Feb. 19 District 9 girls’ basketball playoff recaps.
(Photo: Maddie Dunlap had a game-high 10 points to help Keystone beat Otto-Eldred, 36-26, Tuesday night in Kane. Photo by Tessa Boschert. Check out more of Boschert’s work here)
KEYSTONE 36, PORT ALLEGANY 26
KANE, Pa. – Trinity Thompson scored four points during a 6-0 Keystone fourth-quarter run that broke a 25-all tie and helped the sixth-seeded Lady Panthers upset third-seeded Port Allegany, 36-26, in the District 9 Class 2A girls quarterfinals at Kane High School.
Relisten to the game:
Thompson, who was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game, talked about the win.
Port Allegany (16-7) trailed by 11, 23-12, midway through the third quarter but went on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 23 on two free throws by Erin Stauffer 12 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The teams then traded baskets with Maddie Dunlap scoring to put Keystone (11-11) ahead 25-23 off a pass from Thompson and Cailey Barnett retying the game at 25 with 5:55 to play.
But Thompson scored on a breakaway at the 4:55 mark to start the 6-0 that included two free throws by Maddie Dunlap after she grabbed an offensive rebound and another bucket by Thompson at the 3:25 mark that put Keystone ahead 31-25.
Maddie Dunlap led Keystone with 10 points with Danae Hurrelbrink scoring seven and Thompson and Alyssa Dunlap six each.
Barnett paced Port Allegany with nine points with Bree Garzel scoring seven and Stauffer six.
Keystone will now take on second-seeded A-C Valley in the semifinals at a date, time and location to be announced. With the win the Lady Panthers guaranteed themselves two more games, as even a loss to the Lady Falcons would mean Keystone would play in the District 9 consolation game with a chance to snag one of the third PIAA playoff berth awarded to District 9.
NORTH CLARION 54, ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 48
BROOKVILLE, Pa. – Abby Gatesman scored seven fourth-quarter points to help third-seeded North Clarion hold off a late charge by sixth-seeded Elk County Catholic on its way to a 54-48 win in the District 9 Class 1A quarterfinals Brookville High School.
Relisten to the game:
Gatesman talked about the win.
After watching a 22-9 second-quarter lead slip away, North Clarion (17-6) found itself tied at 38 going to the fourth quarter.
ECC (11-12) then took the lead, 43-42, early in the fourth quarter before Gatesman hit a 3-pointer to put the She-Wolves back ahead, 45-43.
Taylor Newton, who scored a game-high 22 points for ECC, tied the game at 45 with a basket with 4:30 to play, but Haley Sherman answered with an offensive rebound and bucket with 3:10 left to put North Clarion ahead for good, 47-45.
Mackenzie Bauer followed Sherman’s basket with a layup to put North Clarion ahead by four, 49-45, with 2:30 to play before Sady VanAlstine got ECC back within a point, 49-48, with two minutes left.
Following an ECC timeout, Bauer pushed North Clarion’s lead to three, 51-48, with 1:40 to play, and then Gatesman hit a pair of free throws to make it 53-48.
Gatesman finished the game with a team-high 20 points with Gabby Carll adding nine points, all on 3-pointers. Gabby Schmader and Mackenzie Bauer each netted eight points apiece for North Clarion.
Maddie Kear added 13 points while hitting three 3-pointers for ECC with VanAlstine chipping in nine points, all on 3-pointers, with six of her points coming in the fourth quarter.
North Clarion advances to the D9 semifinals for the fourth straight year where it will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between Coudersport and Northern Potter. The two-time defending champion She-Wolves also clinched a PIAA playoff berth for the fourth consecutive season guaranteeing themselves at least three more games.
OTTO-ELDRED 36, CAMERON COUNTY 32
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Haylee Frederick scored four of her game-high nine points in the fourth quarter, and Jade Spinney hit a key 3-pointer in the final eight minutes to help fifth-seeded Otto-Eldred rally past fourth-seeded Cameron County, 36-32, in the District 9 Class 1A quarterfinals at St. Marys High School.
In the rubber match between the NTL rivals, Cameron County (15-8) held a 27-23 lead going to the final eight minutes before Otto-Eldred outscored the Lady Raiders 13-5 in the fourth.
Spinney added eight points for the well-balanced Lady Terrors (15-8) with Autumn Smith chipping in seven points and Britney Greeley six.
Greeley scored four of her points in the second quarter, and Spinney hit a 3-pointer in the frame to help Otto-Eldred stabilize things after the Lady Terrors fell behind 10-4 after one quarter of play. By halftime, the Cameron County lead was down to two, 17-15.
Reggie Goodrow helped the Lady Raiders to the quick start scoring five of her eight points in the first eight minutes. Kaelee Bresslin also scored eight points for Cameron County while joining Goodrow in hitting a pair of 3-pointers.
Alyvia McKimm also scored seven points for the Lady Raiders with Laila Smith adding two points and eight rebounds and Kamme Guisto five points and three assists.
Otto-Eldred, which qualifies for the PIAA playoffs with the victory, will take on top-seeded Johnsonburg in the semifinals. Johnsonburg had a quarterfinal bye.
