You can search far and wide all over the state, but you won’t find a better Final Four matchup than the PIAA Class 5A girls semifinal showdown scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Canon-McMillan.
When high-powered South Hills rivals Peters Township and South Fayette collide for the second time this season in a rematch of their epic WPIAL championship clash, the stakes and the intensity might be even higher the second time around. After all, a WPIAL title is a remarkable achievement — but the sport’s ultimate prize waits just around the corner, with the winner of Saturday’s must-see matchup between the Indians (26-3) and Lions (27-2) moving on to Hershey to compete for the Class 5A state title next week.
“It’s a special group of kids this year,” said South Fayette coach Bryan Bennett. “At the beginning of the year, I don’t know if we thought we would do this well. Kids have worked so hard. I’m really proud of this group.”
The first meeting between the teams was one to remember, with the top-seeded Lions holding a slim lead for most of the game while closing in on a historic fourth consecutive WPIAL championship. But after a fourth-quarter rally by Peters Township to tie the game, junior guard “Big Shot Bri” Morreale knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with one minute remaining, lifting the Indians to their second WPIAL title with a dramatic 40-36 comeback win.
“We have a lot of respect for South Fayette, and at the same time, we have a lot of confidence in ourselves, too,” said Indians coach Steve Limberiou. “I don’t know which way the general public will lean, but we’re ready for a battle.”
All year long, each team has lost only one game to an in-state opponent — South Fayette’s four-point loss to the Indians in the WPIAL title game, and Peters Township’s 48-45 defeat against Mt. Lebanon in a relatively meaningless regular-season finale. The Lions have been especially dominant, with 23 of their 27 wins this season coming by 20-plus points — not to mention one win by 19 against Charlotte, Fla., and another by 18 against District 6 champion Hollidaysburg in last week’s PIAA quarterfinals.
“We have a bunch of athletic kids who are really, really talented,” Bennett said. “We look to push the ball. I think we’re deep enough. We can go nine deep. If someone does get tired, we’re fortunate to bring in kids who don’t lose a beat.
“That’s just the style we’ve been playing over the past few years. The kids really enjoy it. It’s fun to watch.”
On the other hand, the Indians have plenty of experience with finding ways to win hard-fought battles that come down to the final buzzer, including four narrow wins against section-rival Thomas Jefferson. Peters Township has flexed its muscles at times, too, but all those previous nail-biters the Indians have won should only boost their confidence level when crunch time comes on Saturday.
“I think those [close games] have definitely helped us,” Limberiou said. “TJ is really good. I don’t know if people necessarily understand, but I think they were clearly the third-best team in [Class] 5A this season. Outside of playing us, they were what, 22-2? They were a really good basketball team.
“I think playing them [four times] has helped us in games, to get used to playing tight, and I think [our players] can turn to that.”
For Peters Township, 6-3 senior forward Natalie Wetzel is the team’s unquestioned centerpiece. A Miami recruit and PUP first-team all-star averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds per game, Wetzel is now up to 1,683 points for her career — but her impact on each and every game she plays goes far beyond the stat sheet. Along with providing terrific rim protection on defense, Wetzel is also a capable 3-point shooter and excellent passer who runs the floor extremely well.
And of course, she is an absolute monster in the paint with the ball in her hands.
“I don’t think she needs a state championship to be considered one of the greats in the WPIAL. To me, she already is,” Limberiou said. “But stuff like this motivates her. She is the ultimate competitor. … I think winning the WPIAL championship, for some other people, maybe cemented her as one of the greats. But it didn’t for me. I didn’t need to see it.
“I don’t think Natalie needs extra motivation. She is probably the most competitive person I’ve coached.”
With Wetzel stretching the floor and opening up space for her teammates, the rest of the Indians’ role players have each taken turns stepping up in big moments during their playoff run.
The team’s second-leading scorer with an average of 10 ppg, Morreale’s 3-pointer to beat South Fayette was Peters Township’s biggest shot of the season so far. Meanwhile, 6-3 senior center Daniela Radulovich is averaging close to a double-double in the postseason, and freshman guards Taylor McCullough and Jordyn Welsh combine to form one of the area’s most promising young backcourt tandems.
But while Peters Township may have the game’s main attraction in Wetzel, the Lions have plenty of star power in their own right.
With a trio of talented juniors in 5-8 guard Haylie Lamonde, 5-10 guard Ryan Oldaker and 6-foot guard-forward Juju Leroux, South Fayette features a “Big 3” that few teams in the state can match. For the season, Leroux leads the team with an average of 13 ppg, followed closely by Lamonde (12.3 ppg) and Oldaker (12.2 ppg). All three are versatile wings capable of taking over a game at any time, while each brings similar yet varied skill sets to the court.
Plus, sophomore point guard Lailah Wright (9.6 ppg) has emerged as another reliable scoring threat while running the Lions’ high-octane offense and spearheading their suffocating full-court press defense.
“[Wright] has done an amazing job,” Bennett said. “We had Lainey Yater last year, obviously, and Lailah got to go behind her and play against her at practice every day. That made her better. … When we started back up in the summer, I could tell she probably didn’t put the ball down since the time our season ended.
