The Road to Hershey continues with second-round action Tuesday with the spotlight shining on boys Class 5A, 4A and Class A and girls Class 6A, 3A and 2A.
WPIAL teams were 5-3 in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A boys basketball playoffs. However, there is only one head-to-head matchup between District 7 teams in Round 2.
Thomas Jefferson battles Moon at Peters Township at 7:30 p.m.
These two cats of a different color are a combined 45-7 this season.
The black-and-gold Jaguars won the Section 3-5A title and reached the WPIAL championship game for the first time in nearly 40 years.
TJ did not play well in losing in the finals to Chartiers Valley, and that funk carried over to the first half of a home state playoff game against New Oxford.
However, junior forward Justin Fry would not allow his team to go quietly into the night. He scored 40 points as the Jaguars came back to defeat the Colonials, 64-61.
Meanwhile, the red-and-black Tigers also were bounced in the district playoffs by Chartiers Valley, losing in the semifinals to the Colts.
Moon then lost to Hampton in the third-place game in overtime, 61-58, meaning it would not be home for the PIAA opener; instead it would have to travel more than three hours to face Hershey from District 3.
The Tigers led early, but ended up tied at the half before a big third quarter put them in control. They held on to beat the host Trojans, 55-49.
Caleb Waclawski scored 17 points to lead Moon while Brody Bauman added 12 points.
Moon has won nine of its last 11 games while Thomas Jefferson has been victorious in eight of its last nine contests.
Here are the other three state second-round games involving WPIAL boys 5A teams.
• Chartiers Valley (24-2) vs. Cocalico (20-7) at Altoona, 5 p.m.
• Penn Hills (20-7) vs. West York (21-1) at Altoona, 6:30 p.m.
• Gateway (18-9) vs. Johnstown (19-4) at Armstrong, 7:30 p.m.
Knights-Trojans: Take 4
No matter what happens Tuesday, this will be the war to settle the score.
The season series could go to 3-1 or it could be split at 2-2; however, the winners continue their season in the quarterfinals knowing they just ended the season of their bitter rivals.
It is the much-anticipated fourth meeting of the year between Knoch (23-4) and North Catholic (20-6) to be played at Plum at 7 p.m.
The Knights and Trojans fought for first place during the regular season, split their two head-to-head games and ended up sharing the Section 1-4A boys basketball crown.
In the first meeting between the two Jan. 9, Knoch knocked off host North Catholic, 65-56.
Senior Teegan Finucan led the Knights with 26 points and senior Jason Fredericks scored 26 for the Trojans.
In the rematch Feb. 3, North Catholic won on the road in Saxonburg, 61-55.
Fredericks once again scored 26 to lead the Trojans and Finucan had 21 to pace the Knights.
The third clash of the Section 1-4A titans took place in the WPIAL semifinals and turned into a rout.
Knoch led North Catholic 17-9 after one quarter and 36-16 by halftime. The Knights cruised to victory and a berth in the WPIAL 4A title game, which they won over Quaker Valley.
Vinnie DeFelice led the Knights with 17 points while Derek Lang and Finucan scored 15 points each and Roman DeFelice added 13 points in the win.
Fredericks again paced the Trojans with 22 points.
Both teams picked up double-digit wins over District 10 foes in the opening round of the PIAA postseason Friday.
WPIAL champion Knoch won at home over Girard, 46-30.
Finucan led the way again for the Knights with 18 points, Lang had 12 and Vinnie DeFelice added 10 points.
North Catholic won on the road at Sharon, 64-52.
Jude Rottmann paced the Trojans with 21 points, Fredericks had 16, Brandon Pickett scored 12 and Jake Olkowski chipped in 10 points.
Here are the other two second-round games, one involving a WPIAL and one a City League boys 4A team.
• Hickory (21-6) vs. Deer Lakes (13-14) at New Castle, 7:30 p.m.
• Obama Academy (17-9) vs. Cathedral Prep (25-1) at Sharon, 7:30 p.m.
Elk hunting
The WPIAL Class A runners-up got off to a good start in the PIAA playoffs, but now they must deal with a fierce beast from the Northeast.
Serra Catholic will take aim at District 9 champion Elk County Catholic at Punxsutawney on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
After falling to Neighborhood Academy in the WPIAL title game, the Eagles flew high in their state playoff lid lifter, beating Bishop Carroll, 68-49.
Tyler Sapida scored 18 and Brayden Graham added 17 points for Serra Catholic, which improved to 15-10 with the win.
Elk County Catholic, now 25-2, smashed Monessen in its first-round win, 61-29.
The Crusaders were led by 13 points from Chase Simbeck.
These Class A powers played each other in the PIAA playoffs four times in a five-year span from 2007-2011.
The Eagles won 65-58 in 2007 and 72-48 in 2008.
The Crusaders were 63-51 winners in 2009 and 58-49 winners in 2011.
Here is the one other state second-round game involving a WPIAL boys Class A team.
• Neighborhood Academy (22-3) vs. Johnsonburg (20-7) at Punxsutawney, 7:30 p.m.
