When Beaver Falls lost at Neshannock by 30 points three weeks ago, the Tigers struggled offensively as they were held to a season low in points.
“We are a running team and I just think we weren’t able to get anything going,” Beaver Falls coach Dom Henderson said.
But in the rematch Thursday, Beaver Falls finally got going, so much so that the Tigers not only won the game but also grabbed a share of their first section title in 16 years.
Dreavan Haskins scored a game-high 15 points and Beaver Falls used a strong start to propel the Tigers to a 48-38 win against visiting Neshannock in Class 3A Section 1.
In doing so, Beaver Falls (14-6, 8-2) and Neshannock (15-6, 8-2) split the section title. While it’s the fourth season in a row that Neshannock has won a section title (the Lancers have split one each time), it’s the first for Beaver Falls since 2008. Neshannock had beaten Beaver Falls, 70-40, Jan. 15.
“It’s huge for the program, huge for the school, but also huge for the girls,” said Henderson, who is in his fourth season. “We’ve got two seniors that have been here for four years working hard to try to win a section title, and to be able to do it is huge.”
Beaver Falls raced to a 14-2 lead Thursday just over five minutes into the game. The Tigers stretched their advantage to 14 points by the end of the quarter and by halftime they led, 30-11. Neshannock, which had won four in a row and 12 of 13, pulled within nine points after three quarters but didn’t have enough time to complete the comeback.
“I definitely wasn’t expecting that,” Henderson said of his team’s big start. “I told them I wanted them to do that, but it wasn’t the expectation.”
Avina Norman added 14 points for Beaver Falls and Taylor Pullen 11, while Neshannock got 12 points from Payton Newman and 11 from Kaitlyn Fries.
Norman and teammate Cali Legzdin were honored on senior night.
“Both of them played really well,” Henderson said. “Cali only played with one hand because she hurt her other one in our previous game. She played well for playing with one hand.”
Other girls games
• Payton Collins had 19 points and Mt. Lebanon (11-10, 7-5) ended a two-game losing streak with a 52-42 win at Chartiers Valley (14-6, 7-5) in Class 6A Section 2. Mt. Lebanon held a 16-7 scoring edge in the second quarter. Emma Reynolds paced Chartiers Valley with 17 points.
• North Hills (13-8, 10-2) captured a share of a section title for the first time since 1980 by winning at Hampton, 55-49, in Class 5A Section 2. Freshman Delaney Amato scored 11 points for North Hills, which will split the title with Armstrong. Hampton (11-10, 6-6) won at North Hills, 48-17, Jan. 15.
• Maddy Roberts scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to help Trinity (17-5, 8-2) claim a share of the Class 5A Section 4 title with a 32-29 win at Lincoln Park (19-2, 8-2). Maddy Syka scored 11 points for Lincoln Park, which rallied from 14 points down a month ago to win at Trinity.
• In a must-win game for both teams, Moon (14-8, 4-6) led by nine points at the half and held on for a 46-43 win against visiting Montour (8-13, 3-7) to earn the final playoff spot in Class 5A Section 4. Jaedin Griggs led Moon with 17 points.
• Bella Antonacci drilled five 3-pointers and scored 16 of her 20 points in the first half to lead host Indiana (16-5, 11-1) to the outright Class 5A Section 1 title after a 49-34 win against Plum (13-8, 9-3). Plum got a team-high 11 points from Megan Marston.
• North Catholic (14-6, 12-0) finished section play unbeaten for the eighth consecutive season by winning at Knoch (12-9, 7-5), 56-29, in Class 4A Section 1. Freshman Lauren Reitz led the Trojanettes with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Alayna Rocco added 16 points.
• Kaley Rohanna went 10 of 10 from the free-throw line and scored a team-high 19 points to help Waynesburg (19-2, 9-1) earn a split of the Class 3A Section 4 title courtesy of a 47-43 win at Brownsville (12-9, 5-5). Skyler Gates led Brownsville with 29 points. Waynesburg splits the title with South Park.
• Buffalo recruit Mallory Daly pumped in 28 points for Seton LaSalle (12-7, 6-3), but it wasn’t enough as Rebecca Goetz and Greta O’Brien scored 14 points apiece to lead visiting Avonworth (19-1, 10-0) to a 54-42 win in Class 3A Section 2. The Antelopes have won 13 games in a row.
• The sensational sophomore duo of Maggie Spell and Karis Thomas helped Shady Side Academy (18-2, 10-0) win its 12th game in a row, 82-31, at Ligonier Valley (5-16, 2-8) in Class 3A Section 3. Spell scored 28 points and Thomas added 25.
