Few outsiders would have given Quaker Valley much of a chance going into its rematch against Avonworth in enemy territory on Tuesday night.

After all, the Antelopes already steamrolled the Quakers in a mercy-rule victory at Quaker Valley’s home gym in the first meeting between the teams on Jan. 4 — and with one of its top scorers on the sideline with a hamstring injury in junior guard Zach Washington, the Quakers certainly had the odds stacked against them.

Fortunately for Quaker Valley, there’s a reason the games are played on the court, not on paper.

Fueled by a relentless defensive effort focused on hounding Avonworth star Rowan Carmichael, the Quakers shook up the Class 4A Section 2 title chase while extending their winning streak to five games in a row with a heart-pounding 59-56 road win. Dana Kromah scored a game-high 22 points for Quaker Valley while freshman Nic Cohen finished with 13 — including two crucial free throws while clinging to a one-point lead with under 30 seconds to play.

“Those were two huge foul shots,” said Quakers coach Mike Mastroianni. “[Cohen] has been playing well the last month or so. He’s having a really high-level season.”

A sniper from 3-point range averaging more than 33 points per game, Carmichael had not one, but two chances to tie the game in the final seconds — but both of his shots fell off the mark as Quaker Valley held on to secure the victory. Carmichael finished with 20 points in the defeat while Carson Bellinger and Noah Goetz each added 15 for the Lopes (14-3, 6-1).

“Oh man, you expect him to make it,” Mastroianni said about Carmichael. “Our defense has come through for us lately. Just trying to win it on the defensive end, that’s what we said — let’s go do this thing. We always talk about getting a stop to go win a big game, and we were able to do that.”

Playing in such a loaded section with teams like Avonworth, Beaver and Central Valley, the Quakers (13-4, 4-3) still find themselves in fourth place in the section standings. Still, Tuesday night’s win will surely stick in the minds of the WPIAL steering committee when it comes time to hand out playoff seedings — and more importantly, it provides Quaker Valley’s younger players with a much-needed boost of confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

“We were young compared to the other teams, and our section is so good and so well-coached,” Mastroianni said. “All three of those teams are really high-level teams with great senior leadership. … We just talked about how basketball seasons are always up and down. Trying to find your best stride in the last week of January is always a good thing. We’re concentrating more on that and taking care of business.”

Quaker Valley’s Nic Cohen knocked down a pair of clutch free throws while finishing with 13 points to help the Quakers pull out a 59-56 win at Avonworth on Tuesday. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Other boys games

• In a battle for first place in Class 5A Section 2, Nate Wesling scored a game-high 16 points to help Baldwin take over the top spot and split the season series against South Fayette with a commanding 62-36 home win. Evan Golvash added 15 points and Caden Cherico chipped in 12 for the Highlanders (17-1, 8-1), while Ethan Keener finished with 9 points for the Lions (13-6, 8-2).

• Zach Pollaro turned in another memorable outing with a game-high 33 points as North Hills went to overtime for the third game in a row, but the Indians (6-13, 5-6) went home with a gut-wrenching 65-58 defeat against Pine-Richland (6-12, 4-7) in Class 6A Section 2. Grant Spacciapolli led the way for the Rams with 22 points to go with 21 from Alex Kastner and 10 from Emery Moye.

Fox Chapel put on a defensive clinic against North Allegheny en route to a 52-20 mercy-rule victory in Class 6A Section 1. Asher White scored a game-high 13 points and Joey McGivney added 11 for the Foxes (14-4, 9-2), who raced out to a 21-1 lead after the opening quarter and never looked back. Carter Melzer tallied a team-leading 11 points in the loss for the Tigers (7-11, 2-9).

• With both teams jockeying with Fox Chapel for the top spot in Class 6A Section 1, New Castle surged to a 70-56 victory at Seneca Valley to create a tie for second place in the standings with the Raiders (11-8, 8-3). Damien Harrison led all scorers with 26 points for the Red Hurricanes (14-3, 8-3), followed by 15 from Ralphie Blundo and 14 from Kyrell Harris. Owen Congdon led Seneca Valley with 18 points in the loss.

