Julie Utz scored 14 points and

Maggie Bulman added 12

more to lead the Mars girls basketball team to a 49-45 victory over North Catholic in a key Section 1-AAA victory Thursday.

With the win, the Planets (17-4, 11-1) are guaranteed at least a share of the section title.

Callie White led the Trojans (12-9, 9-3) with 14 points.

MARS 49

Abby Marshall 3 0-0 7, Julie Utz 3 8-10 14, Megan Gibson 1 3-4 5, Cara Hudac 2 0-0 4, Haley Geyer 0 2-6 2, Lili Grenci 2 1-2 5,

. Totals: 16 16-24 49.

NORTH CATHOLIC 45

April Austin 3 2-4 10, Amy Longo 5 2-3 12, Callie White 6 0-1 14, Erika Cottle 1 2-3 4, Lauren Savulchak 0 0-3 0, Liz Siegfried 2 1-2 5. Totals: 17 7-16 45.

3-point goals:

Marshall; Austin 2, White 2

JV:

North Catholic, 48-33

Monday:

Kittanning at Mars

Highlands 60, Knoch 55 —

Despite 17 points from Lizz King, 16 from Leanne Wiefling and 12 from Pam Gagen, the Knights (7-14, 2-10) fell in this Section 1-AAA contest.

HIGHLANDS 60

Chelsea Rusnock 6 10-14 22, Bethany Lauer 3 5-8 11, Danielle Panach 1 0-0 2, Kasara Nee 3 5-6 11, Chelsea Cavanaugh 1 0-0 3, Cassandra Walker 1 0-2 2, Courtney 4 1-1 9. Totals: 19 21-31 60.

KNOCH 55

Leanne Wiefling 6 3-4 16, Pam Gagen 4 4-4 12, Sarah Cooper 1 0-0 2, Lizz King 7 2-2 17, Megan Gray 1 0-0 2, Kirsten Brant 2 2-2 6. Totals: 21 11-12 55.

3-point goals:

Cavanaugh; Wiefling, King

JV:

Knoch, 55-50, 3 OT (K: Megan Gray 17, Jade Thrower 16)

Monday:

Knoch at Valley

Freeport 55, West Shamokin 35 —

Cassie Smolic scored 14 points and Emily Ferko and Sam Campbell recorded 12 apiece to lead the Yellowjackets (8-11, 5-7) to the Section 1-AA victory.

WEST SHAMOKIN 35

Nicole Cloak 2 0-0 4, Laura Renosky 6 1-1 14, Sam Eckman 1 0-0 2, Justina Skamai 4 0-0 9, Lisa Troutman 3 0-0 6. Totals: 16 1-1 35.

FREEPORT 55

Emily Ferko 5 2-2 12, Jamie Shockey 2 0-0 4, Stephanie Clowes 4 0-0 9, Cassie Smolic 6 2-2 14, Kristen Prazenica 1 0-0 2, Jordan Dunn 1 0-0 2, Sam Campbell 5 2-6 12. Totals: 24 6-10 55.

3-point goals:

Renosky, Skamai; Clowes

Monday:

Freeport at Deer Lakes

Knoch 85, Leechburg 57 —Rob Briggs, Jordan Shoop and Scott Muska combined for 65 points as the Knights (13-6) rolled to the non-section win.KNOCH 85Alex Whisler 3 0-0 7, Scott Muska 6 5-9 21, Rob Briggs 10 0-0 22, Bill Elliott 3 0-0 6, Jordan Shoop 10 1-3 22, D'Ante Natili 1 0-0 2, Paul Hancheck 1 2-2 5, Joel Berger 0 0-0 0, Justin Thompson 0 0-0 0, Dan Pickard 0 0-0 0. Totals: 34 8-14 85.LEECHBURG 57Andy Tressler 6 4-8 17, Nick Matuiko 8 0-0 20, Steve Predebon 4 0-2 8, Todd Rupert 1 0-1 2, Stephen Meidus 2 0-0 5, Jon Takosky 2 0-0 5. Totals: 23 4-11 57.3-point goals:Muska 4, Briggs 2, Whisler, Shoop, Hancheck; Matuiko 4, Tressler, Meidus, TakoskyToday:Highlands at KnochA-C Valley 72, Venango Catholic 48 —A balanced scoring attack led the Falcons to the KSAC win. Sean Foust and Kyle McCall had 13 points each, Ryan Jackson added 12 points and John Kaufman had 11 for A-C Valley.A-C VALLEY 72Sean Foust 5 3-3 13, Ted Marron 2 2-2 7, John Kaufman 5 0-1 11, Kyle McCall 6 1-4 13, Ryan Jackson 5 2-4 12, Shawn Courson 2 0-0 5, Garrett Greathouse 0 0-0 0, Willie Thomas 2 2-2 7, Mark Hart 1 1-2 3, Mike Himes 0 0-0 0, Nate Silvis 0 1-2 1, John Stumpner 0 0-0 0. Totals: 28 12-20 72.VENANGO CATHOLIC 48Trey Siegel 1 1-2 3, Paul Lehman 0 0-0 0, Harrison Zacherl 3 0-0 7, Eric Guth 4 4-6 12, Alex Eckert 3 12-14 19, Ed Lillard 0 1-2 1, Mike McNllie 1 0-0 2, Alex O'Polka 0 1-2 1, Shane Cross 0 0-0 0, Joe Maleski 1 0-0 3. Totals: 13 19-26 48.3-point goals:Marron, Kaufman, Courson, Thomas; Zacherl, Eckert, MaleskyWednesday:East Forest at A-C Valley

