Class 3A
2-1 Riverside (25-2) vs. 12-1 West Catholic (11-14)
When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Bethlehem Liberty High School
Tickets: Must be purchased online at piaa.org/sports/tickets.aspx. Select the sport, then select the classification.
How they got here: West Catholic is the District 12 champion and defeated 3-3 Antietam, 79-35, and 4-2 Warrior Run, 51-38, in the second round. Riverside defeated Holy Cross, 61-50, in the District 2 championship game and opened the state playoffs with a 77-54 win over Southern Columbia and added a 66-44 win over 12-4 Overbrook.
Up next: The winner plays again on March 22 against the winner of the 2-2 Holy Cross (24-4) vs. 3-2 Lancaster Mennonite (22-3) quarterfinal game.
Players to watch: Riverside – Nico Antoniacci (20.8 points per game); Gerry Rose (15.2); Connor McNally (12.1); Brayden Rose (10.3); Richie Kostoff (3.0). West Catholic – Saaid Lee; Jaden Banner; Jayvon Byrd; Kingston Wheatley; Rahmir Speaks; Xavier Fauntroy.
Noteworthy: Riverside is in the state playoffs for the 17th time and has a record of 12-16 and is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2000. … Riverside’s only losses have come against Holy Cross. … Gerry Rose and Connor McNally have both scored more than 1,000 points in their careers. … Riverside has won its last four games since losing to Holy Cross in a Lackawanna Division II playoff game by an average of 19.5 points per game. … West Catholic won the PIAA Class 3A championship in 2023. … West Catholic is 12-7 all-time in the PIAA playoffs. … West Catholic lost to Holy Cross, 63-37, in the 2010 Class 2A second round; lost to Wilkes-Barre Meyers, 51-41, in the 2014 Class 2A second round; and defeated Holy Redeemer, 56-47, in the 2023 Class 3A second round. … Kingston Wheatley is a second-team member, and Jayvon Byrd is a third-team selection to the Philadelphia All-Catholic League team.
Class 3A
2-2 Holy Cross (24-4) vs. 3-2 Lancaster Mennonite (24-3)
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Bethlehem Liberty High School
Tickets: Must be purchased online at piaa.org/sports/tickets.aspx. Select the sport, then select the classification.
How they got here: Holy Cross lost to Riverside, 61-50, in the District 2 championship game and defeated District 4 champion Troy, 72-68, in overtime in the first round and defeated 12-2 Audenried Charter, 58-55, in the second round. Lancaster Mennonite lost to Trinity, 66-54, in the District 3 championship game, and beat 12-3 Lansdale Catholic, 57-39, and District 11 champion Catasauqua, 51-59.
Up next: The winner plays again on March 22 against the winner of the 2-1 Riverside (25-2) vs. 12-1 West Catholic (11-14) quarterfinal game.
Players to watch: Holy Cross — Michael Hughes (15.5 points per game); Matt Lyons (14.9); Adam Badyrka (13.9); CJ Thompson (8.7); Mario Matrone (5.9). Lancaster Mennonite – Cody Fisher; Chase Hurst; Bill Rothwein; Melo Aylmer; Matt Fotta.
Noteworthy: Holy Cross is in the state playoffs for the 17th time in its 18-year history and has a record of 31-16 all-time after reaching the final last season and losing to Aliquippa in Class 2A. … Holy Cross lost to District 2 Class 4A champion Valley View, District 2 Class 3A champion Riverside twice, and District 12 champion Devon Prep, last year’s PIAA Class 3A winner, this season. … Holy Cross second-year coach Al Callejas Jr. has a career record of 49-7. … Holy Cross senior Michael Hughes has scored 1,000 points in his career. … Lancaster Mennonite and Holy Cross are both playing in Class 3A because of the PIAA competitive balance formula and having transfers. … Lancaster Mennonite is 24-13 in the state playoffs all-time. … Lancaster Mennonite defeated Holy Cross, 51-40, in the 2023 Class 2A semifinals, which was the final game for legendary coach Al Callejas Sr. … Lancaster Mennonite lost twice to Old Forge in the state playoffs, 69-64 in two OTs in 2021 and 66-54 in 2022. … Lancaster Mennonite also lost to Valley View, 55-43, in the 1997 Class 3A quarterfinals and beat Scranton Prep, 81-65, in the 2002 Class 3A second round.
Class 2A
2-1 Old Forge (21-5) vs. 3-2 Linville Hill (21-5)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Where: Whitehall High School
Tickets: Must be purchased online at piaa.org/sports/tickets.aspx. Select the sport, then select the classification.
How they got here: Old Forge defeated Lackawanna Trail, 54-32, in the District 2 Class 2A championship game. earned a 63-31 win over Sayre and defeated 1-1 Delco Christian, 59-52, in the state tournament. Linville Hill lost to York Catholic, 48-46, in the District 3 final, and defeated 11-1 Marian Catholic, 77-42, and District 12 champion Constitution, 66-52.
Up next: The winner plays again on March 22 against the winner of the 7-7 Northgate (17-11) vs. 4-1 Northwest Area (25-3) game.
Players to watch: Old Forge — Cameron Parker (15.4 points per game); Logan Fanning (12.4); DJ Fox (9.2); Ryan DeMarco (8.0); Cam Krushnowski (8.0). Linville Hill – Giovanni Sejuste (14.4 points per game); Stephen Smucker (14.2); Derian Peterseim (13.1); Drew Tibbins (8.2); Jerome Stoltzfus (7.5).
Noteworthy: Old Forge is 27-26 in the PIAA playoffs in its history. … Old Forge completed the previous two-year cycle in Class 3A because it reached the state semifinals in back-to-back seasons in Class 2A in 2021 and 2022. … Old Forge’s losses this season came against District 2 Class 4A champion Valley View, and two each against District 2 Class 3A champion Riverside and District 2 Class 3A runner-up Holy Cross. … Linville Hill defeated Berks Catholic, the team that eliminated Scranton Prep from the PIAA Class 4A playoffs, 63-61. … Linville Hill is 10-4 all-time in the state playoffs and is in the quarterfinals for the second straight season after losing in last year’s Class 1A semifinals. … Linville Hill defeated MMI Prep, 65-29, in last season’s PIAA Class 1A quarterfinal.
— Joby Fawcett
