After upsetting the No. 1 seed within the WPIAL 3A Ladies’ match, No. 4 Avonworth had the championship inside attain. All that stood in its manner was the highest staff from the opposite aspect of the bracket, the Laurel Spartans.

Fueled by its stout protection – the very best in 3A – Avonworth closed out a 48-40 victory to assert its first WPIAL title since 2005.

Junior Rebecca Goetz and sophomore Greta O’Brien went to work for the Antelopes to assist seal the win and expertise that championship feeling.

“It feels loopy,” O’Brien mentioned. “We’ve been working actually onerous, so it’s actually thrilling.”

“I’m nonetheless wrapping my head round it, it’s loopy,” Goetz added.

Avonworth’s (19-5) championship season began sluggish, however first-year head coach Nick Dizon guided the Antelopes to 12 straight victories to shut out the title run. 

“When the job opened, I used to be actually excited to have the possibility to get it,” Dizon mentioned. “Once I obtained it, I noticed the grit and competitiveness and the need to need to win. Over the course of the yr, issues began to point out and it made me assume we actually have a shot at this.”

Dizon’s defensive philosophy was placed on show as Avonworth (19-5) annoyed a high-scoring Laurel (24-2) within the championship tilt.

“In case you play protection, you’ve got an opportunity to win each recreation,” Dizon mentioned. “Even should you don’t have a terrific capturing evening, we put together scouting experiences and the ladies know them just like the again of their hand. We all know protection typically comes all the way down to the little issues and our women take delight in that.”

The defensive preparation paid off because the Lopes made it troublesome for Laurel to get something going The Spartans struggled to penetrate within the first half together with Avonworth forcing a number of turnovers. 

“They had been very aggressive,” mentioned Laurel head coach Jim Marcantino. “We did a very good job in spurts shifting it, however we had hassle in sure matchups.”

Because the protection swarmed Laurel, on the opposite finish, the offense put collectively two runs to propel the Lopes to a halftime lead. An 11-0 run spanned the again half of the primary quarter into the primary jiffy of the second quarter. 

Laurel made some changes within the locker room and got here out within the second half wanting just like the offensive staff Laurel noticed within the semifinals.

Johnna Hill was instrumental within the Spartan comeback with 4 fast factors within the opening minutes of the second half. Then, Danielle Pontius buried an open three to tie the sport. Laurel would ultimately take its first lead for the reason that first three minutes of the sport. Nevertheless, Avonworth would shortly take the sport again into its palms and wouldn’t look again.

“We knew they had been a 3rd quarter staff,” Goetz mentioned about Laurel. “We anticipated that and had that in our head. We knew that we’re additionally a 3rd quarter staff and we get plenty of power within the third quarter, so we simply stored going.”

Heading down the stretch, Goetz and O’Brien turned it on for the Antelopes. After solely 4 factors late within the first half, O’Brien discovered her rhythm by including 4 factors late within the third quarter, together with a deceiving move pretend that led to an open look on a drive. 

“I simply stored pushing,” O’Brien mentioned. “I used to be engaged on different issues that may assist contribute to the staff.”

O’Brien completed with 10 factors and added seven rebounds, together with two assists and a steal within the championship clinching effort. Goetz led the Lopes with 13 factors and 10 rebounds.

With the offense arising clutch, particularly down the stretch for Avonworth, all of it got here with no made three-pointer, one thing that’s not unfamiliar to the Lopes.

“Generally we shoot it nicely, and a few days we wrestle and it’s one thing we’re going to attempt to work on,” Dizon. “That goes again to the purpose about protection. If we defend, we all the time have an opportunity to win.”

With out the three ball, Avonworth discovered success scoring within the paint. The Lopes had been 34.8% from the ground.

Because the offense clicked when it mattered, the protection continued to work towards Laurel’s prime gamers. The Antelopes additionally held Regan Atkins to eight factors as she averaged 15.9 factors per recreation on the season.

“We knew we needed to keep watch over her and [Hill],” O’Brien mentioned. “We needed to know the place they had been on the court docket in any respect time.”

Hill led all scorers with 16 within the shedding effort.

Now, each Avonworth and Laurel will head to the PIAA State match. The Antelopes will face the No. 6 staff from District 6 whereas Laurel will tackle the No. 3 staff from District 10.

“We’re pleased proper now and they need to be pleased and happy with themselves,” Dizon mentioned. “On the proper time, we are going to get able to give attention to states.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Jordan Addison, infamously, left Pitt for USC final April. No level to rehash what occurred for the hundredth time. However in response to him, there’s no remorse.

“The whole lot I do, I all the time reside and be taught from it,” Addison mentioned Thursday on the NFL Mix. “, I realized lots. So, I don’t by no means haven’t any regrets. I all the time suppose all the things by means of.”

