wpial basketball

CORE FOUR: Lady Panthers Juniors Look To Shine This Season

After losing three starters – Gina Carr, Samantha Rosenberger, and Jaylynn Timmerman – to graduation last year, the Lady Panthers return a core group of athletes looking to build on their regular season record from last year. The team will lean on a junior class that will trot out four starters for the 2023-24 campaign. “Our Junior class has been a huge part of our program since their freshman year,” says head coach Renee Drake. “The excitement is high now that they are upperclassmen and have worked hard to play at a high level this year.” Returning starters Gabriella Finch,…


Deer Lakes Downs Wolverines In WPIAL Opening Round

The Ellwood City Boys Basketball was downed by the Deer Lakes Lancers 76-57 Monday evening in the opening round of the WPIAL Class-3A Playoffs. [VIEW FULL BRACKET] The experienced Deer Lakes squad had nine players score in the contest and only trailed briefly in the second quarter on its way to its home court victory Monday. Seniors Bryce Robson and Billy Schaeffer each scored 17 points to lead the offensive attack for the Lancers who entered the contest as the highest scoring offense in WPIAL Class-3A. Robson and Shaeffer each connected on three first half 3-pointers to help Deer Lakes…


PHOTOS: Wolverines Down Riverside, Clinch Playoff Berth

Ellwood City avenged a January loss to rival Riverside Friday night, collecting a 56-41 victory and clinching a playoff berth. This time they had the services of junior big man Joseph Roth, but it was another Wolverine starter that propelled the visiting Wolverines to victory Will Nardone entered Friday’s contest averaging under five points per contest, but the sophomore erupted for 21 points including more made 3-pointers (five) than his season average in points. Nardone scored eight points in a pivotal third quarter that saw the visiting Wolverines stretch out what was a two point halftime advantage to a 43-27…


Wolverines Beat Beaver Falls, Eye Rematch Against Riverside

Ellwood City and Riverside will have a playoff berth on the line Friday when the two teams square off in their Riv-Ell rematch. This after Ellwood City used a 35-point scoring outburst by junior Joseph Roth to hold on and defeat Beaver Falls 57-51 Tuesday night at Lincoln High School. Ellwood City (14-7 Overall, 6-5 Section) and Riverside (8-13 Overall, 5-6 Section) will enter Friday’s match-up with 4th place in Section 1-3A and a playoff berth on the line.  The Wolverines will look to overcome an overtime defeat at the hands of the Panthers last month and will need the…


ROUNDBALL ROUNDUP: RHS/LHS Girls Basketball

The Ellwood City girls basketball team was busy this week with three games on the schedule. The Lady Wolverines collected its lone win of the week with a non-section road victory Wednesday night over New Castle. After trailing by nine entering the final quarter, Ellwood City rallied for a thrilling 48-47 victory. Claire Noble finished with a double-double (15 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals) to lead a well rounded offensive attack for Ellwood City. Six players scored in the victory, with three bench players (Elsie Sturgeon, Abby Caminiti, and Caitlin Kreitzer) accounting for 19 points and five steals. The girls…


Riverside Rallies, Knocks Off Wolverines In Overtime

After trailing by as many as 20 points late in the third quarter, the visiting Riverside Panthers rallied to force overtime and pull away for a thrilling 50-47 victory over Ellwood City Tuesday night. Sophomore Drake Fox’s 3-pointers with under 15 seconds in regulation knotted the game. Ellwood City had led 35-15 with two and half minutes remining in the third quarter after holding a comfortable 22-12 advantage after a relatively low scoring first half. The Wolverines connected on five 3-pointers in the first half. Sound defense and timely shooting helped Riverside gain momentum against its deficit. The Panthers held…


Jumpin’ Joe! Roth Scores 42, Wolverines Rout Freedom

Junior Joseph Roth scored a season high 42 points Friday night as the Wolverines routed Freedom 73-39 at Lincoln High School. The big man help propel Ellwood City to an early 18-10 lead with eleven first quarter points. Roth settled in with 18 points at halftime as the Wolverine held a comfortable 32-20 advantage over the Bulldogs. A trio of 3-pointers in the third quarter was part of an impressive third quarter for Roth who accounted for 17 of the Wolverine 24 points in the quarter. Ellwood City’s lead stretched out to 56-25 after the third frame. Nate Williams (8…


PHOTOS: Lady Wolverines Down Rival Panthers

The Ellwood City girls basketball team raced out to an early advantage Thursday night en route to its 54-31 Riv-Ell victory over the visiting Riverside Panthers. The Wolverines used a 20 point first quarter to jump out to an early advantage they never relinquished on their home court. Kayla Jones scored a game-high 19 points for the Wolverines (5-4 overall) while Aliya Garroway (11 points) and Claire Noble (10 points) joined Jones in double figures.  Ellwood City held a 30-18 halftime advantage and 38-21 lead after three quarters. Gina Carr (7 points), Sam Rosenberger (7 points, 6 rebounds), and DeLana…


Wolverines Knock Off Undefeated Warriors 71-67

The Ellwood City Wolverines boys basketball team went on the road Tuesday night and knocked off an undefeated Mohawk team in a battle of Class 3A Section 1 titans. Both teams entered the evening with nine wins, but Ellwood City used a fourth quarter rally, outscoring Mohawk 25-15, to find its way to its 10th victory of the season. Wolverine standout Joseph Roth scored 18 of his game-high 38 points in the final frame to help Ellwood City erase a six point deficit entering the 4th quarter. Roth connected on two three points in the final frame and made 8-9…


Roth Hits 1,000 Point Milestone, Wolverines Defeat Western Beaver

Joseph Roth joined rarefied air Thursday night. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound big man poured in 25 points, cresting a 1,000 career point milestone, in the Wolverines 56-45 victory over Western Beaver. Roth, who collected the 1,000th point with a bucket in the third quarter, now joins nine other Ellwood City players, including an other brother and former teammate Steve Antuono, on the list of 1,000 point scorers in Ellwood City Basketball history. On Thursday, Ellwood City kept a steady lead on the host Golden Beavers, leading 26-18 at halftime, and withstanding a 18-point fourth quarter outburst by the Beavers to hold on…