Top-seeded Chartiers Valley narrowly defeated fourth-seed Moon Area, 39-37, Tuesday night in the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball semifinals. Chartiers Valley now faces Thomas Jefferson in the finals on Saturday while Moon takes on Hampton Thursday night in the third-place game.
Three West Hills high school wrestlers won gold at the WPIAL championships: Kristen Walzer of Montour, and Haley Smarsh, and Cael Yanek, both from Moon. Others included Liam Costa, who placed second, and three others who finished third or fourth, all advancing to the PIAA Regionals.
Brothers Jackson and Brody Bauman scored a combined 29 points, leading Moon Area to a 57-43 win over Gateway in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals. The victory advances Moon to face Chartiers Valley in the semifinals. In girls play, OLSH triumphed over Waynesburg Central to reach Monday night's fifth-place game.
Saturday's WPIAL Girls Wrestling Championships at Mt. Lebanon High School will feature West Hills athletes Kristen Walzer and Haley Smarsh, both seeking to defend their titles. Class 2A and 3A boys tournaments will get underway Friday and continue Saturday. Carlynton, Montour and Moon wrestlers will partcipate.
Moon Area defeated Penn-Trafford 45-30 in the WPIAL Class 5A tournament, led by Jackson Bauman’s 20 points. Moon, now 19-3, will face Gateway in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Montour fell to Chartiers Valley, Bishop Canevin was upset by Shady Side Academy and Sto-Rox lost to Aliquippa.
Moon Area High School is seeking a new girls varsity basketball coach following Mark Pompeo's resignation after a challenging season, marked by standout guard Jaedin Griggs' injury. Pompeo reflected on the team's growth despite the 7-14 record and appreciated the opportunity to coach.
Three West Hills wrestlers excelled at the WPIAL Class 3A Southern Section meet, with Cael Yanek and Liam Costa of Moon Area and Montour's Jacob Chacon winning their weight classes. Moon had a record 10 qualifiers for the upcoming WPIAL Championships. Four Montour wrestlers qualified in 3A as did one from Carlynton in the Class 2A event.