Derry Area boys claim section title

For the first time in nearly 70 years, Derry Area boys basketball reigns supreme atop the section. The Trojans claimed the Class 4A Section 3 crown with a 55-48 overtime victory at Elizabeth Forward last Friday, the first section title since 1957. As a result, DA finished 10-2 in section play, one game ahead of both the Warriors and Belle Vernon Area. In the triumph, Stanley Rajkovich poured in 26 points, while Logan Irvin sealed the win by scoring the final six points in the extra period. Daniel Spence and Tyler Basic scored 18 and 17 points, respectively, for EF. Derry Area, which is 15-6 overall, has captured seven wins in a row.

Wildcats skate to victory, clinch playoffs

Greater Latrobe hockey claimed a 4-1 home win against Bishop McCort last Thursday, securing a playoff spot in the process. Playing at the Kirk Nevin Arena in Greensburg, the Wildcats broke a scoreless tie by netting three goals in the second period. Cam Mikulsky opened the scoring approximately six minutes into the stanza, and Preston Miller and Colton Goodlin followed with a pair of goals in the next two minutes. Although Zakhar Bryndin pulled the Crimson Crushers within two goals in the third, Miller tallied again to clinch the victory for GL. Additionally, Reese Myers registered 27 saves in the victory for the Wildcats. With the triumph, Greater Latrobe moved to 6-9-2-1, and with 23 points, the Wildcats sit in seventh place in the PIHL Class AA.

Hempfield’s DiPietro earns PIHL honors

Hempfield Area’s Nino DiPietro received a significant honor last week, as he was recognized as the PIHL Class AA Player of the Month for January. In three games last month, DiPietro tallied eight goals and three assists. The Spartans won all three games in lopsided fashion, blasting Cathedral Prep 6-0, Bethel Park 8-0, and Bishop McCort 11-4. The Spartans pace Class AA with a mark of 15-2-1-0.

Bearcats MBB surges in standings

The Saint Vincent College men’s basketball team continued its winning ways last week, as the Bearcats claimed lopsided victories against Waynesburg University and Thiel College. On Wednesday, homestanding SVC smashed the Yellow Jackets 92-53, as four different Bearcats scored in double figures, led by Jaden Gales with 17 points and Dev Ostrowski with 16 points. Three days later, the Bearcats cruised to an 87-65 triumph on the road against the Tomcats. In that victory, Gales tallied 24 points, while Terek Crosby scored 11, and Mike Iuzzolino and Jevontae Jones each added 10 points. As a result of their seven-game winning streak, the Bearcats ascended to 14-7 overall, including 9-3 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). The Bearcats are tied with Washington & Jefferson College and Chatham University atop the PAC South Division standings.