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GIRLS
PIAA CLASS 6A FIRST ROUND
Teams: 7-2 Norwin Knights (19-5) vs. 6-1 Altoona Lady Lions (20-4)
Site, time: Altoona Area High School Fieldhouse, 6 p.m.
The coaches: Norwin -- Brian Brozeski. Altoona -- Chris Fleegle
Playoff path: Norwin -- def. Hempfield, 57-42, in WPIAL quarterfinals; def. Upper St. Clair, 46-28, in semifinals; lost to Canon-McMillan, 50-38, in WPIAL championship. Altoona -- defeated Williamsport, 57-10, in the District 4-6 semifinals; def. State College in District 4-6 championship, 51-35
Probable starting lineups: Norwin -- G Kylie Rodkey, sr.; G Anna Fraser, sr.; G Elizabeth Yarosik, jr.; G Ava Christopher, sr.; G Aubrey Graney, so. Altoona -- PG Zaelinh Nguyen-Moore, sr.; G Raylin Eyer, jr.; G Samantha Harpster, sr.; F Kendall Cogan, sr.; F Brionna Hudson, so.
Key reserves: Norwin -- G Nia O'Barto, so.; G Lenyn Brozeski, so.; G Giuliana Giannikas, fr. Altoona -- G Achiera Cuspert, sr.; G-F Alannah Heyward, so.
Who they get: The winner plays either District 1 runner-up Pennsbury or District 3 sixth-place finisher Mechanicsburg in the PIAA second round on Tuesday.
Notable: Last season, Altoona defeated Norwin at the AAHS Fieldhouse in the first round of the state playoffs, 49-38. Brionna Hudson scored 22 points in that game. ... Two years ago, Norwin won the WPIAL championship and made it to the PIAA quarterfinals with victories over William Penn and Chartiers Valley, which had beaten Altoona by one point at the Fieldhouse in the first round. ... Altoona lost to Norwin, 62-45, at Hollidaysburg in the first round of the PIAA playoffs in 2019. ... The Lady Lions' last win over Norwin before last year came in the regular season in 2018, 53-52. ... Norwin defeated State College, 50-46, on Dec. 6. ... The Knights split a pair of meetings with Canon-McMillan in the regular season but never led in the WPIAL championship.
PIAA CLASS 3A FIRST ROUND
Teams: 7-6 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers (19-7) vs. 6-1 Central Cambria Lady Devils (20-6)
Site, time: Central Cambria H.S., Ebensburg, 7 p.m.
The coaches: OLSH -- Don Eckerle. Central Cambria -- Brittany Bracken
Playoff path: OLSH -- def. McGuffey, 54-20, in WPIAL first round; lost to Greensburg Central Catholic, 57-42, in quarterfinals; def. Waynesburg Central, 68-51, in consolation first round; lost to Quaker Valley, 41-25, in consolation second round. Central Cambria -- def. Philipsburg-Osceola, 54-10, in the District 6 quarterfinals; def. Penns Valley, 52-37, in the semifinals; def. Cambria Heights, 55-45, in District 6 championship.
Probable starting lineups: OLSH -- G Leah Parker, sr.; G Shae Trombetta, jr.; G Macie Trombetta, fr.; F Lola Garner, sr.; F Rowan Winter, so. Central Cambria -- PG Alaina Long, sr.; G Paige Alexander, so.; F Katie George, jr.; F Rowyn Ruddek, jr.; F Gianna Grimaldi, so.
Key reserves: OLSH -- G Camryn Hummel, sr.; G Jules Goshen, fr. Central Cambria -- F Camryn Matlin, jr.; G Makenzie Hite, so.; G Delaney Snyder, fr.
Who they get: The winner will play either District 9 champion Karns City or WPIAL fourth-place finisher Seton La Salle on Tuesday in the PIAA second round.
Notable: Central Cambria defeated Keystone Oaks in this round last year before beating Karns City and then losing to OLSH, 47-43, in the PIAA quarterfinals. OLSH lost to Shady Side Academy, 43-29, in last year's PIAA semifinals. ... Prior to that, the last time the Lady Devils made it to the PIAA playoffs was 2019 when the Lady Red Devils made it all the way to the PIAA semifinals with wins over Brookville, Shady Side Academy and Beaver before falling to Delone Catholic. ... In 1998, after Central Cambria won a District 6 title, the Lady Devils made it to the PIAA quarterfinals with wins over Greenville and Steel Valley before losing to Girard, 42-38, in the quarterfinals. Girard went on to win the PIAA championship. ... OLSH's leading scorer from last year, Claudia Ierullo, scored 17 points against Central Cambria in the win last March, but she has graduated.
