You won’t find many early season showdowns carrying as much significance as Monday night’s Class 3A championship rematch between Shady Side Academy and Avonworth — and the visiting Bulldogs were ready to rise to the occasion.
Traveling into enemy territory and putting its undefeated record on the line, Shady Side emerged with a convincing 64-49 road win behind a balanced offensive attack that saw four players reach double figures. The Bulldogs raced out to an 18-6 lead after the opening quarter and controlled the game throughout, never letting the Antelopes seriously threaten a comeback.
“We knew it was going to be difficult,” said Shady Side coach Jonna Burke. “They’re a good team, they’re a great program. … I think we have started to have a little bit of history [together]. The fact that we faced them in the finals last year and the semifinals the year before. I think it has become a bit of a rivalry.
“We knew coming over here and getting a win would be really big for us.”
Prolific point guard Karis Thomas led the way with 21 points for the Bulldogs (6-0, 2-0), followed by 16 from Cassie Sauer, 14 from Leah Buford and 11 from Makiyah Mitchell. Greta O’Brien scored a team-high 20 points for Avonworth (3-2, 1-1), while Sydney Savatt contributed 10.
“[Thomas] was made to do this,” Burke said. “She has been the floor general of our team, but this year, she has that sense of urgency. She hits big shots all the time. But more than that, she makes everybody better around her. The attention that she draws from other teams helps others get open shots. If you’re open, she’s going to find you. She does not care about her stats at all, which is unique.
“She’s our heart and soul, and the kids know it and they embrace it. I’ve said this before — I just like sitting back and watching her play.”
Although it’s still far too early in the season to talk about championship aspirations, Shady Side is certainly turning heads with its hot start. Not only have the Bulldogs been taking out some heavy hitters — including Class 5A Baldwin and Class 6A Seneca Valley — they are also doing it despite the departure of Maggie Spell, who transferred to Thomas Jefferson after playing a vital role in last year’s WPIAL Class 3A championship run.
“I think every year, you start over. You start with a clean slate,” Burke said. “This year in particular, we are a little different than we were last year. The thing that I think is special about this group is, they just play for each other. And they play really hard for each other and they care for each other and they celebrate each other’s success. It doesn’t matter who scores how many points. We all just want to win the game. I love coaching teams like that.”
Other girls games
• In a showdown between the top two scorers in the area last season, Iyanna Wade and Clairton out-dueled Emma Larkin and previously unbeaten Geibel Catholic for a 67-51 home win in Class 1A Section 2. A two-time WPIAL scoring champ, Wade tallied a season-high 52 points for the Bears (4-1, 2-0), while Larkin finished with 36 points for Geibel (7-1, 1-1).
• Bella Dumbroski had a night to remember for Serra Catholic, pouring in 18 of her game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter — none bigger than a runner with 16.4 seconds left that proved to be the game-winning basket in a 52-50 triumph against Bishop Canevin. Abby Genes added 10 points for the Eagles (2-5, 1-1), while Isabella Sysak finished with 13 and Natalie Kirsch added 12 for the Crusaders (5-2, 1-1).
• Ryan Oldaker led South Fayette with 17 points and Haylie Lamonde tacked on 16 for the undefeated Lions (6-0, 2-0) in a 69-48 home win against West Allegheny in Class 5A Section 3. Alaina Holtz led all scorers with 18 points for the Indians (4-2, 0-2) to go with 12 from Emma Ruperto.
• Freshman guard Sam Weir led the way for North Catholic with 11 points in a 57-17 rout against visiting Freeport (1-5, 1-1) in Class 4A Section 1, helping the Trojanettes (4-2, 2-0) extend their section winning streak to 105 games in a row. North Catholic jumped out to a 15-1 lead after the first quarter and held the Yellowjackets to four points in the first half.
• Sadie Orie scored a game-high 19 points and Ella Sabatos contributed 16 for Bethel Park (4-2, 2-0), which cruised to a 68-37 win at Albert Gallatin (2-3, 0-2) in Class 5A Section 4. Mya Glisan led the Colonials with 15 points in the loss to go with 10 from Grayce Panos.
• Erica Gribble scored a game-high 24 points and Jayla Peterson chipped in 19 for Greensburg Central Catholic (4-2, 2-0), helping the visiting Centurions dispatch East Allegheny (1-5, 0-2) with ease in a one-sided 79-16 win in Class 3A Section 2.
