Some playoff hopes have been realized, others dashed as we move to one week left in the boys basketball regular season. Most teams have two games left in section play. The top four teams in each section qualify for the playoffs plus any unbreakable ties. Here’s a look at the Washington & Greene County boys teams (section records):
Class 6A Canon-McMillan (0-8). The Big Macs have been been eliminated after 1 & 2 point losses the first time through ballooned to double-digit setbacks the second time around.
Class 5A Peters Township (7-1). The Indians share the section lead with Bethel Park. The two meet Feb. 10, the final night of the season, at Peters Township. Trinity (3-5) holds the final playoff spot, having swept Connellsville and beating Ringgold (1-7) the first time through. Trinity has clinched despite winning only once since beating Ringgold the first time through. The Rams will qualify with wins over Connellsville and at Trinity Feb. 10.
Class 3A Wash High (8-2). The Little Prexies have clinched a playoff spot but suffered back-to-back section losses to Brownsville and Yough. Wash High’s game at Waynesburg (1-8) was postponed Friday. McGuffey (5-5) sits in the final playoff position and can clinch with any win. Charleroi (4-6) is one game back of McGuffey but the Highlanders swept the season series. The Cougars must beat Brownsville and Yough and get two McGuffey losses to qualify. Waynesburg has been eliminated.
Class 2A Ft. Cherry (10-0). The Rangers have clinched a share of the section championship and a playoff bid, riding a 16-game win streak into the final two games. Chartiers-Houston (9-2) has also clinched a post-season spot with one game left. Burgettstown (7-3) is comfortably in third place, having lost only to the leaders and has a playoff spot in hand. Carmichaels (5-5) clinched a playoff spot with Friday’s win at Frazer. Bentworth (4-7) sits in fifth place, needing to beat Beth-Center (0-10) and see Carmichaels lose to Ft. Cherry and Chartiers-Houston. Beth-Center has been eliminated.
Class 1A Section 1 Avella (3-5). The Eagles are in fourth place, one game up on Western Beaver. Avella clinches a spot with wins against either of the top two team (Union, Cornell) or with a Western Beaver loss to Rochester or Cornell. Avella and Western Beaver split their home-and-home section series. If they finished tied, both qualify as fourth-place finishers.
Class 1A Section 2 Jeff-Morgan (5-3). The Rockets are in third place with a playoff spot clinched. Mapletown (3-5) is currently fourth with games against Monessen (7-1) and West Greene (1-6). West Greene had Jeff-Morgan, Geibel and the Maples left on the schedule. Mapletown & West Greene split their season series. California (1-7) has been eliminated.