JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

QUAD-A GIRLS – Central Dauphin 56, Mount Lebanon 49

TRIPLE-A BOYS — Steel-High 65, Susquehanna Township 52

UNIVERSITY PARK — Good evening y’all. I’m back for the evening session of the first day of the PIAA basketball championship games in Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center. This afternoon, York Catholic won its third girls’ state championship in a row with a win over Northern Cambria, and Serra Catholic captured the boys’ Single-A crown, closing the game on a 19-7 run to top Freire Charter. OK, tonight, up first is girls’ Quad-A, featuring Central Dauphin against Mount Lebanon. And in the nightcap, a pair of Mid-Penn foes square off, when Steel-High meets Susquehanna Township in the boys’ Triple-A finale. I will send along as many updates as possible, so get comfy. The girls’ game starts in about 45 minutes.

GAME ONE NOTES: Central Dauphin Rams (27-7) vs. Mount Lebanon Blue Devils (27-3) — For all of you L-L League fans, CD was the team that knocked off Hempfield in the District 3 quarterfinals. … CD fell to eventual champ Wilson in the district semifinals. … Here’s a good one: CD has not trailed in the state playoffs. Hmm. … Upset the No. 1-ranked team in the state, Downingtown East, in the second round of States, and the Rams have won 17 of their last 18 games. … Leading scorer for CD is soph Alyssa Thomas (18.2). … Mount Lebanon (ML) finished fourth in the District 7 playoffs. Losses are to Peters Township (in D7 semis), Upper St. Clair and Pittsburgh North Catholic. … WPIAL Section 4 champs. … ML is back in the finals for the first time since 1978 (lost to Allentown Central Catholic). … ML D allows just 35.3 points a game. … ML leading scorer is senior point guard Jackie Babe (13.0), who is a Duquesne recruit. … CD coach is Bill Wolf; ML coach is Dori Oldaker.

Tip is in about 35 minutes. Sit tight.

STARTERS

MOUNT LEBANON: G Jackie Babe (5-9 Sr.), G Emily Miller (5-11 Jr.), G Jessica Babe (5-4 So.), G Chelsea Apke (5-8 So.), F Heather Dean (5-10 Sr.).

CENTRAL DAUPHIN: G Gabby Singer (5-7 Jr.), G Sarah Dowhower (5-6 So.), G Alyssa Thomas (6-0 So.), F Lindsey Meyer (5-9 Sr.), F Caitlyn Bassett (6-1 So.).

Game on.

FIRST QUARTER: First bucket by CD’s Dowhower — a triple. 3-0 CD. … CD star Alyssa Thomas 0-for-3 early. … Hope to not get ML Babe sisters confused. Thomas now 0-for-4, but it’s wicked early. 3-2 CD. … Two fouls on Jessica Babe; 3 on ML already. Could be a free-throw shooting contest until this is over. … Thomas 0-for-5, and all five attempts are layups. 5-2 CD. … Thomas and one. CD leads 7-2 with 3:59 to go. … Wow, CD will return four starters next season. … ML first lead, 8-7 with 2:45 to go, on Megan Quirk bucket. … A quick observation: CD likes to send a guard deep when ML puts up a shot. In my day, that was called a cherry-picker. Not sure what they call that these days. … 9-8 CD with 2:13 to go. 30-sec TO by ML. … Jackie Babe is really good. Her pick and hoop ties it at 10 with 1:35 to go. … Jackie Babe for 3. Swish. 13-10 ML. … Singer for 3. Kaboom. Tied at 13. …  END OF THE FIRST QUARTER — Mount Lebanon 17, Central Dauphin 13.

SECOND QUARTER: CD in a cold spell; Thomas still can’t get going. 19-13 ML. … ML 22, CD 15. Timeout CD with 5:49 to go in the half. … Babe goes coast to coast. ML up 24-15. … 24-19 on Thomas stick back. She’s picking it up. … HALFTIME — Mount Lebanon 29, Central Dauphin 21. … Refs getting an earful on the way out.

