WPIAL champ Monessen races past Venango Catholic

CANONSBURG, Pa. – WPIAL champion Monessen raced out to a 13-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back rolling past District 9 fourth-place finisher Venango Catholic 76-41 in the opening round of the PIAA Class A playoffs Friday night at Canon-McMillen HIgh School.

The Greyhounds (21-6) used a first-quarter closing 17-2 run to lead 20-7 at the end of the quarter and then built the advantage to 43-23 at halftime before cruising in the second half.

Venango Catholic, in the PIAA postseason for the first time since 1984, got a team-best 14 points from Scott Toy, while Devin Zafar added 13.

Lavelle Rush paced Monessen with 22 points, Noah Yartin had 15, Haden Altomore added 13 and Justice Rice 12.

Monessen will play Portage in the second round Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

MONESSEN 76, VENANGO CATHOLIC 41

Score by Quarters

Venango Catholic 7 16 9 9 – 41

Monessen 20 23 24 9 – 76

Venango Catholic – 41

Scott Toy 6 2-2 14, Luke Plumer 1 3-8 5, Josh Puleo 0 0-0 0, Brady Kingston 2 1-2 5, Devin Zagar 5 3-7 13, Jacob Hargenrader 1 0-0 2, Noah Puleo 0 0-0 0, Nathan Dudzik 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 9-19 41.

Monessen – 76

Rullo 3 0-0 7, Yartin 6 0-0 15, Rush 9 3-4 22, Altomore 6 1-2 13, Rich 5 2-3 13, Moore 2 0-1 4, Beveridge 0 1-4 1, Lenhart 1 0-2 2. Totals 32 7-15 76.

Three-pointers – Monessen 5 (Yartin 3, Rullo, Rush).