In his lone season at USC, catching passes from quarterback Caleb Williams, he caught 59 passes for 875 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 video games. He missed a few video games with accidents and opted out of the bowl recreation, however his manufacturing was down throughout the board.

Addison mentioned that in his yr in Los Angeles, he did discover ways to be in entrance of the digital camera. However he mentioned that isn’t why he left.

“I wouldn’t say it was the publicity, it was simply one thing I made a decision to do,” Addison mentioned. 

Addison is getting ready for the NFL Draft now, assembly with NFL groups — together with the Pittsburgh Steelers — and working by means of exercises. He’s thought of one of many high broad receivers within the class, the No. 1 for some analysts, and a very good week in Indianapolis may assist cement that standing.

It’s attention-grabbing, then, that if there’s one play throughout Addison’s profession that he feels defines him, it’s one throughout his time at Pitt.

“I’d say my catch versus Virginia, simply clinching that coastal and that simply reveals lots of people that in big-time moments, I’m going to step as much as the event,” Addison mentioned. 

Addison might be measured and run by means of drills later this week.

The ACC launched their Wrestling Championships Brackets Tuesday, revealing who will wrestle who this upcoming Sunday, March 5 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C.

The Panthers completed the common season with a duel document of 10-4 total and 4-1 within the ACC. Their ACC document received them a share of the common season title for the primary time beneath head coach Keith Dambrot and the primary because the Panthers received it outright in 2013-14.

Pitt wrestling protection on Pittsburgh Sports activities Now’s sponsored by the Pittsburgh Wrestling Membership.

Pitt sends 10 wrestlers to the ACC Championships in hopes of profitable their first ever ACC Event Title.

4 Panthers in redshirt seniors, Micky Phillippi at 133 kilos, Cole Matthews at 141 kilos, Holden Heller at 165 kilos and Nino Bonaccorsi at 197 kilos obtained No. 1 seeds. Matthews, Holden Heller and Bonaccorsi received all 5 matches in ACC play, whereas Phillippi solely misplaced as soon as.

Redshirt first-year Luca Augustine obtained a No. 3 bid for profitable three of his 5 matches this season at 174 kilos. Redshirt junior Colton Camacho at 125 kilos, redshirt sophomore Tyler Badgett at 149 kilos, and seniors in Dazjon Casto at 157 kilos and Jake Slinger within the heavyweight class all obtained No. 4 seeds. Redshirt junior Reece Heller obtained a No. 5 seed, the bottom for any Panther.

The NCAA final week additionally launched their allocations for automated qualifiers for every weight class for the ACC. 125 kilos has two qualifiers, 133, 149, 157, 165, 174 and 285 kilos have three qualifiers every, 141 and 197 kilos have 4 qualifiers every and 184 kilos has 5 automated qualifiers.

Because of this the seeding for various brackets has a distinct significance for every wrestler. Reece Heller is a No. 5 seed, all he has to do isn’t end in final place and he’ll transfer on to the NCAA Championships. Augustine, who’s a No. 3 seed, wants a minimum of a 3rd place end to make it to the NCAA Championships.

Bonaccorsi, Matthews, Phillippi are particular locks to contend for ACC titles and to make it to the NCAA Championships. Holden Heller also needs to be a part of them with a positive seed and his dominance in opposition to these in his weight class this season.

Camacho has the toughest draw of any Pitt wrestler with solely two automated qualifiers at 125 kilos, as he must defeat No. 1 NC State redshirt junior Jarrett Trombley, who might be in his dwelling area, within the semifinals.  Camacho misplaced to Trombley in an 11-8 choice on Feb. 10.

Slinger has a good shot to earn a spot on the NCAA Championships. He takes on No. 5 UNC senior Brandon Whitman within the first spherical and if he wins, faces off in opposition to No. 1 Duke senior Jonah Niesenbaum. Slinger wrestled Niesenbaum on Feb. 18, dropping in a 5-3 choice.

Badgett will probably have to win a 3rd place match to make it to the NCAA Championships. If Badgett wins his first spherical matchup, he takes on No. 1 Virginia Tech first-year Caleb Henson, who defeated him in a 14-2 main choice on Jan. 27. A rematch with No. 3 Virginia graduate Jarod Verkleeren, who he misplaced an in depth 5-3 choice to on Jan. 20, ought to determine if his season goes ahead or not.

Casto faces the best odds to make a closing spot, as he faces off in opposition to No. 1 North Carolina graduate Austin O’Connor within the semifinals if he makes it there. Casto did upset O’Connor on the 2022 NCAA Championships, however hasn’t proven this season the dominance he has in previous years. If there’s a time for Casto to indicate his strengths as a wrestler, his first and final ACC Championships is the place to do it.

The ACC Wrestling Championships start at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 5. Semifinals begin at 1 p.m. after which consolations are at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The ACC Community will televise the finals at 7 p.m.