• Greensburg Central Catholic (16-5, 12-0) finished as unbeaten Class 2A Section 3 champions after a 69-20 win against visiting Winchester Thurston (10-10, 6-4). Erica Gribble scored a game-high 25 points for the Centurions, who held a 45-9 lead at the half.
• Fort Cherry (17-4, 9-1) clinched a share of a section title for the first time since 2012 courtesy of a 53-14 home win against Sto-Rox (4-18, 0-10) in Class 2A Section 2. Katie Blickenderfer scored a team-best 13 points for the Rangers, who split the title with Burgettstown.
• Despite playing the final 6:20 with just four players, Jeannette (8-8, 3-4) won at Leechburg (8-10, 3-5), 35-31, in Class 1A Section 3. Venicia Vignoli made five 3-pointers among her 21 points for Jeannette. The Jayhawks dressed only five players and one of them fouled out.
Boys games
• Elijah Guillory pumped in 32 points and Moon (18-3, 10-0) capped a perfect section season by thumping visiting Mars (10-12, 4-6), 74-48, in Class 5A Section 4. Ryan Ceh scored 20 points for Mars (10-12, 4-6), which also has clinched a playoff berth.
• Meleek Thomas scored 25 points and Brandin Cummings chipped in 22 to push host Lincoln Park (17-3, 11-0) to an 89-26 win against Ambridge (6-16, 3-9) in Class 4A Section 2. Lincoln Park has won nine consecutive games, scoring at least 82 points in its past seven games.
• Courtney Wallace’s latest triple-double (20 points, 12 rebounds, 10 steals) propelled host Neighborhood Academy (16-5, 8-2) to a 69-26 win against Summit Academy (4-12, 2-8) in Class 1A Section 3. The Bulldogs have won 10 of their past 11 games.
Three stars
*** — Rakiyah Porter, California. Porter scored 22 points, including the 1,000th of her career, to help California (10-11, 7-5) to a 71-43 home win against Frazier (5-16, 2-10) in Class 2A Section 4. Teammate Haley Gibson added a career-high 29 points.
** — Shaye Bailey, Freedom. Bailey scored all 30 of her points in the first half while leading Freedom (12-10, 9-3) to a 69-22 win against visiting New Brighton (0-19, 0-12) in Class 2A Section 1.
* — Kelly Cleaver, Union. Cleaver’s 20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks led host Union (16-5, 6-0) to its 11th consecutive win, 59-23, at Eden Christian (8-12, 1-5) in Class 1A Section 1.
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Venicia Vignoli, Jeannette, 5; Karis Thomas, Shady Side Academy, 5; Marlee Miller, Ligonier Valley, 4; Courtney Wallace, Neighborhood Academy, 4; Alayna Rocco, North Catholic, 4; Jared Astorino, Ambridge, 3; Emma Reynolds, Chartiers Valley, 3; Claire Noble, Ellwood City, 3; Rhaki Lum, Lincoln Park, 3; Payton Collins, Mt. Lebanon, 3; Kedon Gilmore, Neighborhood Academy, 3; Maggie Spell, Shady Side Academy, 3; Austin Hindman, Summit Academy, 3.
Boys scores
Avonworth 80, Brentwood 45
Lincoln Park 89, Ambridge 26
Moon 74, Mars 48
Neighborhood Academy 69, Summit Academy 26
Girls scores
Avonworth 54, Seton LaSalle 42
Beaver Falls 48, Neshannock 38
Blackhawk 63, Beaver 32
Burgettstown 58, Carlynton 7
Burrell 56, Deer Lakes 28
California 72, Frazier 41
Central Valley 47, Quaker Valley 43
Elizabeth Forward 72, West Mifflin 33
Ellwood City 52, Laurel 22
Fort Cherry 53, Sto-Rox 14
Freedom 69, New Brighton 22
Geibel Catholic 49, Jefferson-Morgan 25
Greensburg Central Catholic 69, Winchester Thurston 20
Indiana 49, Plum 34
Jeannette 35, Leechburg 31
Latrobe 58, Penn-Trafford 39
Mars 59, New Castle 32
McGuffey 72, Charleroi 49
Monessen 59, Avella 37
Moon 46, Montour 43
Mt. Lebanon 52, Chartiers Valley 42
North Hills 55, Hampton 49
Oakland Catholic 63, McKeesport 47
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 67, South Allegheny 13
Rochester 49, South Side 37
Serra Catholic 87, Ellis School 21
Shady Side Academy 82, Ligonier Valley 31
South Park 41, Yough 26
Thomas Jefferson 63, Connellsville 42
Trinity 32, Lincoln Park 29
Union 59, Eden Christian 23
Washington 46, Beth-Center 42
Waynesburg 47, Brownsville 43
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.