THIRD QUARTER: CD has some catching up to do, down 10 with 6:58 to go in the third. Rams could really use Thomas to start making some shots, especially the little dinkers in the lane. Yeah, I said dinkers. … Guess she heard me: Thomas for 2 on the glass. 31-23 ML. … Angelina Liberi and one puts ML up 33-23 with 5:48 to go. TO by CD. … Thomas gets the roll, 33-25 ML. If CD can get some stops, this will be close down the stretch. … Singer for 3, slices it to 33-28 with 4:44 to go. … Caution: Thomas getting hot, scores again in the post, 35-30 with 3:51 to go. … I like ML; gritty team. … 39-31 ML on Apke drive. One minute to go. … Nothing worse than fans crying about fouls (or lack thereof). … Thomas took a breather; she just returned. … ML holding for one shot: Madison Cable misses a 3 from the corner at the horn. END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: Mount Lebanon 39, Central Dauphin 33. Should be a great finish, especially if Thomas can keep finishing.

Nothing like a little Black Betty to get you jacked for the fourth quarter of a state final …

FOURTH QUARTER: 39-35 on Thomas drive. Here we go … Thomas plucks D board at other end. Elbows flying. … Thomas with the kiss. 39-37; ML jittery. … Thomas fouled on a drive. CD can tie if she makes both: first shot good; second shot good. 39-all with 5:29 to go. Buckle up. … Thomas another bid D board and a foul on ML. Momentum: Central Dauphin. … 42-39 CD on 3 by Singer from the top of the key. 3:44 to go. Timeout, ML. This place is going crazy. … ML might want to consider ditching its 2-3 zone. … Jeannette’s Tyrelle Pryor will be here tomorrow for the boys’ Double-A title game. Wonder if the blue-chip QB will announce his decision to Penn State while he’s here. Um, I’m guessing no. … Emily Wolford two shots for CD with 2:35 to go: first is good; second is good. 44-43 CD. … Singer 1-1 for CD with 1:40 to go: first is good; second is good. CD leads 46-43. … Singer 1-1 for CD with 1:19 to go: first is good; second is good. Clutch. CD up 48-43. Timeout Rams with 1:19 to go. 30. Coach. Start the clock. And cue Bon Jovi. … This plays blows away the Giant Center, and I love it there, by the way. … Jackie Babe for 3 cuts it to 48-46 with 59.2 to play. Interesting. Should be a fantastic finish. Could come down to free throws. … Singer two shots for CD with 56.6 to go: first shot is good; second is good. 50-46. … CD icing it at the line: Dowhower and Bassett each go 2-for-2. Rams lead 54-46 with 23.2 seconds to go. Start printing up those t-shirts. … ML’s Quirk hits a deep 3 and slices it to 54-49 with 15.4 seconds to go. Timeout ML. … Singer two shots for CD with 13.9 seconds to go: first is good (of course); second is good. Money. 56-49 CD. … Stat of the game: CD goes 16-for-16 from the foul line down the stretch. What did I say earlier about the importance of free throws down the stretch in this game? Um, yeah.

FINAL: Central Dauphin 56, Mount Lebanon 49. First state title for CD. And a little Beatles Twist and Shout to celebrate.

Be back soon with the boys’ Triple-A pregame stuff.

GAME TWO NOTES: Susquehanna Township Indians (32-2) vs. Steel-High Rollers (27-6) — Mid-Penn powers square off for Triple-A state title. Should be a classic. … Steel-High has won four state championships, the last in 2005. … Rollers top scorer is G Lance Chisolm (17.1). … Steel-High knocked off reigning state champ General McLane in the state semis. … 31st appearance in state playoffs for Steel-High. … Township beat Scranton Prep in the Eastern final. … Township High is about 10 miles down the road from Steel-High campus. … This is a rematch of the District 3 title game, won by Township 57-54. … Township won the Double-A state title in 1980 and the Triple-A state crown in 1997. … Leading scorer for Township is F Matt Jones (16.5). Steel-High coach is Mike Pilsitz; Township coach is Vince Rogers.

Tip in about 30 minutes. Stay tuned.

STARTERS

STEEL-HIGH: G Lance Chisholm (5-11 Sr.), G Ryan Hill (6-3 So.), G Jordan Shields (5-11 Jr.), F Jeff Davis (6-6 So.), F Josh Proctor (6-7 Sr.).

SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP: G Ben Dupree (5-10 So.), G Tajh Turner (5-11 So.), F Matt Jones (6-3 Sr.), F Greg Edwards (6-4 Jr.), C Akeem Wilson (6-5 Sr.).