“She’s a terror out on the floor, but such a sweet quiet kid off the floor.”
Both teams have made only one previous trip to the state finals, with future Penn State standout Makenna Marisa leading Peters Township to an undefeated season in 2019 while securing the school’s first WPIAL and PIAA titles in Class 6A. For South Fayette, Villanova guard and former PUP Player of the Year Maddie Webber was the driving force behind the Lions’ run to the 2023 PIAA Class 5A final, where they lost to Philly powerhouse Archbishop Wood, 61-54.
The preeminent girls basketball dynasty in the state, Archbishop Wood has now won four consecutive state titles dating back to 2021. The Vikings have steamrolled their way through their first three PIAA playoff games on the Eastern side of the bracket, winning each by more than 25 points. They have won nine PIAA titles overall in their storied history, more than any other school.
That being said, South Fayette gave them all they could handle in the state title game two years ago — and as much as Bennett would love another crack at the four-time defending champs, the Indians have his full attention for now.
“We’re going to have our hands full on Saturday,” Bennett said. “They’re so talented and give you so many different mismatches with their size. Their guards are super athletic and skilled. … I know our kids are super excited to play them again.
“I don’t want to start looking ahead and thinking about [the state championship]. I just want to stay in the moment.”
Class 6A
Following a string of runner-up finishes, Upper St. Clair finally captured its first WPIAL title in 19 years with a win over defending champion Norwin — but the Panthers clearly weren’t satisfied with their body of work just yet.
Led by Kent State recruit and PUP first-team all-star Rylee Kalocay, Upper St. Clair (22-6) has won each of its first three PIAA playoff games by double-digit margins, setting up a daunting semifinal showdown at 5 p.m. Friday against District 1 runner-up Garnet Valley (27-2) at James Buchanan High School in Mercersburg, Pa.
The Jaguars’ frontcourt features 6-foot senior forward Haylie Adamski (17.7 ppg) along with her younger sisters, sophomores Addison and Kylie Adamski, and 5-4 senior guard Kylie Mulholland (12.2 ppg) is the team’s top outside scoring threat.
“I know they’ve been ranked in the top three — they were No. 1 at one point I believe — in the state all year,” Serio said. “Any team you get from District 1 is going to be a really good team. … Hopefully we continue to play defense the way we’ve been playing and shoot it the way we have been. Just counting on our strengths.”
Friday’s game will mark Serio’s first trip to the Western Region final in his lengthy career as a head coach, but he has been to the Final Four as an assistant under his wife, Suzie McConnell-Serio, when the pair won a state title at Oakland Catholic in 1993. Now, McConnell-Serio is by his side as Serio’s trusted assistant, and the pair have a chance to go back to Chocolate Town together if the Panthers can take down the Jaguars.
“It’s really special, just us being together like this and doing these things,” Serio said. “I can’t really explain it. It’s great being together. It’s great accomplishing things together. And obviously, we have a great relationship and I love her very much.
“There’s a lot of knowledge sitting next to me, and we use it, and the girls use it.”
Alongside Kalocay, senior guards Meredith Huzjak and Liv Terlecki and junior point guard Ryan Prunzik have each played vital roles during Upper St. Clair’s postseason run, with Huzjak scoring a team-high 17 points in last Friday’s 51-35 win in the PIAA quarterfinals against District 1 fifth-place finisher Haverford.
“Ryan Prunzik is the person that makes this engine go,” Serio said. “Game in and game out, she stuffs the stat sheet, but she doesn’t stuff it with points. Against Canon-Mac last week, she had 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. She was all over the court. And it’s something that she does every game.
“She has been our leading rebounder all year at 5 feet 3, and I can’t say enough about her energy that she brings to the team. It’s infectious.”
With the Panthers on the cusp of their second state championship appearance in school history and their first since 1999, Serio knows Garnet Valley presents a major hurdle to overcome in order to get there. But rather than dwell on the task at hand, Serio and his players are cherishing every moment they have left together while doing all they can to make their season last as long as possible.
“I’m really enjoying it,” Serio said. “After the WPIAL championship, the players have just been so happy. It’s been great to be around everyone, and for us, just to be together. I’m really enjoying this, and we’re one game away from going to Hershey.
“I’m really excited to be where we are and see if we can seize this opportunity and make a special memory.”
Class 4A
After missing out on the WPIAL championship game for the first time since 2014, North Catholic entered the PIAA tournament hungrier than ever for a taste of glory.
Now just one win away from making their first strip to the state championship game since 2019, the Trojanettes will certainly have their work cut out for them in the Western Region final against Lansdale Catholic at 1 p.m. Saturday at Chambersburg High School.
The third-place finisher in District 12, the Crusaders (22-5) are only two years removed from winning the PIAA Class 4A title, and they are coming off a commanding 63-29 win against WPIAL champion Oakland Catholic in the PIAA quarterfinals. The Eagles, of course, won two out of three matchups against North Catholic this season, including a one-sided win in the WPIAL semifinals to snap the Trojanettes’ streak of 10 consecutive WPIAL championship appearances.
