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Feb. 27—Conference championship Saturday will include high school boys and girls basketball title games in three area leagues.
The title games include:
LHAC Girls Championship
At Central Cambria High School, 1 p.m.
Top-seeded, undefeated Forest Hills (15-0) will face second-seeded Bishop McCort Catholic (13-3). A new champion will be crowned because Bishop McCort defeated defending champ Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic 56-49 on Thursday.
Forest Hills won 44-27 over Westmont Hilltop, which entered the conference semifinal round after fourth-seeded Cambria Heights opted out as a precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coach Carol Cecere’s Rangers beat coach John Hahn’s Crimson Crushers twice during the regular season — 60-50 on Jan. 18 and 66-45 on Feb. 17.
The Rangers have a strong senior group, with Jordyn Smith (18.5 ppg.), Paige Debias (10.9 ppg.), Taylor Burda (8.5 ppg.) and Madeline Cecere (8.7 rpg., 6.1 ppg., 4.9 apg., 2.0 spg.) among the leaders.
“When these seniors first came in as freshmen (assistant coach) Scott Lashinsky would say, ‘What do you think about these girls?’ I said, ‘They’re better collectively,’ ” Coach Cecere said. “We’re just trying to play some inspired basketball right now.”
Forest Hills won the LHAC title in 2017 (against Bishop McCort) and in 2012.
Bishop McCort Catholic has won five LHAC titles (1996, 2008, 2009, 2015 co-champs, 2016) and had three runner-up finishes (2010, 2017, 2018).
The underclassmen-heavy Crimson Crushers are led by juniors Lexi Martin (16.8 ppg.) and Bailey Shriver (10.8 ppg., 6.2 apg., 4.5 spg.), sophomore Bria Bair (9.2 ppg., 10.9 rpg.), junior Ally Stephens (8.0 ppg.) and senior Ally Diamond (6.2 ppg., 7.8 rpg.).
“Hopefully we’re ready to take the next step,” McCort’s Hahn said. “I think the four seniors makes Forest Hills a special team. Carol’s daughter, Maddie Cecere, she doesn’t even have to score. Offensively and defensively, she’s got everybody in the right position. She’s the coach on the floor.
“They distribute the basketball. They move the basketball. They don’t care who scores as long as somebody scores. They’re a nice team.”
LHAC Boys Championship
At Central Cambria High School, 4 p.m.
Top-seeded, defending LHAC boys champion Greater Johnstown (13-1) will meet second-seeded Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic (13-3) at 4 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s dramatic title game.
In that contest, Trojans senior Gershon Simon hit a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left to give Johnstown a 52-51 victory.
This season, Greater Johnstown opened with a loss to Berlin Brothersvalley (81-75) on Jan. 26, but has won 13 consecutive games, including a 69-57 battle against the Marauders on Jan. 29 in Altoona.
Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic is on an eight-game winning streak. Coach Chris Drenning’s Marauders will make their sixth straight trip to the LHAC title game after winning in 2019 and 2018, and finishing as runner-up in 2020, 2017 and 2016.
Bishop Guilfoyle has height with 6-7 Cameron Khoza, 6-9 Michael Woolridge, 6-4 Matt Woolridge and 6-3 Andrew Yanoshak.
Greater Johnstown has won six LHAC crowns (2020, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2006, 2004) and finished second after a loss to Bishop Guilfoyle in 2018.
“The good thing is our guys have been through this situation,” Greater Johnstown coach Ryan Durham said. “They’re into their third year. We have a good senior group.
“All of them have participated in the Laurel Highlands playoffs or championships. They’re a veteran team. They know what it takes to not only get here but to win it.”
Senior Joziah Wyatt-Taylor (26.6 ppg., 14.2 rpg.) has 975 career points. Drezyre Toney (14.8 ppg.), Isaiah Matula (12.4 ppg.), Saveon Holliday (10.7 ppg.) and Omarion Harris (8.1 apg.) are key contributors.
WestPAC Girls Championship
At Windber High School, 2 p.m.
Two top seeds, Shanksville-Stonycreek (18-3) of the South Section and Windber (16-1) of the North will clash.
This will be the second Saturday in a row the teams meet. The Vikings edged the host Ramblers 47-45 last week in a regular season game — Windber’s lone loss.
Shanksville will make its third consecutive trip to the conference title game after losses to Portage (56-48) last season and Windber (37-32) in 2019.
“Our girls are hungry,” Vikings coach Robert Snyder said after a semifinal win over Portage on Thursday. “They’ve had that bad taste in their mouth of losing it a couple times in a row. So, why not go seize the moment?”
Shanksville is led by junior cousins Josie Snyder and Rylee Snyder. Both of the Snyder girls surpassed the 1,000-point milestone last week. Bob Snyder, who previously coached the Vikings boys program to success, is Josie’s father and Rylee’s uncle.
The Vikings never have won a WestPAC crown.
Windber will play the role as title-game host. The Ramblers previously won the WestPAC in 2019 and 2011, and finished second in 2018. Coach Cory Pavlosky’s team will make its third trip to the final in four years.
“We know it will be a close game that will come down to the end, and we are excited for the chance to play them again on our home floor,” Pavlosky said after a 48-42 semifinal win over Berlin Brothersvalley on Thursday.
The Ramblers are led by junior Gina Gaye (12.5 ppg., 3.7 apg.) and senior Amanda Cominsky (12.1 ppg., 11.9 rpg.).
WestPAC Boys Championship
At Windber High School, 4:30 p.m.
Another match of section winners pairs the North’s Portage (17-1) against the South’s Berlin Brothersvalley (21-1).
Portage will make its first WestPAC championship game appearance. Defending champion Berlin Brothersvalley is in its second title game.
The Mountaineers have 16 consecutive wins since a 62-55 loss to WPIAL Class 5A Norwin on Jan. 16.
Seniors Elijah Sechler (20.3 ppg., 5.9 apg.), Abe Countryman (14.1 ppg., 8.4 rpg.) and Will Spochart (10.1 ppg., 5.1 rpg.) have keyed Berlin’s dominant run.
“We have guys that can play,” Berlin coach Tanner Prosser said. “We’re fortunate to have that and have good, competitive practices. Our guys just need to keep pushing each other and keep getting better.”
Portage has five players averaging at least 8.3 points a game in senior Preston Rainey (15.7), junior Kaden Claar (14.7), sophomore Mason Kargo (8.7), sophomore Andrew Miko (8.6) and senior Demetri Miller (8.3).
“When our four seniors were freshmen, we won five games,” Portage coach Travis Kargo said. “As sophomores, they doubled it, from five to 10 wins.
“Last year, we went from 10 to 21 wins. This year, we don’t have as many wins, but we’re 17-1, and hopefully we’re peaking at the right time.”
United (17-4) will travel to undefeated West Shamokin (19-0) for a 7 p.m. title contest.
The Lions edged Penns Manor 56-53 in Thursday’s semifinal round after Ben Tomb (16 points), Austin Kovalcik (13) and Johnny Muchesko (11) each scored in double digits.
United’s lost two previous meetings against West Shamokin — 62-52 on Feb. 22; and 68-50 on Feb. 3.
United is the only area team remaining in Heritage Conference competition.
West Shamokin will travel to Homer-Center for a 5 p.m. girls championship game.
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