• Jordan Epps finished with a game-high 22 points while knocking down five 3-pointers for Shaler (7-11, 4-5), but it wasn’t enough for the visiting Titans to pull out a win as Penn Hills solidified its spot on top of the Class 5A Section 2 standings with a 70-61 triumph. Amon Hawthorne scored 20 points while adding 5 assists and 4 steals in the win, and Calix Clark contributed 18 points for the Indians (9-7, 9-1).

• Five players scored in double figures for Chartiers Valley (16-3, 8-2) in a 79-61 win at Lincoln Park in Class 5A Section 4, led by 27 points from Jayden Davis and followed by 13 from Julian Semplice, 12 from Niko Hines, 11 from Danny Slizik and 10 from Luca Federico. Mason Rowan led the Leopards (2-14, 0-9) with 22 points to go with 19 from Damar Johnson, as Rowan and Johnson buried five 3-pointers apiece.

• RJ Sledge scored a team-leading 19 points for Imani Christian in a 63-61 overtime win at Hempfield in Class 6A Section 2, helping the Saints (11-6, 9-2) overcome a 30-point performance by Drew Gordon for the Spartans (8-9, 3-7). Kieshaun Demus added 17 points for Imani along with 12 from Donovan Gordon and 10 from I’Zayah Bradshaw.

• Ama Sow led all scorers with 22 points for Montour (16-1, 10-0), followed closely by 21 from 3-point specialist Colton Straight and 17 from PUP all-star linebacker Kaleb Platz in a 68-55 win against visiting Mars (11-8, 5-4) in Class 5A Section 4. Austin Campbell paced the Planets with 20 points along with 14 from Austen Wroblewski.

• Josh Pratt scored a game-high 21 points to lead a trio of double-digit scorers for Aliquippa in a 76-33 rout at Riverside in Class 3A Section 1. Qa’lil Goode contributed 19 for the Quips (13-3, 9-0) to go with 10 from Michael Gaskins, while Drake Fox finished with a team-high 15 points for the Panthers (7-13, 2-8).

Shady Side Academy stunned South Park with a nail-biting 55-54 road win in Class 3A Section 3, as Seamus Riordan led four players in double figures for the Bulldogs (5-12, 3-4) with 14 points in the victory. Luke Scarff led all scorers with 20 points in the losing effort for the Eagles (12-5, 5-2).

• Braydon Robinson led all scorers with 32 points for Derry (10-8, 7-3), but the Trojans watched an eight-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate as West Mifflin stormed back for a 72-63 road win in Class 4A Section 3. Daven Reynolds scored a team-high 28 points for the Titans (6-12, 5-4), who outscored Derry in the final quarter, 26-9.

• Erond Jakupi drained four 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 23 points for Keystone Oaks in a 53-36 victory at Washington in Class 3A Section 2. Joseph Colton tacked on 14 points for the Golden Eagles (13-5, 5-2), while Tristin Reed tallied a team-leading 15 points for the Little Prexies (4-12, 2-5).

• Xavier Odorisio-Farrow led four double-digit scorers for Jeannette with 20 points in a 70-35 win at Frazier in Class 2A Section 1. Ky’mone Brown followed with 15 points for the Jayhawks (15-1, 8-1) to go with 13 from Marcus McGowen and 10 from Noah Sunder, while Trey Whitehead led the Commodores (3-15, 1-10) with 13 points on the night.

Serra Catholic surged to a 74-55 victory against visiting Monessen in Class 1A Section 2, as Owen Dumbroski and Tyler Sepida each scored 16 points for the Eagles (15-2, 6-1) with Mark Johnson contributing 15 of his own. Ty Kershaw led the Greyhounds (9-6, 3-4) with a game-high 20 points to go with 13 from Rodney Johnson and 11 from Devontae Robinson.

