Leps fall short in upset bid

Belle Vernon Area’s Cam Nusser tries to get past Highlands defender Dom Pesci during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 4A first-round matchup at North Hills.
Mike Darnay / For the Mon Valley Independent

By JEREMY TEPPER
For the MV Independent
Joe Salvino isn’t accustomed to taking moral victories. Having won over 600 games, and making the playoffs in 30-plus years in a row at his previous job at Monessen, Salvino has come to only accept winning itself as gratification.
But given just how hard Belle Vernon Area fought in its first-round playoff game on Wednesday, Salvino might have to reconsider. With just an 8-14 record going into the playoffs, the 12th-seeded Leopards were the sizable underdog against fifth-seeded Highlands.
But Belle Vernon battled, scratched and clawed, almost pulling out the victory, holding a late lead in the fourth quarter.
In the end, Highlands was just a bit better, as the Golden Rams pulled out a 75-67 victory at North Hills.

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