Thomas Jefferson entered play Thursday with an unbeaten record and the highest-scoring offense in the WPIAL.
The Jaguars exited with their first loss after being limited to just over half of their season average.
Natalie Wetzel scored 22 points and Peters Township was outstanding defensively on its way to a 52-39 win at Thomas Jefferson in a showdown of undefeated WPIAL Class 5A Section 4 foes.
Points were hard to come by for Thomas Jefferson (6-1, 1-1), which had no such problem its first six games, scoring 69 points per game with an average margin of victory of 43.5 points. But against a lengthy Peters Township team featuring the 6-3 Wetzel and 6-3 Daniela Radulovich, the Jaguars had little success.
Thomas Jefferson made only five field goals in the first three quarters, including just two in the second and third quarters when Peters Township (5-0, 1-0) ran its lead to 37-18. The lead grew to 24 points in the fourth quarter before the Jaguars closed the game on a 15-4 run. Maggie Spell, Thomas Jefferson’s top scorer at 19 points per game, finished with a team-best 10 points. Sharpshooting sophomore Kaylee DeAngelo came in averaging 15 points but did not score Thursday before leaving the game in the fourth quarter due to an apparent injury.
“I thought it was a five-girl effort defensively,” Peters Township coach Steve Limberiou said. “Bri Morreale defensively on Kaylee DeAngelo, I thought she was unbelievable. I think she took only two shots. And Natalie, she’s guarded [Upper St. Clair’s] Rylee Kalocay, [Greensburg Central Catholic’s] Erica Gribble and Maggie Spell the last few games, and they are probably shooting under 20% as a collective.”
Wetzel, a Miami recruit, was excellent offensively, as well. She was 12 of 14 from the free-throw line and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. Wetzel scored 10 points in the second quarter when the Indians outscored Thomas Jefferson, 18-7, to take a 26-15 halftime lead. Wetzel is averaging 24.6 points on the season.
“I feel like I’m Mike Tomlin talking about T.J. Watt. I’m running out of good things to say about her,” Limberiou said.
Peters Township also got 12 points off the bench from Alina Sopko, while Morreale added 10.
Other girls games
• Lauren Marton scored 14 points and Kamryn Pieper added 12 to help keep Penn-Trafford (7-0, 1-0) unbeaten with a 57-31 win against visiting Greensburg Salem (3-2, 0-1) in Class 5A Section 2. Blessing Gantt scored nine points to lead the Golden Lions.
• Chartiers Valley (4-2, 1-0) won its fourth straight, 57-33, at West Allegheny (3-1, 0-1) in Class 5A Section 3. Rachel Boehm scored 18 points for the Colts, who led, 11-2, after one quarter and 28-9 at the half.
• Addyson Kranak tallied 15 points and Montour (4-1, 1-0) produced another terrific defensive performance in a 50-29 win against visiting New Castle (4-2, 0-1) in Class 5A Section 3. Montour is allowing only 32.2 points per game. Rihanna Boice led New Castle with 18 points.
• Bethel Park (3-1, 1-0) rallied from 16 points down to beat visiting Trinity (4-1, 0-1), 54-52, in Class 5A Section 4. Bethel Park outscored Trinity, 20-6, in the fourth quarter. Ella Sabatos led the Black Hawks with 19 points, while Sadie Orie and freshman Fiona O’Neill each scored 15. Trinity was led by Sutton Williamson’s 19 points.
• Baldwin (3-3) stormed back from a 15-point halftime deficit to defeat visiting Canon-McMillan (3-3), 55-49, in a non-section game. Baldwin trailed, 26-11, at the half before outscoring the Big Macs, 44-23, in the second half. Julianne Ott led Baldwin with 17 points, while Lauren Borella and Sam Miller scored 15 apiece for Canon-McMillan.
• Aubree Hupp poured in a game-high 25 points to help Blackhawk (4-1, 1-0) rally for a 59-44 win at Beaver (3-2, 0-1) in Class 4A Section 2. Beaver held a 25-23 halftime lead before being outscored, 36-19, in the second half. Blackhawk also got 14 points from Andrea Kinger.
• South Park (2-1, 1-0) raced to an 11-point halftime lead before holding on for a 48-46 win against visiting Laurel Highlands (3-1, 0-1) in Class 4A Section 3. Hayley Bennett scored 24 points for South Park, while Sierra Jenkins paced Laurel Highlands with 13.
• Kylie Fruehstorfer scored a game-high 18 points, including the 1,000th of her career, to lead host Union (4-0, 1-0) to a 56-37 win against Aquinas Academy (2-3, 0-1) in Class 1A Section 1. Olivia Benedict had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Union. Carly Bezila led Aquinas Academy with 12 points.
• Iyanna Wade 42 points helped Clairton (3-1, 1-0) win, 69-56, at Serra Catholic (1-5, 0-1) in Class 1A Section 2. The score was tied at the half. Belle Dumbroski led Serra with 24 points. Wade is averaging 41 points and has 2,313 career points.
