Aliquippa senior Cameron Lindsey is a busy man.
It has been exactly two weeks since Lindsey helped the Quips secure their fifth PIAA football championship and first undefeated season with an emphatic 60-14 rout of Dallas in the Class 4A state title game. Now, the multi-sport star is already in midseason form for Aliquippa’s defending WPIAL champion basketball team, and Lindsey has no intentions of resting any time soon.
After earning PUP Player of the Year and PUP All-Star honors on Sunday and signing his National Letter of Intent to play football at Pitt on Wednesday, nobody could blame Lindsey if it took him and his teammates a bit longer than normal to get acclimated to basketball season. After all, just about all of the players in the Quips’ rotation play football, leaving basketball coach Nick Lackovich with no preseason practice time before the regular season.
Rather than starting off slow, though, it’s been just the opposite for Aliquippa (4-1). Led by Lindsey’s 23-point performance, the Quips scored an impressive 69-64 victory on Thursday night at Chartiers Valley (4-4), one of the premier programs in Class 5A.
“Coach [Lackovich] talks about it all the time, that we need to get signature wins throughout the year,” Lindsey said. “It’s a big game. Playing against good teams, it’s not only a big win for us, but it helps us get better. I’m super happy for the team. I feel like we played a pretty good game tonight.”
Record-setting quarterback Quentin “Cheese” Goode contributed 18 points in the win, while Jayace Williams finished with 11 and Goode’s younger brother, Qa’lil, added 10. Julian Semplice led all scorers with 27 points for the Colts, while Jayden Davis chipped in 22.
“It was a good crowd,” said Lindsey, a 6-2 power forward. “They got some buckets early. Their student section and all their people started getting louder. It was a good atmosphere. I enjoyed it.”
Of course, the rapid transition from the gridiron to the hardwood is nothing new for Aliquippa, which has played in three consecutive PIAA championship games in football and back-to-back PIAA championship games in basketball. By now, the Quips are accustomed to playing without practicing before the season and adjusting on the fly.
“We did a good job of just being conditioned,” Lindsey said. “We get a lot less days [of practice]. Most of our team is playing football, and we have a long season. Just with transitioning, I think we did it pretty well this year.”
Aliquippa’s only loss this season was against Class 6A title contender Mt. Lebanon, 55-44, in a neutral-site showdown Dec. 16 at North Allegheny, and there’s certainly no shame in that. The Blue Devils are undefeated through six games, and the Quips gave them their second-closest game of the season so far.
Still, Aliquippa takes no pride in moral victories, and the Quips are using that defeat as a learning lesson as they get ready to begin section play and make a run at defending their WPIAL Class 2A title. And after back-to-back trips to the PIAA Class 2A finals ending in runner-up finishes and tear-filled rides home, Lindsey and his teammates insist they’ll settle for nothing less than another PIAA gold medal to go with the pair of state crowns they won in football.
So while others in his shoes might give up on basketball to start preparing for their college football career, Lindsey has a job to finish first.
“The past two years, we’ve been right there, and it just slipped away from us,” Lindsey said. “I definitely want to get back to the state championship and hopefully finish it the right way.”
Other boys games
• In a back-and-forth rivalry affair between North Hills and North Allegheny, sophomore North Hills standout Eric James saved his best for last in a 75-68 home win for the Indians (3-3). James scored 17 of his team-leading 24 points in the final quarter, while Logan Johnson contributed 21 points on seven 3-pointers and Zach Pollaro added 19. Joey Dopirak led all scorers with 29 points for the Tigers (3-6).
• Joe Coyle scored a game-high 24 points to pace four players in double figures for Quaker Valley (5-2) in an 82-61 non-section win against visiting Ambridge. Zach Washington drained five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points for the Quakers, while Adam Fernandez and Julian Hubbard each scored 15 for the Bridgers (3-5).
• Two nights after suffering its first loss of the season at Shaler, Hampton‘s offensive woes continued in a 50-42 non-section loss at Fox Chapel. Will Siegel led all scorers with 24 points for the Foxes (4-4), who also got 12 from Jefferson Moorefield-Brown. Peter Kramer finished with 18 for the Talbots (5-2) to go with 12 from Liam Mignogna.
• Max Hurray led North Catholic (4-2) to an exciting 75-69 non-section win at Knoch with a team-high 23 points, while Jackson Bauman led all scorers with 24 points for the Knights (4-2).
• Alec Dunsmore led four double-digit scorers for Gateway with 15 points, powering the Gators (6-1) to a commanding 82-43 victory against Laurel Highlands in a non-section clash. Aiden Black finished with 12 points for the Mustangs (2-5).
• Isaiah Petty scored 22 points to lead Serra Catholic in a 77-65 non-section win over visiting Sto-Rox (2-5). Owen Dumbroski chipped in 14 points and Pete Burke and Chris Warren added 11 each for the Eagles (4-4, 0-2).
Girls games
• Unbeaten Oakland Catholic (6-0) kept up its red-hot start with a 63-41 non-section win at Mt. Lebanon, as Mia LeDonne scored a team-leading 18 points for the Eagles while Kaylee DeAngelo added 12 to go with 10 from London Creach. Payton Collins finished with 18 points for the Blue Devils (3-4).
• Gemma Walker and Peri Cendroski led four double-digit scorers for unbeaten Peters Township (7-0) with 18 points apiece in a 72-40 non-section win against visiting Fox Chapel (3-5). Natalie Wetzel contributed 16 and Bri Morreale added 12 for the Indians. Bella Urso led the Foxes with 11.
