Saturday PIAA boys basketball rundown: Bobby Fadden powers Mohawk to win, becomes school's all-time leading scorer; Northgate wins on buzzer-beater

Saturday’s PIAA playoff opener was a memorable one for Mohawk’s Bobby Fadden.

Not only did Fadden help the Warriors win a state playoff game for only the fifth time in school history, but he also became the school’s all-time leading scorer after breaking a record that had stood for 50 years.

Fadden scored a game-high 25 points to drive WPIAL third-place finisher Mohawk to a 72-59 home win against District 5 runner-up Chestnut Ridge in a PIAA Class 3A first-round game.

After scoring 20-plus points for the fifth time in five postseason games, Fadden moved to the top of the Mohawk record book. A 6-foot-2 junior guard, Fadden upped his career total to 1,684 points, surpassing the record previously held by Tim Glass, a 1975 Mohawk graduate who scored 1,661 points. Fadden is averaging 22.4 points per game this season.

Mohawk (21-6) led Chestnut Ridge (17-8), 55-51, after three quarters before outscoring the Lions, 17-8, in the fourth.

Drew Wrona added 18 points and Joey Nail 17 for Mohawk. Wrona knocked down four 3-pointers. Brody Halkovich and Cole Nicodemus scored 14 apiece to lead Chestnut Ridge.

Mohawk, a quarterfinalist a season ago, moves on to face District 6 champion Forest Hills (24-2) in Wednesday’s second round.

Other Class 3A

• Drew Cook scored 22 points and Cameron Epps had 19 to lead WPIAL champion South Allegheny (24-3) to a 75-37 home win against District 9 champ Cranberry (18-8). Josh Jackowski chipped in 13 points for the Gladiators, who have won 11 of their past 12 games. The Gladiators will take on Bishop Guilfoyle in the second round.

• District 6 runner-up Bishop Guilfoyle (23-4) used an early second-half surge to defeat visiting WPIAL fourth-place finisher Bishop Canevin (15-12), 57-38. Canevin trailed, 27-22, at the half, but that deficit grew much bigger after the Marauders scored the first 13 points of the third quarter to extend their lead to 18. Drew Allen led Canevin with 13 points and Lamier Wade added 10.

• Josh Pratt’s 23 points propelled WPIAL runner-up Aliquippa (21-5) to a 73-40 rout of visiting District 3 third-place finisher Westmont Hilltop (18-7). The Quips led, 38-18, at the half. Qa’lil Goode added 19 points for the Quips, who notched the 98th PIAA playoff win in program history. They will face Mercer in the second round.

• WPIAL sixth-place finisher Ellwood City (15-12) fell behind by 15 points at the half and went on to suffer a 65-50 loss at District 10 champion Mercer (14-11). Jayden Amos scored a team-high 13 points for Mercer, which held a 28-13 lead at the half. Chris Smiley led Ellwood City with 15 points and connected on all 3 of the team’s 3-pointers.

Bishop Canevin coach Aaron McGee speaks to his team during Saturday’s 57-38 loss to Bishop Guilfoyle. (Ross Insana/Next Level Creative)

Class 6A

• WPIAL champion Upper St. Clair (24-2) led by 35 points at the half and coasted to a 67-30 win against visiting District 3 eighth-place finisher William Penn (19-10). Upper St. Clair led, 45-10, at the half and 56-17 after three quarters. Tyler Robbins led the Panthers with 15 points, and Jake Foster chipped in 11. The Panthers get Governor Mifflin next.

• Andrew Galantuomo’s 22 points helped District 3 third-place finisher Governor Mifflin (20-8) eliminate visiting WPIAL fourth-place finisher Mt. Lebanon (17-10), 66-54. Governor Mifflin led by 4 points at the half and by 14 after three quarters. Liam Sheely led Mt. Lebanon with 17 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.