• Lukas Stead led all scorers with 27 points for Allderdice (9-9, 6-0), and Keith Taylor added 12 for the three-time defending City League champion Dragons in a 70-33 win at Westinghouse (2-10, 2-4). Deriah Sanders led the Bulldogs with 9 points in the defeat.

Apollo-Ridge’s Brayden Myers gets the ball around South Allegheny’s Hunter Molanick on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at South Allegheny High School. South Allegheny won, 59-38. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Girls games

• One of the hottest teams in the WPIAL, Franklin Regional picked up its eighth consecutive victory with a 59-43 win at Fox Chapel (11-6, 6-3) in Class 5A Section 1. Multi-sport standout Toryn Fulton scored a game-high 21 points for the Panthers (13-5, 10-0), aided by 14 from Addison Musto and 10 from Madison DeRiggi. Lyla Jablon led three players in double figures for the Foxes with 18 points along with 11 from Natalia Schaffer and Bella Urso.

• Miami recruit and PUP first-team all-star Natalie Wetzel continued her stellar senior season with a 28-point performance for Peters Township, helping the Indians remain unbeaten in section play with a 57-33 home win over Trinity in Class 5A Section 4. Taylor McCullough tacked on 10 points in the win for Peters Township (15-2, 8-0), while Sutton Williamson finished with a team-high 18 points for the Hillers (8-8, 3-7).

• Lynsey Bernotas led the way for Baldwin with a game-high 16 points in a 60-30 win against visiting Albert Gallatin in Class 5A Section 4. Julianne Ott added 12 points for the Highlanders (10-8, 5-4), while Grace Panos paced the Colonials (7-9, 1-8) with 12 points in the defeat.

South Allegheny’s Cameron Epps passes the ball against Apollo-Ridge on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at South Allegheny High School. South Allegheny won, 59-38. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Three stars

*** — Enzo Khalil, Central Catholic. Khalil carried the host Vikings to a 74-53 win over Canon-McMillan in Class 6A Section 2 while posting a game-high 25 points.

** — Liam Sheely, Mt. Lebanon. The junior guard knocked down four 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 29 points for the Blue Devils in an 84-60 win over visiting Norwin in Class 6A Section 2.

* — Isaiah Jeter, Central Valley. Jeter scored a game-high 22 points in a 60-44 win over visiting Ambridge in Class 4A Section 2, becoming the first player in school history to surpass 1,000 points for his career.

Hot from deep

Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Carter Gould, Mt. Lebanon, 7; Carson Bellinger, Avonworth, 5; Jordan Epps, Shaler, 5; Damar Johnson, Lincoln Park, 5; Mason Rowan, Lincoln Park, 5; Jason Zellie, Beth-Center, 5; Ciara Horabik, Brownsville, 4; Erond Jakupi, Keystone Oaks, 4; Tayt Lucas, Butler, 4; Addison Musto, Franklin Regional, 4; Liam Sheely, Mt. Lebanon, 4; Drew Wrona, Mohawk, 4; Austin Campbell, Mars, 3; Nic Cohen, Quaker Valley, 3; Jonas Cupps, Hampton, 3; Stainton Forbes, Butler, 3; Liam Gallagher, Greensburg C.C., 3; Andrew Gettinger, Butler, 3; Gavin Guinn, Hampton, 3; Qa’lil Goode, Aliquippa, 3; Trey McGowan, McGuffey, 3; Julianne Ott, Baldwin, 3.

