WPIAL scoring queen Iyanna Wade was held to one-point below her season average Friday in her team’s latest win, but this was anything but your average Clairton victory.
Wade scored 39 points to help Clairton win a PIAA playoff game for the first time since 2005 after the Bears, the sixth-place finisher from the WPIAL, went on the road and beat District 9 champion Redbank Valley, 55-51, in a PIAA Class 2A first-round game.
Clairton (20-6) had not won a PIAA game since a 63-48 first-round win against Clarion 19 years earlier. The Bears lost in the second round that season and dropped first-round games in both 2007 and 2020.
“This feels great,” Wade said. “I made some goals, like winning a playoff game for the first time since I’ve been in high school, so to get a state playoff win is huge.”
Wade, a junior guard who averages 40 points a game, lifted her season point total to 1,052 and her career total to 2,122. However, it came with her father, Clairton coach Carlton Wade, watching from home. Carlton Wade said he was suspended for two games following an incident after Clairton’s loss at Rochester in the WPIAL fifth-place consolation game Feb. 27. Wade said he was punished for making threats to a referee, allegations he said are false. He said he hopes to appeal. Assistant coach Andre Wiggins took over the coaching duties Friday.
Iyanna Wade said she can’t remember the last time her dad wasn’t at one of her games.
“It was so much different,” she said. “He’s my dad and he’s my coach. It was definitely tough on me and my teammates, but I thought we handled it well.”
Clairton led, 36-24, at the half before Redbank Valley (20-6) stormed back to take a 49-46 lead midway through the fourth quarter. That’s when Wade came through in the clutch by scoring Clairton’s final nine points, including the go-ahead bucket with just under two minutes left.
Keira Brown added 10 points for Clairton, while Kira Bonanno led Redbank Valley with 15.
Other Class 2A
• Erica Gribble’s 20 points helped WPIAL champion Greensburg Central Catholic (21-6) coast to a 59-27 home win against District 6 fourth-place finisher Bellwood-Antis (15-11). Mya Morgan tacked on 16 points for the Centurions, who held a 24-12 lead at the half. The Centurions advanced to the semifinals a season ago.
• Gianna Gallucci’s 25 points helped District 6 third-place finisher Bishop McCort (25-2) win at WPIAL runner-up Serra Catholic, 61-55. Serra led, 35-32, at the half before being outscored, 19-8, in the third quarter. Bri Battles scored 14 points for Serra, which lost in the first round for the second consecutive season.
• Aliquippa (22-5), the WPIAL’s third-place finisher, fell behind by 10 points at the half and went on to lose on the road to District 6 runner-up Portage (24-3), 53-41. Aunesty Johnson scored a game-high 18 points for Aliquippa, which was seeking its first PIAA win since 1996. The Quips also lost in the first round last season.
• Layke Fields scored 27 points to propel defending champion and District 10 winner Kennedy Catholic (21-4) to a 68-24 home triumph against WPIAL seventh-place finisher Fort Cherry (19-8). Raney Staub scored a team-best 16 points for Fort Cherry, which was appearing in the PIAA playoffs for the first time since losing in the Class 1A quarterfinals in 2012.
• South Side (16-11), the fourth-place finisher from the WPIAL, captured its first PIAA win since 2004 following a 34-33 win at District 10 runner-up Maplewood (21-5). Maplewood missed two shots in the final seconds that would have put the Tigers ahead.
Class 6A
• Gemma Walker scored 30 points and Natalie Wetzel added 21 as WPIAL third-place finisher Peters Township (24-2) used a big second half to roll to a 69-49 win at District 3 third-place finisher Lebanon (22-4). Peters Township led, 23-20, at the half before outscoring Lebanon, 46-29, in the second half. It was the first PIAA win for the Indians since winning the title in 2019.
• Lauren Palangio’s 14 points propelled WPIAL champion Norwin (22-3) to its 13th win in a row, 54-29, against visiting District 3 seventh-place finisher William Penn (16-11). Ava Kobus chipped in 13 points for the Knights, who held a 33-10 advantage at the half. The Knights reached the semifinals a season ago.
• WPIAL runner-up North Allegheny (23-3) led by 25 points at the half and rolled into the second round for the 10th time in 11 seasons courtesy of a 57-23 win against visiting District 10 champion Erie (17-8). Caroline Henderson knocked down five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points for the Tigers, who also got 11 points apiece from Kellie McConnell and Grace Heliger.
• Lilah Turnbull scored 18 points to help Chartiers Valley (17-8), the WPIAL’s fourth-place finisher, upset host and District 6 champion Altoona (20-5), 44-43. Altoona misfired on a pair of shot attempts in the closing seconds. Emma Reynolds added 15 points for the Colts, who led by 13 points at the half.
Class 3A
• Karis Thomas poured in 27 points as WPIAL champion Shady Side Academy (25-2) avoided the upset by defeating District 3 third-place finisher River Valley (20-8), 55-50, at Avonworth. Maggie Spell added 16 points for the Bulldogs, who have won 19 games in a row. Ava Persichetti scored 27 points for River Valley, last season’s PIAA runner-up.
• Greta O’Brien’s 25 points vaulted WPIAL runner-up Avonworth (23-2) to a 54-40 home win against District 10 third-place finisher Wilmington (20-6). Avonworth held a 24-17 halftime advantage. Rebecca Goetz chipped in 13 points for the Antelopes, who have won 17 of their last 18 games and advanced to the second round for the second season in a row.
• Behind strong performances from Payton Newman (24 points) and Jaidon Nogay (20 points), WPIAL third-place finisher Neshannock (19-8) kept its season alive by winning at District 5 runner-up Chestnut Ridge (13-13), 72-62. Neshannock, the PIAA runner-up in 2021 and champion in 2022, led by two points both at the half and after three quarters.
• Mallory Daly scored 25 points and WPIAL sixth-place finisher Seton LaSalle (16-10) used a big second half to beat District 9 champion Karns City (18-9), 66-46, for its second first-round win in three years. Tiara Curry added 21 points and Addie Lonergan 16 for the visiting Rebels, who outscored Karns City, 42-24, in the second half after leading by just two points at the half.
Class 1A
• In the only Class 1A game of the night, WPIAL fifth-place finisher Monessen (19-7) saw its season end following a 45-16 loss at District 9 champion Elk County Catholic (26-2). Madison Johnson scored a team-best six points for Monessen, which was eliminated in the first round for the third consecutive season. Lucy Klawuhn paced Elk County Catholic with 12 points.
Scores
Class 6A
Chartiers Valley 44, Altoona 43
North Allegheny 57, Erie 23
Norwin 54, William Penn 29
Peters Township 69, Lebanon 49
Class 3A
Avonworth 54, Wilmington 40
Mercyhurst Prep 40, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 37
Neshannock 72, Chestnut Ridge 62
Northwestern 67, Keystone Oaks 47
Seton LaSalle 66, Karns City 46
Shady Side Academy 55, River Valley 50
Westmont Hilltop 57, Beaver Falls 36
Class 2A
Bishop McCort 61, Serra Catholic 55
Clairton 55, Redbank Valley 51
Everett 36, Rochester 35
Greensburg C.C. 59, Bellwood-Antis 27
Kennedy Catholic 68, Fort Cherry 24
Marion Center 54, Winchester Thurston 33
Portage 53, Aliquippa 41
South Side 34, Maplewood 33
Class 1A
Elk County Catholic 45, Monessen 16
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.