PLUM: The Plum girls basketball team did not start or finish the game like an 0-7 team.
The Lady Mustangs (1-7) ended two long weeks of frustration with a 69-41 non-section victory over Yough Saturday afternoon.
"We've been in a lot of close ones," Plum coach Rich Mull said. "We really needed a win."
Plum sophomore guard Lauren Kettering scored 12 of her game-high 23 points in the first quarter as the Lady Mustangs broke out to a 25-10 lead.
Plum sophomore Marrissa Reinhard added 18 points and senior Carlie Muldowney threw in 11 points.
Jenny Cochenour scored 20 points and teammate Lindsay Proctor added 19 for Yough (4-3).
The Lady Mustangs return to action in the first game of a doubleheader Friday at Plum. The Plum girls play Oakland Catholic at 6 p.m. followed by the Plum boys game against Central Catholic at 7:30 p.m.
Section 4-A
St. Joseph 44, Mt. Alvernia 41 - At Valley Middle School, St. Joseph (3-3, 1-1) took top-ranked Mt. Alvernia down to the wire. St. Joseph sophomore guard Kelsey Hardaway scored 13 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked five shots and freshman Betta Levri was another defensive standout with six steals while guarding Mt. Alvernia's junior guard Leanne Wisniewski. Levri, who scored 12 points, held Wisniewski to six points. Levri also dished five assists.
BoysNon-section
Valley 82, Lester B. Pearson (Canada) 44 - At Valley, Vikings seniors Chris Miller and Steve Ross combined for 47 points in the exhibition victory over their high school opponent from Burlington, Canada.
Valley broke out to a 24-8 first-quarter lead, and played its jayvee team most of the second half.
"We actually came out pretty flat, but the team picked it up," Valley coach Vern Benson said. "Once they started to play, it was pretty much a runaway."
Benson said he agreed to play the exhibition game after meeting Lester B. Pearson coach Rich McCarthy at a Pitt basketball camp.
Ross, a 6-foot-6 forward, canned 12 baskets to lead Valley with 24 points.
"Steve did his thing rebounding and putting the ball back in the hole," Benson said.
Miller threw in 11 baskets and hit a free thrown to account for his 23 pointes.
"The key is our transition game," Benson said, noting sophomore guard Ian Benson had seven assists.
"Ian is having a good year putting the ball in the right hands," coach Benson said.
The Valley coach described his locker room as "businesslike" after the victory, the sixth of the season against one loss.
"It's totally different this season," coach Benson said. "If you see us after a game, you'd have to say our guys are on a mission. We don't celebrate like we've won a championship or anything. It's still pretty much business as usual.
"Obviously, to be 6-1 is a joy," he said. "But we still have some goals left."
Valley resumes section play 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kittanning.
Cheswick Christian Academy 51, Imani Christian Academy 27 - Senior Nate Davis scored 27 points and moved to within 29 points of the Cheswick Christian Academy record of 1,287 career points held by former player Jason Ortlip. Also for Cheswick (2-4, 1-0), which won its conference opener, Jake and Steve Holeczy each scored eight points. The Cheswick defense shut out Imani in the first quarter.
Cheswick returns to action 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Winchester Thurston.
WrestlingHampton 12-team Tournament
Highlands finished fourth for its highest finish in two years in the two-day tournament.
Highlands heavyweight Aaron Boyko wrapped up the tournament with a 5-1 record including five pins.
Nathan Tomporoski, the Golden Rams 215-pound competitor, also built a 5-1 record with a pair of pins.
Highlands won two matches Friday, a 36-36 decision over Moon which the Golden Rams won on criteria, and a 44-36 victory over Slippery Rock.
Highlands finished 2-2 in four matches Saturday, starting with a 65-9 loss to South Side Beaver. Highlands defeated Keystone Oakes, 48-27, in the fourth round.
The Golden Rams defeated Keyston Oaks, 45-18, in the fifth round and closed the day with a 54-15 loss to Mt. Lebanon which dropped Highlands into fourth.
Highlands resumes dual meet action 7 p.m. Wednesday at Plum.