North Allegheny 118, Butler 67 (girls); North Allegheny 128, Butler 55 (boys) —Sarah Clouse won the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, Molly Evans the 100 backstroke and Jessica Schnur won the 1-meter diving to lead the Tornado girls team, which also snared the 400 freestyle relay event.Butler will host Seneca Valley on Thursday.Girls200 medley relay:1-NA 1:56.63200 freestyle:1-Emily Homa (NA) 2:02.87; 2-Vogel (B)200 individual medley:1-Cathy Faingold (NA) 2:11.81; 2-Evans (B)50 freestyle:1-Jessica Scherer (NA) 26.191-meter diving:1-Jessica Schnur (B) 208.30100 butterfly:1-Jamie Chakany (NA) 1:05.15; 3-Newell (B)100 freestyle:1-Sarah Clouse (B) 57.42500 freestyle:1-Cathy Faingold (NA) 5:24.56; 3-Vogel (B)200 freestyle relay:1-NA 1:46.59100 backstroke:1-Molly Evans (B) 1:00.80; 3-Vernon (B)100 breaststroke:1-Sarah Clouse (B) 1:09.96400 freestyle relay:1-Butler (Molly Evans, Sarah Clouse, Ellen Crummy, Brittany Vogel) 3:53.30Boys200 medley relay:1-NA 1:44.02200 freestyle:1-Rob Meyers (NA) 1:52.42; 2-Galante (B)200 individual medley:1-Brandon Smith (NA) 2:06.14; 2-O'Toole (B)50 freestyle:1-Brendan Kirsch (NA) 23.251-meter diving:1-Matt Kuhn (NA) 236.20; 3-Rhodaberger (B)100 butterfly:1-Jordon Lebovitz (NA) 1:05.15; 3-Galante (B)100 freestyle:1-Matt Scherer (NA) 50.11; 2-Coulter (B)500 freestyle:1-Kevin Gasperich (NA) 5:01.26; 2-O'Toole (B)200 freestyle relay:1-NA 1:32.65100 backstroke:1-Patrick Kirsch (NA) 56.93; 3-McKee (B)100 breaststroke:1-Peter Cai (NA) 1:04.53400 freestyle relay:1-Butler (Matt Galante, Clif McKee, Michael Coulter, Patrick O'Toole) 3:42.17Knoch suffered a pair of losses to Pine-Richland Thursday, the girls losing 96-72 and the boys dropping a 102-56 decision.Rachel Tano broke the Knights' 100-yard freestyle record — set in 2000 by Kim Faust — with a time of 58.44 seconds.Knoch's winners in the meet follow:Girls200 medley relay: Bethany Legin, Rachel Tano, Nicole Vogus, Paula Pivaronas 2:05.4150 freestyle:Rachel Tano 26.83200 freestyle relay:Rachel Tano, Tina Gallo, Paula Pivaronas, Bethany Legin 1:50.50100 backstroke:Bethany Legin 1:05.00Boys200 individual medley:Doug Vogus 2:20.18

Plum 797-65x, Butler 794-61x —Despite scores of 100s by Erica Leslie, Kayla Fry and J.T. Kerr, the Tornado fell to the Mustangs Thursday.

The Knoch freshmen shut out Central Catholic 4-0 Thursday. Shane Donnelly had a goal and an assist, and Matt Eshelman, Evan Gorse and Greg Acre had a goal each.Neal Donnelly, R.J. Hughes and Robert Maust each had an assist, and Ryan Naples got the shutout in goal.Knoch 2, Seneca Valley 2 (JV) —Tyler Dietz and Shane Donnelly each scored a goal for he Knights. Wes Shaw, Neal Donnelly and Chris Dowling each recorded an assist.In varsity games Thursday, Mars beat Richland Cambria 9-2 and Butler fell to Meadville 13-0. No details were reported.