The remarkable turnaround of the Washington High School girls basketball program is complete.
The Prexies have gone from a one-win season a year ago to winning the outright Class 2A Section 4 championship this season.
Washington put four players in double figures, led by Olivia Woods’ 23 points, and rolled to a 79-45 victory over host California on Monday that wrapped up the outright championship.
The Prexies (11-0, 16-4), who have won nine in a row, had their offense clicking against the Trojans. After leading 14-11 at the end of the first quarter, Wash High scored 20 points in the second quarter and pushed out to a 34-17 halftime lead. The lead grew to 55-29 after three quarters.
Amari Oakley had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, Delaney Carlisle scored 12 points and Kaprice Johnson filled up the statistics sheet with 11 points, seven assists and five steals. Woods also had five steals.
Rakiyah Porter led California (7-4, 10-10) with 18 points and Sam Smichnick added 11. The Trojans have clinched a playoff berth.
Burgettstown 49, Brentwood 29: Just two days after the wrestling team at Burgettstown won a WPIAL team title, the girls basketball team gave the fans something else to celebrate.
Kaitlyn Nease had a double-double and Jill Frazier hit 5 three-pointers as Burgettstown routed Brentwood, 49-29, to wrap up the Class 2A, Section 2 title.
The Blue Devils have won three straight section titles and this was the seventh since 1992. The section titles have come in 1992, ‘93, ‘97, ‘98, and the past three seasons.
Frazier led all scorers with 15 points while Nease had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils (9-0, 15-5). Addie Cairns scored 13 points with the help of three three-pointers.
Mia March scored 14 points for Brentwood, which fell to 7-2 in the section.
South Park 50, Waynesburg 37: Maddie Graham scored 13 points and host South Park delayed Waynesburg winning the outright Class 3A Section 4 championship by knocking off the Raiders, 50-37.
South Park (6-3, 10-11) used a big second quarter to win the game. After the first quarter ended tied, South Park outscored Waynesburg 19-8 over the next eight minutes.
Peyton Cowell scored a game-high 16 points and Kaley Rohanna added 11 for Waynesburg (7-2, 17-3), which still sits alone in first place with one section game remaining.
Charleroi 56, Brownsville 35: McKenna DeUnger scored a game-high 24 points and moved closer to 1,000 for her career as Charleroi inched closer to a playoff berth with a 56-35 road win over Brownsville in Class 3A Section 4.
The win moves Charleroi to 5-4 in the section and 11-8 overall. The Cougars have won three in a row.
Charleroi is currently tied for third place in the section with Yough and is one game ahead of McGuffey. The top four teams in the section make the playoffs. Charleroi concludes its section schedule Thursday at home against McGuffey. The winner will clinch a postseason berth.
Charleroi pulled away from Brownsville (0-9, 5-14) in the second half after leading 32-22 at halftime. DeUnger’s big game leaves her with 988 points for her career.
Skylar Gates led Brownsville with 18 points and Ava Clark had 10.
Chartiers-Houston 60, Jeff-Morgan 24: Chartiers-Houston raised its record to 14-7 with a 60-24 victory over Jefferson-Morgan in a non-section game.
Mia Mitrik scored 11 points and Allison Wingard added 10 for the Bucs, who led 40-8 at halftime.
Leighana Gooden scored eight points for Jefferson-Morgan (0-20).
McGuffey 45, Yough 41: McGuffey kept its hopes alive for a playoff berth with a 45-41 victory over Yough in Class 3A, Section 4.
The win moved McGuffey to 4-5 in the section and 14-7 overall. Charleroi and Yough are each 5-4 and tied for third place in the section. McGuffey travels to Charleroi Thursday.
McGuffey trailed 15-7 after one quarter and 27-20 at halftime. But the Highlanders outscored the Cougars, 25-14, over the final two quarters.
Libby Mallah scored 12 points and Lexi Ewig chipped in with 11 for McGuffey.
Autumn Matthews led Yough with 13 points. Mikahla Chewning contributed 11 points and Hailey Bock had 10.
Elizabeth Forward 58, Belle Vernon 26: Elizabeth Forward wrapped up the Class 4A, Section 3 title with a 58-26 rout of Belle Vernon.
Kaitlyn Settles and Julia Resnik each scored 12 points for EF (11-0, 16-4), which led 41-7 at halftime.
Farrah Reader scored eight points for Belle Vernon (10-2, 14-7), which finishes in second place in the section.
Peters Township 59, Chartiers Valley 53: Peters Township kept its hopes alive for a playoff berth out of Class 6A, Section 2 with a 59-53 victory over Chartiers Valley.
The Indians can finish in a tie for fourth place if it defeats Canon-McMillan on Friday. A loss to the Big Macs eliminates PT.
Gemma Walker scored 23 points and Natalie Wetzel added 17 for PT (4-7, 10-10).
Ella Cupka scored 16 points for CV (6-5, 10-8).
Avella 54, Geibel Catholic 30: Katie Dryer led three Avella players in double figures with 18 points and Avella prepared for the playoffs with a 54-30 thumping of Geibel Catholic in Class A Section 2.
Avella (6-3, 12-9) wasted no time against the Gators, jumping out to leads of 23-6 at the end of the first quarter and 37-15 at halftime.
Ava Frank also had a big game for the Eagles, scoring 17 points. Sydney Strope hit double figures, finishing with 11.
Emma Larkin, who scored 45 points against Avella in Geibel’s upset win in Connellsville, was held to 17 points this time. The Gators, who have clinched a playoff berth, are 4-6 in section and 10-11 overall.
Fort Cherry 50, Northgate 10: Playoff-bound Fort Cherry closed its home schedule with a 50-10 thumping of Northgate in Class 2A Section 2.
The win moves Fort Cherry to 5-4 in section and 13-8 overall.
The Rangers led 18-0 after one quarter and 29-4 at halftime.
Olivia Kemp and Raney Staub each had nine points to lead Fort Cherry’s scoring.
Northgate is 1-8 in section and 3-16 overall.
Southmoreland 62, Ringgold 53: Southmoreland rebounded from a one-point second quarter to take a 62-53 victory from Ringgold in Class 4A, Section 3.
Southmoreland (2-10, 2-19) got 28 points from Maddie Moore and 10 points from Lynsee Moore. The Scotties outscored the Rams, 45-32, in the second half.
Ringgold fell to 2-9 and 4-16.
Beth-Center 32, Bentworth 19: Callie Dorsey scored nine points, leading Beth-Center to its second Class 2A Section 4 victory, 32-19, over visiting Bentworth.
The Bulldogs (2-9, 5-16) outscored Bentworth 16-1 in the second quarter to take a 20-4 lead into halftime.
Amber Sallee scored a game-high 11 points for the Bearcats (2-10, 4-16).
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