“That score is shocking,” North Catholic coach Molly Rottmann said. “To keep Oakland in the 20s is shocking. And the game before, I think [District 6 champion] Forest Hills had 25 points. … They do half-court trapping, an extended 2-3 [zone], and then some man-to-man. We’ll make sure we’re prepared for those as best as we can be.”
Lansdale Catholic is led by senior point guard Sanyiah Littlejohn, a George Mason recruit, and 6-2 senior forward Grace McDonough, a James Madison recruit who earned third-team all-state honors as a junior. Littlejohn is a quick, flashy scorer who put up a game-high 22 points in the quarterfinal win against Oakland Catholic, while McDonough is a double-double machine who presents a massive mismatch in the paint.
“They have two kids, McDonough and Littlejohn, both going D-I,” Rottmann said. “No. 10 [senior guard Nadia Yemola] is a pretty deadly outside shooter. Then they have three or four other kids who are very solid players. They run lots of sets, looking to get McDonough isolated in the post or looking to get Littlejohn opportunities to play one-on-one.
“They’re just a good, solid team.”
On paper, all signs are pointing toward Lansdale Catholic making its third trip to the state finals in the past four seasons — but there’s a reason the games aren’t played on paper.
With senior point guard Sarah Loughry orchestrating the offense, the Trojanettes have a proven veteran leader on the floor at all times, but the rest of North Catholic’s key players are mostly underclassmen. Still, the Trojanettes’ young but talented core has shined during their postseason run, with sophomore guard Brady Wehner and freshman guard Sam Weir stepping into the spotlight in a comeback win against Blackhawk in the PIAA quarterfinals.
“I just think with each game, we’ve gotten a little bit more confident in ourselves,” Rottmann said. “I feel confident in them. I think they’re going to come out ready to play on Saturday.”
With more than 500 victories and a record 12 WPIAL titles to her credit, Rottmann has already had her fair share of signature wins in her lengthy stint at her alma mater. That being said, taking down the mighty Crusaders for a spot in the state finals on Saturday could qualify as the finest work yet of her decorated career — if the Trojanettes can find a way to pull it off.
“It’s really hard to get there. A lot of stars have to align,” Rottmann said. “They are a veteran team that has been there, done that. They have some high-level seniors on their team. If we can manage to pull it off, that would be something.”
Class 3A
Just like in Class 5A, the WPIAL is guaranteed to be sending a representative to the state finals in Class 3A, with an all-WPIAL Western Region final set up for 6 p.m. Friday at Fox Chapel between Shady Side Academy (27-1) and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (25-4).
Unlike Class 5A, though, this is a fresh matchup between two teams that have not met yet this season, with the Bulldogs finishing as the WPIAL runners-up and the Chargers coming off a third-place finish in the WPIAL tournament. They did meet last year in the WPIAL quarterfinals, though, with Shady Side eking out a 37-35 win en route to capturing the WPIAL Class 3A title.
Despite losing standout guard Maggie Spell, who transferred to Thomas Jefferson after starring for the Bulldogs as a sophomore, veteran coach Jonna Burke steered Shady Side to an undefeated regular season — and with junior point guard Karis Thomas and junior forward Cassie Sauer leading the charge, the top-seeded Bulldogs looked like the team to beat going into the WPIAL playoffs.
But everything changed when Sauer went down with a season-ending leg injury in a WPIAL quarterfinal win against Riverside, and despite the best efforts of Thomas and her teammates, Shady Side fell just short of capturing back-to-back titles in a 56-51 defeat against Greensburg Central Catholic in the WPIAL championship game.
Yet here the Bulldogs are, one win away from their first trip to the state championship game in school history.
“They’re a great team,” OLSH coach Don Eckerle said about Shady Side. “They’ve got great players. I’m glad we’ve got a week to prepare for them.”
For the Chargers, a lopsided 41-18 loss to the Centurions in the WPIAL semifinals marked their second defeat of the season against Greensburg Central — but they came back for the state tournament with a newfound energy on their way to reaching the Western Region final for the second time in the past three seasons.
After a first-round win against District 10 runner-up Seneca, OLSH returned the favor with a 36-34 win against the Centurions in the second round of the PIAA tournament, thanks to a 25-point outburst from Claudia Ierullo. The senior guard followed that up with a team-leading 17 points in a 47-43 win over District 6 champion Central Cambria in the quarterfinal round, setting up Friday’s showdown for a spot in the state finals.
“When we made it to the Final Four my sophomore year, I was coming off the bench,” Ierullo said. “We had a similar run. We lost to Avonworth [three times], and then we beat them [in the state playoffs]. … I have to take a different role [this year], but we just have to stick together as a team, and we’ll get it done.”
With Ierullo leading a deep, well-rounded unit that shares the ball extremely well, the Chargers have the look of a team that is peaking at the right time. But they might be facing their stiffest test yet against the Bulldogs, who hound teams defensively while allowing an average of only 32.3 ppg.
As for the only WPIAL team in Class 3A with a better scoring defense than Shady Side? You guessed it — OLSH (31.4 ppg).
“I’m definitely excited,” Ierullo said. “They beat us last year in the [WPIAL] quarterfinals. … I think it will be a very good game.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