WPIAL vs City
There were only four girls Class 6A teams from the region in the state playoffs.
Norwin and Upper St. Clair from the WPIAL were bounced in the opening round; now the other two are set to collide.
WPIAL champion Canon-McMillan squares off with City League winner Allderdice at Peters Township at 6 p.m.
The Big Macs are now 22-4 and have won 11 consecutive games, including a 12-point victory over Norwin for their first District 7 crown.
Canon-McMillan struggled out of the gates in the state opener, trailing visiting Governor Mifflin by four points.
The Big Macs fought back in the fourth and eked out the victory over the Mustangs, 48-46.
The Dragons are 20-6 and have won seven straight, including a 37-point triumph over Obama Academy in the District 8 title game.
In the first round of the PIAA playoffs, the ‘Dice rolled past 2025 state runner-up Upper St. Clair, 49-42.
Bailey White led the Dragons with 22 points.
Top Dawgs vs. Fightin’ Cats
They have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in WPIAL Class 3A girls basketball for most of the second half of the season.
These two section chamions were the top two seeds in the WPIAL 3A playoffs, yet they have not met this season.
Now they will face each other with a berth in the state quarterfinals at stake as Shady Side Academy (24-2) goes up against Beaver Falls (24-2) at Hampton at 7 p.m.
After winning their second District 7 title in the last three years, the Bulldogs struggled in the first round of the state postseason.
SSA jumped out to a big lead, but then lost senior big Cassie Sauer to injury and the game shifted toward Marion Catholic.
After scoring 19 points in the opening quarter, Shady Side Academy was held to 18 points in the second and third quarters combined.
Regulation ended with the score tied 51-51, but the Bulldogs outscored the Stingers 12-3 in overtime to pull away for the win, 63-54.
Karis Thomas once again led the way for SSA with 22 points.
The Tigers, who lost to Greensburg Central Catholic in the WPIAL semifinals, were also in a state first-round battle.
The game against visiting Seneca swung back and forth before Beaver Falls came back in the fourth quarter to win, 54-52.
Taylor Pullen scored 21 points and Kiyah Tymous added 20 for the winning Tigers.
Here is the one other state second-round game involving a WPIAL girls Class 3A team.
• Greensburg Central Catholic (20-7) vs. Northwestern (22-3) at Sharon, 6 p.m.
Trying to avoid being ‘crushed’
In the history of the program, Chartiers-Houston has reached the PIAA quarterfinals twice, in 2015 and 2018.
In their most recent trip to the state elite eight, the Buccaneers had to avoid being crushed, and they did.
Eight years ago, then WPIAL runner-up Chartiers-Houston defeated then District 6 champion Bishop McCort, 64-51.
On Tuesday, the Buccaneers and Crimson Crushers go at it again at Norwin at 7 p.m.
Chartiers-Houston was very defensive in its PIAA playoff opener against host Kane, holding the District 9 runner-up to single-digit points in three of the four quarters to win 46-29.
Ali Wingard led the Bucs with 15 points and Ava Kolovich added 11 points in the win.
Coming off another District 6 crown, Bishop McCort destroyed visiting Mercer in the state opener, 60-29.
Here are the other two state second-round games involving WPIAL girls 2A teams.
• Neshannock (23-3) vs. Penns Manor (22-5) at Armstrong, 6 p.m.
• Winchester Thurston (22-4) vs. Wilmington (22-4) at New Castle, 6 p.m.
Penguins Cup 2A final four
The PIHL Penguins Cup semifinals week continues Tuesday with a pair of Class 2A games at the RMU Island Sports Complex on Neville Island.
In the opener, No. 1 Hempfield (17-3-1-0) will take on No. 4 Bethel Park (14-5-1-1) at 7 p.m.
Hempfield knocked out defending 2A champion Erie Cathedral Prep in the quarterfinals last week, 4-2.
Nino DiPietro had two assists for the Spartans.
Bethel Park advanced to the semis with an overtime triumph over Bishop McCort, 5-4.
Lukas Crisson scored his second goal of the night at 11:19 of overtime to win it for the Black Hawks.
In the second game, No. 7 Latrobe (8-10-2-1) challenges No. 3 Penn-Trafford (16-5-0-0) at 9 p.m.
Latrobe stunned Armstrong in the quarterfinals, 3-1.
Colton Goodlin and Preston Miller had a goal and an assist to lead the Wildcats to the upset win.
Penn-Trafford doubled up Shaler in a quarterfinals victory, 6-3.
Sean Goodman and Brock Bienemann each tallied two goals and two assists for the Warriors.
Tuesday on Trib HSSN
There are three broadcasts and one podcast you can watch or listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the 10th day of March.
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL basketball Team of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Girls Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Second Round: Neshannock vs. Penns Manor at 6 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIHL Hockey Penguins Cup Playoffs Video Stream – Class 2A Semifinals: Bethel Park vs. Hempfield at 7 p.m. on Tenband TV at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIHL Hockey Penguins Cup Playoffs Video Stream – Class 2A Semifinals: Latrobe vs. Penn-Trafford at 9 p.m. on Tenband TV at TribHSSN.TribLive.com