• Emma Larkin scored nine of her game-high 17 points in the fourth quarter to help Geibel Catholic (7-0, 1-0) stay unbeaten with a 46-27 win against visiting West Greene (4-1, 0-1) in Class 1A Section 2. Kendra Tharp paced West Greene with 13 points.
Boys games
• Playing its first-ever Class 6A section game, Imani Christian (3-0, 1-0) outpaced visiting Canon-McMillan (1-4, 0-1), 71-60, in overtime in Section 2. R.J. Sledge scored 28 points and Kieshaun Demus had 18 for the Saints, winners of the last two PIAA Class 1A titles who have elected to play up this season. Roman Koenemund led Canon-McMillan with 30 points.
• Courtney Wallace’s 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists helped Neighborhood Academy (6-0) capture a 66-60 non-section win at Allderdice (1-3). Syncer Nicholson added 16 points for the Bulldogs, while Lukas Stead led the Dragons with 15.
• Gavin Orosz’s 32 points helped South Fayette (3-0, 1-0) come from behind to notch a 63-48 win at Ringgold (2-2, 0-1) in Class 5A Section 3. South Fayette trailed by a point at the half. Braylen Lomax paced Ringgold with 15 points.
• Owen Dumbroski poured in a game-high 29 points to help Serra Catholic (6-0) remain unbeaten following a 74-48 non-section win at California (1-2). Serra led, 52-27, at the half. Caden Monticelli paced California with 12 points.
Three stars
*** — Natalie Hambly, Seneca Valley. Hambly knocked down eight 3-pointers among her 25 points to vault host Seneca Valley (2-3) to a 56-42 non-section win against Neshannock (4-1).
**— Sydney Strope, Avella. Strope’s 27 points propelled Avella (4-2, 1-0) to a 67-32 win at Mapletown (2-4, 0-1) in Class 1A Section 2.
* — Kya Cooley, Bishop Canevin. Cooley scored 22 points to help Bishop Canevin (4-1, 1-0) begin Class 1A Section 2 play with a 49-26 win at Monessen (2-1, 0-1).
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Natalie Hambly, Seneca Valley, 8; Chatham Knight, Waynesburg, 6; Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union, 5; Carly Bezila, Aquinas Academy, 4; Sam Miller, Canon-McMillan, 4; Hannah Wallace, Eden Christian, 4; Addison Musto, Franklin Regional, 4; Emma Obersteiner, Avonworth, 3; Riley McCabe, Thomas Jefferson, 3.
Boys scores
WPIAL Class 6A
Section 2
Imani Christian 71, Canon-McMillan 60 (OT)
WPIAL Class 5A
Section 3
South Fayette 63, Ringgold 48
WPIAL Class 2A
Section 3
West Greene 54, Carmichaels 27
Non-section
Archbishop Hoban, Ohio 76, North Catholic 53
Neighborhood Academy 66, Allderdice 60
Serra Catholic 74, California 48
Steel Valley 64, Brashear 55
Girls scores
WPIAL Class 5A
Section 1
Franklin Regional 54, Plum 37
Shaler 56, Armstrong 28
Section 2
Latrobe 51, West Mifflin 27
Penn-Trafford 57, Greensburg Salem 31
Section 3
Chartiers Valley 57, West Allegheny 33
Montour 50, New Castle 29
South Fayette 70, Mars 25
Section 4
Bethel Park 54, Trinity 52
Peters Township 52, Thomas Jefferson 39
Uniontown 41, Albert Gallatin 38
WPIAL Class 4A
Section 1
Burrell 51, Highlands 25
Freeport 42, Derry 25
Knoch 56, Valley 30
Section 2
Blackhawk 59, Beaver 44
Hampton 60, Ambridge 31
Section 3
Belle Vernon 41, Ringgold 27
Elizabeth Forward 64, Southmoreland 21
South Park 48, Laurel Highlands 46
Yough 29, Mount Pleasant 27
WPIAL Class 3A
Section 1
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 49, Ellwood City 21
Beaver Falls 47, Quaker Valley 43 (OT)
Riverside 57, Mohawk 27
Section 2
Avonworth 72, Ligonier Valley 14
Deer Lakes 59, East Allegheny 13
Greensburg Central Catholic 75, Steel Valley 13
Shady Side Academy 77, South Allegheny 12
Section 3
Seton LaSalle 60, Keystone Oaks 57
Waynesburg 48, Brownsville 42
WPIAL Class 1A
Section 1
St. Joseph 67, Western Beaver 13
Sewickley Academy 32, Eden Christian 30
Springdale 54, Leechburg 31
Union 56, Aquinas Academy 37
Section 2
Avella 67, Mapletown 32
Bishop Canevin 49, Monessen 26
Clairton 69, Serra Catholic 56
Geibel Catholic 46, West Greene 27
Non-section
Aliquippa 44, Obama Academy 35
Baldwin 55, Canon-McMillan 49
Beaver County Christian 43, Shenango 37
Bentworth 45, Northgate 8
Ellis School 40, Westinghouse 9
Fort Cherry 34, Chartiers-Houston 28
Frazier 47, Carmichaels 31
Propel Braddock Hills 43, Nazareth Prep 14
Rochester 60, South Side 42
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.