MOON TWP — Don't look now, but the team that entered the WPIAL basketball playoffs with a .500 record is one victory away from reaching the 3A championship game.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic had little trouble dispatching Washington, 47-34, in a Class 3A quarterfinal at Moon High School Thursday night.

The Trojans (13-11) are the two-time defending district champions.

“We are pretty confident we can make another run,” said senior Mike Drambel. “Our schedule this season included a lot of really good teams (including ones in higher classes) and a lot of our losses came against them.”

Both Washington and CWNC got off to slow starts Thursday, scoring seven points in the opening period.

It was CWNC's 18-6 run during the second quarter that was the difference in the game. The Prexies (18-6) struggled against the Trojans' zone defense.

“You see it (defense) on tape and you come up with a plan to attack it, but then you actually face it in a game,” said CWNC coach Dave Long. “It becomes its own animal.”

The Trojans don't blow out many teams and their final tally against Washington won't break any records, but the team's formula is working at the most important time of the season.

“We embrace it,” Long said of low-scoring games. “We're not a bad offensive team, but we play at a slower pace.”

The Trojans still need players to step up offensively. In a first-round win over Ellwood City last Friday, it was sophomore Ryan Feczko and his 21 points. Thursday, Drambel dropped a game-high 15 on the Prexies.

“He's the quietest kid,” Long said, “but he has all the tools. He has length and long arms. He really is the prototype forward.”

Drambel and fellow forward Brian Davidson (12 points) helped put Washington down on the scoreboard and the Prexies did not have near the firepower to make a comeback after trailing 25-13 at halftime.

“They made us pay on a couple of back-door cuts along the baseline,” said Long, “but they don't have much of a perimeter game and did not have a big inside presence tonight.”

Zahmere Robinson, a guard, led the Prexies with 14 points, but no other Washington player scored more than six.

CWNC will face Seton LaSalle in the semifinals Monday at a site and time to be determined.

The Trojans lost twice to Seton LaSalle (18-5) in the regular season, dropping 54-38 and 39-34 decisions.

CWNC 47

Brian Davidson 6 0-0 12, Mike Drambel 7 1-2 15, John Fukon 3 0-1 7, Ryan Feczko 3 0-0 9, Jackson Pascall 2 0-1 4. Totals: 21 1-4 47.

WASHINGTON 34

Jordan Swart 1 3-4 5, Zahmere Robinson 6 1-3 14, Joe Mercer 1 0-2 2, Ian Bredniak 2 0-0 5, Evan Parr 2 2-2 6, Quamar Patterson 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 6-11 34.

CWNC 7 18 10 12 — 47

Washington7 6 9 12 — 34

3-point goals: CWNC 4 (Feczko 3, Fukon); Washington 2 (Robinson, Bredniak)