Franklin Regional edges Jeannette in girls basketball

Jeannette's Ciara Gregory banked in a 50-foot shot just before the halftime buzzer Saturday against Franklin Regional.

She ended the game with a 50, too.

Gregory scored 50 points in an 82-80 loss to Franklin Regional in the consolation game of the Franklin Regional tournament.

Her output was one of the best by a WPIAL girls player in the past decade. A junior guard, Gregory sank five 3-pointers, 12 2-point baskets and 11 free throws.

"It was a fast, up-tempo game, and Gregory was just relentless," said Franklin Regional coach Rick Klimchock, a former boys coach at Jeannette.

"She just kept playing and playing. We tried to run different defenses at her, and she just kept making shots. It was fun to watch. I just wish I wouldn't have been coaching against her."

Hannah Wagner led a group of five players scoring in double figures for Franklin Regional (1-1). Wagner hit four of her team's 13 3-pointers.

Dominique Hall added 15 points for the Jayhawks (1-1), who advanced to the WPIAL Class AA championship game the past two seasons.

Other top games

Class AAAA No. 2 Mt. Lebanon (2-0) raced to a 33-point halftime lead and coasted to a 79-33 win against Class AAA No. 5 South Park (1-1) in the Bethel Park tournament. Emma Pellicano was among three players scoring 14 points for Mt. Lebanon.

Karly Mellinger scored 17 of her 22 points in the first half and Greensburg Central Catholic (2-0) used a 27-7 first-quarter advantage as a springboard to beat Freeport (1-1), 75-47, in the championship of the Freeport tournament. Jessica Aulicino led the Yellowjackets with 18 points.

Kaitlyn Hopkins had 18 points to help New Brighton (2-0) beat Quigley (1-1), 54-44, in the New Brighton tournament. Drew Meeker scored 18 points for Quigley.

Makenzie Zidek scored 16 points and Carly Zatko chipped in 15 to vault Kiski Area (2-0) to a 50-39 win against Class AAA No. 4 Indiana (1-1) in the championship of the Indiana tournament.

Erika Ford's 19 ! points h elped South Fayette (2-0) edge Hempfield (1-1), 38-36, in the Moon tournament championship. Christina Santo paced Hempfield with 14.

Fabulous freshmen

Freshmen Rachel Mazzie (21 points) and Madison Serio (15) led Upper St. Clair (1-1) to a 71-50 win against Wilkinsburg (0-2) in the consolation game of the Butler tournament. Serio is the daughter of Duquesne University women's coach Suzie McConnell-Serio.

McGuffey ninth-grader Samantha Weiss scored a game-high 32 to push the Highlanders (1-1) to a 66-40 victory against Quaker Valley (0-2) in the Fort Cherry tournament consolation game.

Standout performer

Lauren Mayernik scored 35 points to lead Class AA No. 5 Avonworth (2-0) to a 54-19 rout of Brentwood (1-1) in the Brentwood tournament championship.

Hot shots

Players with four or more 3-pointers: Ciara Gregory, Jeannette, 5; Cate Potter, Shaler, 5; Meghan Gildea, Brentwood, 4; Hannah Wagner, Franklin Regional, 4.

First published on December 11, 2011 at 12:00 am