GIRLS
South Park (7-2) vs. Hollidaysburg (6-1)
CLASS AAA
Records: South Park Lady Eagles (23-3); Hollidaysburg Lady Tigers (16-8)
Site, time: Memorial Field House, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 7:30 p.m., tonight.
The coaches: South Park - Reggie Wells (125-53 in seven years with the South Park girls; 198-116 in 12 years overall). Hollidaysburg - Deanna Jubeck (37-13 in two years).
Playoff path: South Park - defeated Greensburg Salem, 66-33, in the District 7 second round; defeated Canon-McMillan, 62-33, in the District 7 quarterfinals; defeated Blackhawk, 66-59, in the District 7 semifinals; lost to Hopewell, 50-34, in the District 7 championship; defeated Hickory, 46-35, in the PIAA first round. Hollidaysburg - defeated Tyrone, 69-49, in the District 6 championship; defeated Elizabeth Forward, 57-39, in the PIAA first round.
Starting lineups: South Park - G Ashley Mikelonis (30, 5-4 sr., 13.2), G Carly Zandier (11, 5-7 sr., 7.0), G Shelby Lindsay (31, 5-11 jr., 16.3), F Halie Torris (21, 6-0 so., 14.1), C Breana Raymond (34, 5-11 jr., 5.0). Hollidaysburg - G Hannah Mercer (34, 5-7 jr., 6.5), G Rachel McClain (20, 5-4 sr., 6.8), G Susie Ellis (24, 5-6 jr., 9.6), F Alex Gildea (25, 5-8 sr., 15.5), C Morgan Griffith (40, 5-11 jr., 14.3).
Key reserves: South Park - G Amanda Quinn (14, 5-3 so., 2.0), F Samantha Miller (42, 5-8 fr., 1.0). Hollidaysburg - F Courteney Storm (11, 5-8 so., 4.6), G Michele Muir (23, 5-7 jr., 2.6), G Ashley McClain (33, 5-4 fr., 0.9), G Amy Tomassetti (12, 5-5 jr., 2.6).
Who they get: The winner plays the winner of the game between Trinity (3-4) and Archbishop Wood (12-3) on Saturday at a site to be announced.
Notable: Hollidaysburg is in the state second round for the second straight year. The Lady Tigers are looking to advance to the PIAA quarterfinals for the first time since 1994, when it beat North Allegheny before falling to Penn Hills in Class AAAA. South Park was last in the second round of interdistricts in 2008. That is the furthest the Lady Eagles have advanced under Wells, who coached the schools boys team in the late 1990s. ... Wells' son, also named Reggie, has played 112 games in the NFL, starting 91, with the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers since 2003. Wells himself is the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,011 points. ... Muir, who took a fall and temporarily blacked out in Hollidaysburg's first-round game with Elizabeth Forward, is questionable for the game. Griffith averages 11.0 rebounds per game. ... Although she's just a junior, Lindsay already has scored 1,000 career points. ... Hollidaysburg has made 127 3-pointers this year while giving up just 59.
Fort Cherry (7-3) vs. Bishop Guilfoyle (6-1)
CLASS A
Records: Fort Cherry Lady Rangers (24-2); Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic Lady Marauders (24-2)
Site, time: Memorial Field House, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 6 p.m., tonight.
The coaches: Fort Cherry - Bob Miles (236-122 in 14 years). Bishop Guilfoyle - Mark Moschella (476-126 in 20 years).
Playoff path: Fort Cherry - defeated Aliquippa, 68-58, in the District 7 second round; defeated Cornell, 60-26, in the District 7 quarterfinals; lost to Vincentian, 63-57, in the District 7 semifinals; defeated Berlin Brothersvalley, 58-35, in the PIAA first round. Bishop Guilfoyle - defeated Blacklick Valley, 72-22, in the District 6 quarterfinals; defeated Conemaugh Valley, 61-32, in the District 6 semifinals; defeated Homer-Center, 61-48, in the District 6 championship; defeated Saegertown, 45-18, in the PIAA first round.
Starting lineups: Fort Cherry - G Jessie Merckle (23, 5-3 sr., 13.8), G Beka Bellhy (10, 5-5 sr., 19.4), G Kelly Slates (10, 5-5 sr., 4.2), F/G Victoria McGivern (25, 5-6 sr., 3.6), F Carolena Gasbarro (42, 5-10 sr., 15.5). Bishop Guilfoyle - G Kayla Bates (12, 5-8 jr., 12.8), G/F Halee Adams (44, 5-8 jr., 14.3), F Devin Stessney (24, 5-8 jr., 7.8), F Elyssa Ehredt (15, 5-7 jr., 9.5), F Courtney Becker (43, 5-10 sr., 8.0).
Key reserves: Fort Cherry - F Rachel Bellhy (22, 5-9 so., 7.8), F Tina Bellhy (30, 5-6 fr., 1.7), G Jenna Lucas (12, 5-4 so., 2.5). Bishop Guilfoyle - F Kate Meck (23, 5-11 sr., 3.5), G Brit Boslet (22, 5-7 jr., 4.7).
Who they get: The winner plays the winner of the game between Keystone (9-1) and North Catholic (7-2) on Saturday at a site to be announced.
Notable: This is a rematch from last year's PIAA quarterfinals. Guilfoyle is 21-10 in PIAA second-round games and is trying to get to the quarterfinals for the sixth year in a row. Adams, a 1,000-point career scorer who missed the first 14 games this season after knee surgery, is shooting 49.6 percent from the field. Adams and Bates are a combined 79.1 percent from the free throw line. ... Moschella and Miles were the Class A coaches of the year the last two seasons. ... Fort Cherry opened the year with 17 wins before losing to North Catholic, 53-45. Merckle is heading to Wake Forest on a track and field scholarship. Beka Bellhy is a 1,000-point career scorer. ... Rachel Bellhy has missed nine games and her time has been limited in several others because of an ankle injury. ... Gasbarro lost her mother to cancer on the Lady Rangers' senior night.
- Philip Cmor
