Photo by Mark Evans Warren junior Alana Stuart and senior Sammie Ruhlman battle Elizabeth Forward’s McKenna Bittner for the ball on Saturday at Warren Area High School.

Warren’s girls basketball team came from behind to beat Elizabeth Forward on Saturday for its first PIAA tournament win in program history. Aside from that, the Dragons are just excited to prolong the season, according to head coach Lisa LaVan.

“Honestly, the girls are just so excited that they are getting more time together,” said LaVan.

The Lady Dragons (21-5) — on the heels of their 71-64 PIAA first-round overtime win at Warren Area High School — advance to play WPIAL/District 7 champion North Catholic (18-7) at 5:30 p.m. today at Edinboro University in the PIAA 4A second round. North Catholic beat D10’s No. 4 seed Conneaut 47-29 to get here.

“North Catholic is a powerhouse in the WPIAL with 23 titles,” said LaVan. “They have a rich history, for sure.

“They have (Alayna) Rocco, a Harvard commit,” she said, “the boys coach’s daughter.”

Rocco scored 26 points — including 17 of the team’s last 19 — to help North Catholic defeat Blackhawk 40-37 in overtime for their third WPIAL championship in a row. The senior, who surpassed 1,000 career points last year as a junior, is averaging 19 points per game this season.

“Their point guard, Sarah Loughry, whose brother is a starter for Grove City, is a great floor general,” said LaVan. “Brady Wehner is a very talented freshman that can shoot the ball from long range.

“Keys will be for us to handle their pressure and take care of the ball,” added LaVan. “We also want to push the tempo as much as possible.”

That’s what the Dragons did on Saturday. A week after scoring 26 points in a two-point District 10 championship game loss to Fairview, Warren scored that in the first half of its first PIAA win in seven tries dating back to 2016.

Senior Sammie Ruhlman and junior Alana Stuart scored 17 points each in the game, senior Halle Kuzminski 15, sophomore Meea Irwin 8, and junior Alyssa Farr and sophomore Peyton Wotorson 7 apiece. It shouldn’t be a surprise it took a team effort to come back from a 19-7 second-quarter deficit and down 8 points with 5:35 left in regulation.

“I mean it when I say our program is all about being a family,” said LaVan. “This team, however, has taken it to a whole new level and truly just enjoys each other’s company. I also think that is why we are sitting at 21-5. It’s amazing what a team can do when they truly love each other.”

There is a community sendoff beginning at 2:35 p.m. today along the bus route from WAHS down Fifth Avenue, south down Conewango Avenue past Beaty Middle School, and right on to Pennsylvania Avenue West.

For tickets, visit https://piaa.hometownticketing.com/embed/event/3912?es=itaf635fa8q3jc7c0uk80t3kgj