• Lanie Moore scored a team-leading 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Southmoreland (3-5, 1-1), while Olivia Aumer added 20 points for the Scotties in a narrow 62-58 win against visiting Ringgold (3-3, 0-2) in Class 4A Section 3.
Boys games
• Aydan Cunningham scored a game-high 20 points and Sam Stout finished with 10 to help lead unbeaten McGuffey (5-0, 1-0) to a lopsided 62-26 win against visiting Carlynton in Class 3A Section 2. Devonte Dean led the Cougars (3-3, 0-1) with 10 points on the night.
• A.C. Corfield led all scorers with 23 points for South Side (4-3, 1-1) to go with 15 from R.J. Fischer in a 58-55 home win over Rochester in Class 2A Section 4. Jayvin Hemer scored a team-leading 18 points for the Rams (3-4, 1-1) to go with 16 from Nate Bills in the defeat.
• Roman Riccelli racked up a game-high 23 points while Evan Strimel and Gary Tarbuk added 15 apiece for Geibel Catholic (4-2) in a 68-53 win against Cheswick Christian (2-3).
Three stars
*** — Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union. Fruehstorfer outscored Western Beaver by herself in the Scotties’ 62-20 road win, pouring in 22 points while draining four 3-pointers.
** — Jaedin Griggs, Moon. Griggs turned in another high-scoring effort for the Tigers, tallying a game-high 23 points in a 54-24 win over New Castle in Class 5A Section 3.
* — Mimi Thiero, Quaker Valley. The coveted 6-4 forward put her talents on full display with a game-high 28 points in a 61-16 win at Sto-Rox in Class 3A Section 1.
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union, 4; Becca Guillen, Aquinas Academy, 3; Daisy Miller, Yough, 3.
Boys scores
Class 6A Section 2
Imani Christian 73, Norwin 28
Class 4A Section 1
North Catholic 91, Freeport 56
Class 3A Section 2
McGuffey 62, Carlynton 26
Class 2A Section 4
South Side 58, Rochester 55
Non-section
Beaver County Christian 37, Pittsburgh East Christian School 26
Charleroi 70, California 49
Geibel Catholic 68, Cheswick Christian 53
Homer Center 69, Apollo-Ridge 56
McDowell 74, Brashear 31
Monessen 70, Westinghouse 36
Winchester Thurston 75, Ligonier Valley 34
Girls scores
Class 5A Section 1
Franklin Regional 60, Penn Hills 32
Plum 41, Armstrong 20
Class 5A Section 2
Greensburg Salem 53, McKeesport 33
Indiana 53, Kiski Area 24
Class 5A Section 3
Moon 54, New Castle 24
South Fayette 69, West allegheny 48
Class 5A Section 4
Bethel Park 68, Albert Gallatin 37
Class 4A Section 1
Derry 36, Valley 27
Knoch 38, Burrell 28
North Catholic 57, Freeport 17
Oakland Catholic 63, Highlands 25
Class 4A Section 2
Blackhawk 59, Ambridge 7
Hampton 34, Hopewell 18
Class 4A Section 3
Belle Vernon 46, Yough 32
Elizabeth Forward 60, Laurel Highlands 56
Southmoreland 62, Ringgold 58
South Park 55, Mount Pleasant 29
Class 3A Section 1
Mohawk 48, New Brighton 13
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 48, Beaver Falls 34
Quaker Valley 61, Sto-Rox 16
Riverside 54, Ellwood City 50
Class 3A Section 2
Deer Lakes 40, South Allegheny 12
Greensburg C.C. 79, East Allegheny 16
Ligonier Valley 51, Steel Valley 43
Shady Side Academy 64, Avonworth 49
Class 3A Section 3
Brownsville 63, Washington 37
Keystone Oaks 58, McGuffey 29
Seton LaSalle 70, Charleroi 12
Class 1A Section 1
Aquinas Academy 52, Sewickley Academy 10
Springdale 52, Eden Christian 38
St. Joseph 65, Leechburg 25
Union 62, Western Beaver 20
Class 1A Section 2
Avella 47, Monessen 39
Clairton 67, Geibel Catholic 51
Serra Catholic 52, Bishop Canevin 50
West Greene 41, Mapletown 23
Non-section
Burgettstown 63, Frazier 44
Carrick 47, Carlynton 43
Chartiers-Houston 38, Waynesburg 33
Fort Cherry 63, Carmichaels 9
Rochester 65, Ellis 29
Shaler 35, Pine-Richland 34
South Side 54, Bentworth 24
Uniontown 61, Turkeyfoot Valley 44
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