Game on. This place is packed …

FIRST QUARTER: First bucket by ST Matt Jones. 2-0 Hanna. GREAT crowd. … Tempers flaring early. S-H’s Proctor blocks a shot and celebrated and a Township player got in his face. Temper, temper. 4-2 Township. … 7-4 Hanna on Wilson tip-dunk. … Sorry, everything froze. 12-10 Steel-High with 41.8 seconds to go. Plenty of action here. … Lloyd Hill checks in for S-H and the crowd goes wild. END OF THE FIRST QUARTER — Steel-High 14, Susquehanna Township 10. Dynamite crowd.

Steel-High fans are booing the Township cheerleaders. Way to keep it classy, gang.

SECOND QUARTER: Sorry! Computer keeps freezing. Grrrrrrrrr. … Jeannette is in the building and Tyrelle Pryor is seated under the far basket. Apparently PCN TV keep showing him. … Score update: Steel-High 20, Township 15 with 4:42 to go in the half. I apologize for any future delays; this internet is slower than a snail. … Good up-and-down game here. Neither team shooting particulary well. 22-17 S-H with 3:30 to go. … Ryan Hill for 3 gives S-H 25-20 lead. 2:30 to go. … It’s the Ryan Hill Show — three buckets in a row for him and S-H leads 29-20 with 1:15 to go. No timeouts by Township during the spree. Odd. … Guess this is why they call them the Rollers: Shields scores in transition to make it 31-20. HALFTIME: Steel-High 31, Susquehanna Township 22. Hanna’s Wilson hits a jumper just before the horn, but the Rollers’ late run put them up by nine at the break.

Break time. The soda case is calling my name. Oh, and the bathroom.

THIRD QUARTER: Game back on. Sorry. Laptop froze yet again. Screwy PSU internet. 33-24 Steel-High with 5:48 to go in the third. … Timeout, Hanna. … S-H leads 33-24 with 5:16 to go. Great atmosphere here. … But if they play this Fergie video on the big screen one more time, I’m going to puke. … Shields for 3 gives S-H 37-26 lead. Not sure why S-H’s Jeff Davis is yapping at the crowd on his way down the court. … By the way, Terrelle Pryor is surrounded by two security guards under the far basket. I never had a security detail when I was in high school. I’m jealous. … Shields for 3 again … bingo. Rollers up 42-26 and Township’s fans are crying foul. What a shocker. … Township fans now booing the Steel-High cheerleaders. What is it with these people? I know the schools are like 10 miles apart (hence a rivalry), but booing cheerleaders? Sheesh. … Oh, while I’m on the soap box: I said it before and I’ll say it again — if you go to a game, cheer for your school, don’t yell at the refs. What good is that? … Proctor johnny makes it 44-32 S-H with 1:32 to go in the quarter. … Way too many whistles in this game. And the more whistles, the more the crowd complains. My head is pounding. … END OF THE THIRD QUARTER — Steel-High 49, Susquehanna Township 34. This place is wild. … Here comes the S-H cheerleaders. Wonder if they’ll get booed again?

FOURTH QUARTER: Oooh, just remembered that I have like a two-plus-hour drive home from here tonight. Fun times. … Proctor just missed a dunk. Yikes. S-H still up 49-34. … Unless Township makes a spirited run here, S-H is walking out of here with its fifth state title tonight. 51-38 with 5:49 to go. It’s the refs fault, of course. … Lloyd Hill and one makes it 53-38. Free throw good for conventional three-point play and Rollers are up 54-38 with 5:40 left. One side of this arena is going crazy. Guess which side? … RESET: Steel-High 54, Susquehanna Township 40 with 4:26 to go. I’m sensing parade in the greater Steelton/Highspire are later this weekend. … Attendance tonight is 6,096 tonight and 11,041 for the day. Not bad. … Ladies and gentleman, Terrelle Pryor has left the building (cue that corny Elvis song). … 56-42 Rollers with 3:44 to go. … Daggers — Proctor huge one-handed slam and Hill layup in transition and S-H leads 60-44 with 3:18 to go, and Lloyd Hill leads the cheers after assisting on Hill’s hoop. … Beastie Boys. Sweet. … Instead of cheering for their team to finish strong, Township fans continue to ride the refs. Lot of good that’ll do. You got beat by the better team tonight, gang. Sorry. … 64-46 Steel-High with 1:20 to go.

FINAL: Steel-High 65, Susquehanna Township 52. That’s five (5) state titles for the Rollers.

And thus ends today’s transmission from Happy Valley. My fingers are killing me. Hope you enjoyed the updates. I appreciate the hits. Congrats to Friday’s winners. Catch you later. 322 East, here I come.

And some smooth jazz to send everyone out. Nice.