South Allegheny coach Tony DiCenzo talks with his team after the third quarter of a 59-38 win against Apollo-Ridge on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at South Allegheny High School. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Scoreboard

Boys scores

WPIAL CLASS 6A

Section 1

Butler 61, Woodland Hills 53

Fox Chapel 52, North Allegheny 20

New Castle 70, Seneca Valley 56

Pine-Richland 65, North Hills 58 (OT)

Section 2

Central Catholic 74, Canon-McMillan 53

Imani Christian 63, Hempfield 61 (OT)

Mt. Lebanon 84, Norwin 60

Upper St. Clair 63, Connellsville 36

WPIAL CLASS 5A

Section 1

Franklin Regional 49, Laurel Highlands 44

Gateway 56, Albert Gallatin 30

Penn-Trafford 54, Latrobe 52

Uniontown 79, McKeesport 53

Section 2

Hampton 63, Indiana 56

Kiski Area 51, Armstrong 40

Penn Hills 70, Shaler 61

Section 3

Baldwin 62, South Fayette 36

Peters Township 67, Trinity 54

Thomas Jefferson 78, Ringgold 47

Section 4

Chartiers Valley 79, Lincoln Park 61

Montour 68, Mars 55

Moon 82, Blackhawk 66

WPIAL CLASS 4A

Section 1

Deer Lakes 64, Highlands 59

Freeport 74, Valley 63

North Catholic 67, Burrell 39

Section 2

Beaver 70, Hopewell 57

Quaker Valley 59, Avonworth 56

Central Valley 60, Ambridge 44

Section 3

Belle Vernon 71, Elizabeth Forward 43

East Allegheny 57, Greensburg Salem 37

West Mifflin 72, Derry 63

WPIAL CLASS 3A

Section 1

Aliquippa 76, Riverside 33

Mohawk 61, Ellwood City 44

New Brighton 62, Beaver Falls 49

Section 2

Bishop Canevin 68, McGuffey 56

Carlynton 56, Sto-Rox 52

Keystone Oaks 53, Washington 36

Section 3

Seton LaSalle 66, Steel Valley 32

Shady Side Academy 55, South Park 54

South Allegheny 59, Apollo-Ridge 38

Section 4

Southmoreland 77, Ligonier Valley 70

Waynesburg 45, Charleroi 43

WPIAL CLASS 2A

Section 1

Clairton 60, California 48

Greensburg C.C. 65, Bentworth 43

Jeannette 70, Frazier 35

Springdale 41, Riverview 32

Section 2

Eden Christian 61, Leechburg 36

Northgate 106, Brentwood 69

Winchester Thurston 67, Propel Braddock Hills 37

Section 3

Carmichaels 61, Beth-Center 52

Chartiers-Houston 61, Burgettstown 45

West Greene 45, Jefferson-Morgan 39

Section 4

Laurel 60, Rochester 48 (OT)

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 82, Western Beaver 42

Union 62, Shenango 59

WPIAL CLASS 1A

Section 1

Aquinas Academy 66, Cornell 39

Summit Academy 87, Avella 76

Section 2

Geibel Catholic 62, St. Joseph 41

Serra Catholic 74, Monessen 55

City League

Allderdice 70, Westinghouse 33

Carrick 74, Brashear 60

Girls scores

WPIAL CLASS 5A

Section 1

Franklin Regional 59, Fox Chapel 43

Shaler 57, Penn Hills 30

Section 2

Latrobe 37, Kiski Area 28

Section 4

Baldwin 60, Albert Gallatin 30

Peters Township 57, Trinity 33

WPIAL CLASS 4A

Section 1

Knoch 43, Valley 36

WPIAL CLASS 3A

Section 2

Greensburg C.C. 56, South Allegheny 8

Section 3

Brownsville 61, Waynesburg 29

WPIAL CLASS 2A

Section 2

Brentwood 30, Carlynton 21

Section 3

Carmichaels 45, Bentworth 28

WPIAL CLASS 1A

Section 2

West Greene 37, Mapletown 30

City League

Allderdice 80, Westinghouse 24

Brashear 41, Carrick 38

Obama Academy 74, Perry 12

Non-section

Clairton 83, California 56

Derry 65, Ligonier Valley 57

Geibel Catholic 64, East Allegheny 33

Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.

Steve Rotstein

Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.