s Bella Antonacci connected on three 3-point field goals and scored 16 points, and Eve Fiala scored 13. Katie Kovalchick drained a pair of 3s and tallied 10 points.
The Indians (11-5, 7-0 section) play at Kiski Area this evening.
APOLLO-RIDGE 58, JEANNETTE 26: Three Vikings reached double figures as Apollo-Ridge routed Jeannette for a second straight game.
Apollo-Ridge scored 22 points in each of the first two quarters to take a 44-12 halftime lead. Both teams scored 14 points in the second half.
Sophie Yard led the Vikings with 17 points on the back of seven field goals. Brinley Toland had five rebounds and five assists to go with 15 points, and Syd McCray posted 12 points and seven boards. Kylar Toland dished out six helpers.
Venicia Vigioli connected on 6 of 7 free throws and scored 10 points for the Jayhawks (1-15).
Apollo-Ridge (15-2, 5-1 section), a winner of seven straight, plays host to Shady Side Academy on Thursday.
YOUGH 37, LIGONIER VALLEY 25: Ligonier Valley dropped its 10th straight game with a loss at Yough in a WPIAL non-section matchup.
The Cougars led 23-12 at halftime and outscored the Rams 14-13 in the second half.
Lyla Barr scored 10 points, while Sydnee Foust posted five rebounds. Madison Marinchak had six steals to go with seven points.
Laney Gerdich led Yough (8-9) with 15 points, and Hailey Bock connected on a pair of 3s and 10 points.
Ligonier Valley (2-13) travels to Deer Lakes on Thursday for a WPIAL Class 3A Section 3 contest.