• Seneca Valley continued its strong turnaround from an 0-2 start, winning its fifth consecutive game, 53-46, against visiting North Catholic in a marquee non-section matchup. Natalie Hambly led all scorers with 26 points for the Raiders (5-2), while Alayna Rocco led the way with 17 for the Trojanettes (3-3).
• Kyla Fitzgerald led all scorers with 18 points and Emma Paul finished with 16 for Armstrong (3-3) in a 50-31 non-section win over visiting Highlands (4-2). Kalleigh Nerone led the Golden Rams with 16 points.
• Ava Shazer scored a game-high 20 points to lead Chartiers Valley (6-1) to a 49-38 victory in a non-section clash at Montour. Jordyn Wolfe scored 15 for the Spartans (4-4), while Sterling McCleaster finished with 11.
• Hannah Pugliese scored a game-high 19 points and Milani Oliver tallied 13 for Penn Hills (2-4, 2-1) in a 45-29 home win against Franklin Regional in Class 5A Section 1 action. Addison Musto scored 12 points on four 3-pointers for the Panthers (1-6, 1-2).
• Maddy Roberts posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds while Ruby Morgan scored a team-leading 12 points for Trinity (5-1) in a 52-48 non-section win at Bethel Park. Ella Sabatos led all scorers with 17 points for the Black Hawks (2-6) to go with 14 from Sadie Orie.
Three stars
*** — Noah Felentzer, Southmoreland. Felentzer found his groove early and often on Thursday, scoring a game-high 30 points to lift the Scotties to a 72-55 victory over Ringgold.
** — Dailan McManus, Frazier. McManus came out hot for the Commodores, scoring 18 of his game-high 26 points in the first quarter while knocking down six 3-pointers in an 87-73 win against California.
* — Lorenzo Gardner, Monessen. Gardner had no issues finding the bucket for the Greyhounds, pouring in a game-high 33 points in a 65-46 home win over Westinghouse.
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Logan Johnson, North Hills, 7; Dailan McManus, Frazier, 6; Isaiah Riggle, Armstrong, 6; Julian Semplice, Chartiers Valley, 5; Zach Washington, Quaker Valley, 5; Kaylee DeAngelo, Oakland Catholic, 4; Jaedin Griggs, Moon, 4; Madison Marinchak, Ligonier Valley, 4; Hayden Merchant, Seton LaSalle, 4; Addison Musto, Franklin Regional, 4; Michael Wisniewski, Ligonier Valley, 4; Jude Coombs, Central Valley, 3; Tyler Freas, Penn-Trafford, 3; Isaiah Jeter, Central Valley, 3; Connor Pavlocak, Mount Pleasant, 3; Kaley Rohanna, Waynesburg, 3; Aaron Webb, Indiana, 3.
Boys scores
Aliquippa 69, Chartiers Valley 64
Armstrong 49, Indiana 34
Baldwin 84, Brashear 69
Bethel Park 80, Seton LaSalle 62
Burgettstown 83, Avella 69
Central Valley 54, Brentwood 39
Charleroi 58, Waynesburg 41
Chartiers-Houston 44, Jefferson-Morgan 39
Elizabeth Forward 75, East Allegheny 57
Fox Chapel 50, Hampton 42
Frazier 87, California 73
Gateway 82, Laurel Highlands 43
Goose Creek, S.C., 47, Upper St. Clair 45
Hillel Academy 52, Environmental Charter 17
Kiski Area 67, Woodland Hills 63 (OT)
Legacy, Nev., 40, Nazareth Prep 29
Monessen 65, Westinghouse 46
Mount Pleasant 70, Ligonier Valley 52
New Brighton 44, Laurel 34
New Castle 72, Obama Academy 55
North Catholic 75, Knoch 69
North Hills 75, North Allegheny 68
Northgate 71, Freedom 34
Penn-Trafford 53, Seneca Valley 41
Quaker Valley 82, Ambridge 61
Raines, Fla., 56, Canon-McMillan 54
Redbank Valley 64, Freeport 53
Serra Catholic 77, Sto-Rox 65
South Allegheny 69, Blackhawk 41
Southmoreland 72, Ringgold 55
Springdale 78, Cheswick Christian 62
Trinity 42, Fort Cherry 34
Trinity Catholic, Ohio, 55, Mars 53
Uniontown 75, Auburn, Va., 50
West Mifflin 58, Clairton 46
Girls scores
Armstrong 50, Highlands 31
Baldwin 71, Latrobe 57
Chartiers Valley 49, Montour 38
Clairton 70, East Allegheny 8
Ellis School 36, Carlynton 22
Greensburg Salem 46, Ross Sheppard, Edmonton, 19
Indiana 49, Hempfield 38
Kennedy Catholic 37, Blackhawk 35
Knoch 50, Slippery Rock 24
Ligonier Valley 58, Derry 48
Lincoln Park 77, Gallatin County, Ky., 21
Mapletown 33, Propel Montour 26
McGuffey 53, Carmichaels 13
Mercyhurst Prep 57, Butler 47
Moon 71, Freedom 46
Mount Pleasant 50, Frazier 29
North Allegheny 39, Shaler 32
Norwin 75, McKeesport 44
Oakland Catholic 63, Mt. Lebanon 41
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 57, Bishop Canevin 23
Penn Hills 45, Franklin Regional 29
Penn-Trafford 50, Kiski Area 38
Peters Township 72, Fox Chapel 40
Seneca Valley 53, North Catholic 46
Serra Catholic 56, Yough 25
Seton LaSalle 47, Burgettstown 36
Sharpsville 41, Laurel 29
South Allegheny 48, Southmoreland 43
Springdale 42, Leechburg 38
Trinity 52, Bethel Park 48
Waynesburg 50, Albert Gallatin 39
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