• Cumberland Valley (22-5), the seventh-place finisher out of District 3, rallied from a 5-point halftime deficit to win at WPIAL runner-up New Castle (21-5), 51-49. Cumberland Valley held a 30-23 scoring edge in the second half, including a 13-8 advantage in the fourth quarter. Nolan Buzalka led Cumberland Valley with 21 points. Kai Cox paced New Castle with 18 points, with Ralphie Blundo and Damian Harrison adding 9 apiece.

• District 10 champion McDowell (22-4) raced to a 19-point halftime lead and rolled to a 72-40 home win against WPIAL third-place finisher Central Catholic (15-11). Quentin Orlando scored 21 points and Kamden Kramer 18 for McDowell, which led, 37-18, at the half. Xxavier Thomas paced Central Catholic with 14 points.

Class 2A

• Kadenne Kemp scored on a putback just before the buzzer to give WPIAL seventh-place finisher Northgate (16-11) a 71-69 win at District 6 champion Portage (21-6). Portage’s Owen Gouse had tied the score at 69 just seconds earlier. Kemp pumped in 27 points for the Flames, who also got 14 from Ty Daniels. Northgate will play District 9 runner-up Clarion (20-7) in the second round.

• Kymon’e Brown poured in a game-high 20 points and WPIAL champion Jeannette (24-2) used a big second quarter to topple visiting District 10 third-place finisher Mercyhurst Prep (19-8), 61-54. Following a first quarter that saw the teams deadlocked, 10-10, Jeannette outscored the Lakers, 18-11, in the second quarter. Markus McGowen added 14 points for the Jayhawks, including three 3-pointers.

• Liam Gallagher scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to help WPIAL fifth-place finisher Greensburg Central Catholic (24-3) rally for a 54-43 win at District 5 champion McConnellsburg (23-2). Brady O’Rourke added 14 points for the Centurions, who trailed, 23-19, at the half before outscoring McConnellsburg, 35-20, in the second half. The Centurions will meet Neshannock in the second round.

• Matt Sopko and Tony Perrotta scored 16 points apiece to propel WPIAL fourth-place finisher Neshannock (22-4) to a 64-39 win against District 10 runner-up Rocky Grove (21-5) at Oil City. Neshannock led by 7 points at the half before outscoring Rocky Grove, 39-21, in the second half. The Lancers also got 8 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists from Jake Rynd.

• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (20-7), the WPIAL’s sixth-place finisher, rallied back from an early 10-point deficit to win at District 9 champion Redbank Valley (20-6), 62-51. The score was tied, 45-45, with about six minutes left before the Chargers closed the game on a 17-6 run. Vann Kavals paced OLSH with 22 points and Patrick Altmar tacked on 21. The Chargers will get Union in the second round.

• Lucas Grimsley’s 22 points propelled WPIAL third-place finisher Sewickley Academy (21-5) to its first PIAA victory since 2018 following a 64-36 win against visiting District 5 runner-up Windber (23-3). Sewickley led, 23-7, after one quarter and held a 37-14 halftime advantage. The Panthers will take on Lakeview next.

• Chartiers-Houston (20-7), the WPIAL’s eighth-place finisher, gave District 10 champion Lakeview (21-5) a fight before falling to the host Sailors, 49-45. The score was tied, 23-23, at the half and Lakeview held a 37-21 lead after three quarters. Lucas Fagley led Lakeview with 15 points, while Jake Perchinsky paced Chartiers-Houston with 9.

Scoreboard

PIAA Class 6A first round

Cumberland Valley 51, New Castle 49

Governor Mifflin 66, Mt. Lebanon 54

McDowell 72, Central Catholic 40

Upper St. Clair 67, William Penn 30

PIAA Class 3A first round

Aliquippa 73, Westmont Hilltop 40

Bishop Guilfoyle 57, Bishop Canevin 38

Forest Hills 83, Keystone Oaks 58

Mercer 65, Ellwood City 50

Mohawk 72, Chestnut Ridge 59