Teams: 4-3 Troy Area Trojans (23-4) vs. 6-2 Cambria Heights Lady Highlanders (16-9)
Site, time: Cambria Heights H.S., Patton, 7 p.m.
The coaches: Troy -- Steve Renzi. Cambria Heights -- Eric Thomas
Playoff path: Troy -- def. Wyalusing, 47-33, in District 4 quarterfinals; lost to Loyalsock, 52-30, in semifinals; def. Mount Carmel, 34-26, in consolation. Cambria Heights -- def. Central, 40-31, in the District 6 quarterfinals; def. Marion Center, 35-32, in the semifinals; lost to Central Cambria, 55-45, in District 6 championship
Probable starting lineups: Troy -- G Giana Renzi, jr.; G-F Isabella Renzi, fr.; G-F Kyah Renzo, so.; G-F Raelyn Woodward, so.; C Emma Mickley, jr. Cambria Heights -- PG Kinley Rogal, sr.; G Markie Bender, sr.; G Brienna Kirsch, fr.; F Lilly Karlheim, jr.; F Julia Karlheim, fr.
Key reserves: Troy -- G Haidyn Watson, so. Cambria Heights -- G-F Ava Adams, so.; F Cali Abrams, fr.
Who they get: The winner plays either District 3 champion Trinity or District 12 fifth-place finisher Martin Luther King H.S. on Tuesday in the PIAA second round.
Notable: Cambria Heights lost to WPIAL champion Greensburg Central Catholic as the No. 3 seed out of District 6 last season, 61-31, in a game it trailed by just three at halftime. ... Kinley Rogal and Markie Bender were the only two current Heights players that played in that game and neither scored. ... Before last season, Cambria Heights was last in the PIAA playoffs in 2020 when it won its first District 6 title since 1984. The Lady Highlanders won a pair of games, including a 53-45 win over Trinity in the second round, but they never got to play their PIAA quarterfinal game when the rest of the postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ... If Cambria Heights wins this year's first-round game, the Lady Highlanders could once again play Trinity in a rematch from 2020. ... Kyah Renzo leads Troy with a scoring average of 12.9 points per game, and team captain Giana Renzi averages 10.7 points per game.
BOYS
PIAA CLASS 1A FIRST ROUND
Teams: 6-2 Bishop Carroll Catholic Huskies (12-13) vs. 7-2 Serra Catholic Eagles (14-10)
Site, time: Serra Catholic H.S., McKeesport, 7 p.m.
The coaches: Bishop Carroll -- Cosie Aliquo. Serra Catholic -- A.J. Corso
Playoff path: Bishop Carroll -- def. Harmony, 71-46, in District 6 quarterfinals; def. Williamsburg, 73-47, in semifinals; lost to Conemaugh Valley, 76-65, in District 6 championship. Serra Catholic -- def. Avella, 74-66, in WPIAL quarterfinals; def. Nazareth Prep, 71-51, in semifinals; lost to The Neighborhood Academy, 60-48, in WPIAL championship
Probable starting lineups: Bishop Carroll -- PG Jace Casses, sr.; G Drew Lucko, sr.; G Joey Phillips, sr.; G-F Ben Kirsch, sr.; G-F Winston Campbell-Hall, so. Serra Catholic -- G Mark Johnson, jr.; G Nate Petty, jr.; G Jacob Jellison, jr.; G Brayden Graham, jr.; F Tyler Sapida, sr.
Key reserves: Bishop Carroll -- G Ryen Myers, fr.; G Avery Conner, jr.; G Jack Tremel, fr. Serra Catholic -- G Kris Sharp, jr.; G Tyler Graham, fr.
Who they get: The winner will play District 9 champion Elk County Catholic or WPIAL third-place finisher Monessen on Tuesday in the PIAA second round.
Notable: Serra Catholic entered the WPIAL playoffs as the No. 6 seed but upset third-seeded Avella and second-seeded Nazareth Prep on its way to the final. ... Bishop Carroll was the fifth seed in the District 6 playoffs, upsetting No. 4 Harmony and No. 1 Williamsburg on its way to the championship game. ... Serra Catholic has eliminated a District 6 team from the state playoffs three years in a row. The Eagles beat United, 75-62, in 2023, topped West Branch, 75-67, in 2024 and downed Saint Joseph's Academy, 61-49, last year. ... Serra Catholic also eliminated Bishop Guilfoyle, 50-46, in the 2008 state playoffs. ... Bishop Carroll is back in the state playoffs after missing them last year. The Huskies made it to the PIAA semifinals for the fifth time in 2024 and knocked off WPIAL teams The Neighborhood Academy and Union on their way there. ... Brayden Graham is averaging a team-best 16.4 points per game for Serra Catholic.
-- Compiled by Michael Boytim