Fox Chapel went over the river and through the East End to a grand victory Friday night. But Ben O'Connor doesn't want his players to be overly enamored of their 73-70 overtime triumph at Central Catholic, as important as it may have been to their egos and the Section 2-AAAA race.

"The rivalry has a lot of tradition and it's fierce," the Foxes coach said. "But anytime you win a conference game on the road, it's a good thing.

"We have to look at the Central game the same way as we look at games we won at Plum and Woodland Hills."

Friday's triumph, however, was significant to Foxes followers and WPIAL aficionados. It gave Fox Chapel a 6-0 mark at the midpoint of the section schedule, and it came against the vaunted Vikings (12-4, 5-1), who are in second place, in a gym that often devours visitors.

The Foxes finished first only twice in the previous 26 seasons, sharing section crowns in 2000 and 1987. So they are eager.

They are good, too. Though they dropped a non-section game at Seneca Valley, 59-52, Tuesday evening, the Foxes have an overall mark of 12-5 against a challenging schedule.

They'll resume 2-AAAA play tomorrow with another nefarious away game -- against McKeesport (9-5, 3-3).

O'Connor was, indeed, pleased by what transpired Friday, three days after the Foxes survived an overtime encounter with Penn Hills.

"We never win easily," he said, sighing mildly.

Prevailing in that one wasn't the only source of joy. Tipf Harner, a 6-foot-3 senior forward and a quality rebounder, returned after missing eight games with a doubly sprained ankle.

"Without him, we don't beat Central Catholic," O'Connor said. "We weren't sure how long he would go, but by the end of the game, we couldn't take him out. He wouldn't let us take him out.

"Tipf is our best rebounder and defender. But, in the long run, how our players responded without him may be beneficial."

One of O'Connor's trademarks is resurrecting teams. He did that at Keystone Oaks, his alma mater. And in his first season at Fox Chapel last winter, the Foxes made the playoffs for the first time in four years.

They are giving indications of going farther this season. Just don't tell O'Connor or his players.

"Every night, we get the same quality performances from our upperclassmen. But each game, a different underclassmen steps up and does something well. We need that.

"I'm not trying to underplay what we did Friday. Sometime in March, when we're at our banquet, that game will be something we'll talk about. For now, we have to stay focused."

Trivial pursuit

He played for a PG North school and scored 65 points in a game. But you won't see his name among WPIAL single-game leaders. Why?

All in knots

By dawn's early light Saturday, the Section 3-AAAA boys' race could resemble Perrysville on a football Friday. Gridlock.

The second half of section play will tip off tomorrow, and a four-way tie for first place is possible. North Allegheny is 5-1 and Shaler Area, Pine-Richland and North Hills are all 4-2.

Shaler will play host to North Allegheny, and by winning, the Titans would forge at least a two-way deadlock at the top.

If that occurs, they could be joined by the Rams and Indians at 5-2. Pine-Richland will play at Seneca Valley (2-4) and North Hills will be at home against New Castle (2-4).

Seneca Valley and New Castle, however, could avoid playoff peril by prevailing -- and making it a six-way chase for four postseason berths.

Reversal of fortune

No girls' team in the WPIAL has made a more dramatic reversal than Quaker Valley.

The Quakers are 11-5 overall, 3-3 in Section 6-AA. They are alone in the fourth and final playoff spot heading into a section game tonight at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (12-3, 5-1).

Last season, Curtis Williams' first as head coach, the Quakers went 4-20. They were 1-22 the season before that, 1-19 the winter before that.

The last time they made the playoffs was 2000, and the last time they had a winning record was the 1998-99 campaign.

Junior Christa Rogers leads the way at 17.3 points per game. She is one of the best sprinters in WPIAL track, and her older sister and brother, Jasmine and Darren, were outstanding athletes at Quaker Valley. Jasmine competes in track and volleyball at Manhattan College; Darren is on the Kent State football team.

Trivia answer

Tim Appleton rang up 65 for Sewickley Academy in a December 1972 game. The Panthers weren't in the WPIAL then.

If they had been, Appleton's total would be second-best. On Feb. 10, 1959, Larry Hardesty of Mohawk rang up 71 against Northwestern, now part of Blackhawk.