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February 14, 2018

WPIAL Basketball Playoff Matchups Announced

The WPIAL released the boys and girls basketball playoff brackets Tuesday night with three local teams making their respective classification playoffs. The Ellwood City and Riverside boys basketball teams both will play Friday night, while the Riverside girls basketball team was seeded with a first round game scheduled for February 21. The Wolverines (5-5 Section 1, 14-8 Overall) will play Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (7-3 Section 2, 11-11 overall) in their first round game Friday night at 6:30pm at Ambridge.  The Section 2 runner-up Trojans, the defending WPIAL Class-3A champion, comes in with a .500 record but owns the classification’s stingiest defense…

February 7, 2018

Panthers Victorious, Wolverines Fall in Section Finales

The Riverside boys basketball team used a strong first quarter to run away from Mohawk and claim victory in their Section 1-3A finale Tuesday while the Ellwood City Wolverines saw an slim, early lead quickly evaporate in their section finale defeat at the hands of Lincoln Park. Both teams had already clinched playoff berths and will look forward to the release of the WPIAL playoff brackets.  Riverside finished section play at 4-6 while Ellwood City finished 5-5 in Section 1-3A.  The two head-to-head victories by the Wolverines over Riverside in the regular season may prove pivotal in playoff seedings. Riverside…

February 5, 2018

PHOTOS: Wolverines Fall to Quips On Senior Night

Ellwood City fell to Aliquippa on Friday, 64-58, even with Broc Boariu scoring 17 points. The game saw no team lead by double-digits and Ellwood City hold a slim lead in the last quarter of play – a drastic turn in play from the meeting between the teams earlier this season. The Wolverines trailed only 32-31 at half after scoring a game-high 19 points during the second quarter. Boariu had a great game from the field, making 54% (7-for-13) of shots attempted as well as 38% (3-for-8) of threes attempted.  He scored 12 first half points and pulled down 12…

January 31, 2018

Wolverines Cruise Past Mohawk, Await Senior Night Friday

Playing with some confidence, and perhaps some swagger after their rivalry victory last Friday, the Ellwood City Wolverines emerged victorious with a 58-26 win against Mohawk Area on Tuesday.  Junior Rick Pitrelli scored a game high 13 points (5-10 FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists) for the boys team that has clinched a playoff berth and will turn its attention to Senior Night this Friday. The Wolverines ran away with an early lead after a 29-2 second quarter run, running up the lead to 36-7 by halftime.  The Ellwood City defense held Mohawk scoreless in the second frame.  By the end…

January 29, 2018

PHOTOS: Wolverines Stave Off Furious Comeback, Defeat Panthers In Rivalry Rematch

Broc Boariu scored 17 points to lead Ellwood City to a 63-54 victory over Riverside on Friday. Ellwood City Wolverines grabbed a second quarter lead that ballooned to as many as 21 points in the third quarter, but had to withstand a furious Riverside comeback to hold on to its victory. The victory for the Wolverine boys club completed a season sweep in the ‘RivEll’ game and also clinched a playoff spot for the second consecutive year. Boariu started hot early, connecting on three 3-pointers in the first frame on his way to a game high point total. Boariu had…

January 24, 2018

Wolverines Defeat New Brighton, Host Riverside Friday

Ellwood City Wolverines boys basketball team won 53-34 against New Brighton on Tuesday with the help of Sean Busby, who scored team high 13 points. The Wolverines scored early, claiming a 24-12 lead at the half. Lincoln cemented their lead in the final quarter, scoring 16 points, to avenge their 2-point home loss to New Brighton in December.  Ellwood City also snapped a three game losing streak. Busby led Wolverine offense with 13 points, including 11 during the third period. He also contributed seven rebounds and one block.  Busby also finished 7-8 from the free throw stripe. Anthony Roth (11…

January 17, 2018

Despite Pitrelli’s Performance From Deep, Wolverines Lose to Lincoln Park

Despite a strong performance from 3-point range from Rick Pitrelli, Ellwood City fell to top-ranked Lincoln Park 64-50 Tuesday Night in Section 1-3A play. Pitrelli connected on five 3-pointers en route to his team high 17 points (5-10 shooting, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) The junior forward connected on trifecta of deep balls in an entertaining first quarter that saw the Wolverines race out to a 17-15 lead. After trailing 28-24 at half, Ellwood City raced out a brief lead early in the 3rd quarter – aided by the 3-ball, but poor second half shooting helped Lincoln Park overcome the deficit…

January 9, 2018

Lady Panthers Top Wolverines In Rivalry Game 2.0

For some, the buzz of Friday Night’s boys basketball game may have worn off by the end of the weekend, but if anyone needed another reason to get excited for high school basketball action, the buzz resurfaced Monday Night during the Panthers and Wolverines girls basketball game in Ellwood City. The Lady Panthers ousted the Lady Wolverines 45-31 in a game that saw a defensive struggle for much of the first half. Both teams combined for zero field goals and only five points in a second quarter that led the Panthers into halftime clinging to a 14-9 lead. Ellwood City…

January 7, 2018

PHOTOS: Ellwood City Notches Victory Over Rival Riverside

The Ellwood City Wolverines withstood a late comeback from rival Riverside Friday night, but held on and came out victorious with a 51-48 victory. In front of a capacity crowd at the Panther gymnasium, the Wolverines took a second quarter lead and never relinquished the lead through an fast-paced final quarter. Ellwood City saw its largest lead in the third quarter when an 11-0 scoring run – aided by eight Riverside turnovers – pushed their lead to 38-27. After the Panthers closed the score late, Wolverines guard Ricky Pitrelli made one of two free throws with 15.3 seconds left to close…