CLARION, Pa. – Two of the five District 9 girls’ basketball teams that were in action Saturday in the opening round of the PIAA Tournament advanced to the second round.
(Photo Abby Gatesman, North Clarion)
North Clarion beat Cornell, 54-46, and A-C Valley topped Sewickley Academy, 54-48 in overtime, to move into Wednesday’s second round in Class 1A.
Meanwhile, Otto-Eldred lost to Juniata Valley and the Elk County Catholic was defeated by Winchester Thurston in the Class 1A tournament and Punxsutawney dropped a decision to Ambridge in Class 4A.
Here is a closer look at the games.
NORTH CLARION 54, CORNELL 46
CLARION, Pa. – District 9 champion North Clarion got a much sterner test for the WPIAL fifth-seed Cornell, which came into the game eight games under .500, than many expected but held off the Lady Raiders for a 54-46 win in the PIAA Class 1A first round at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
Abby Gatesman (15 points and 10 rebounds) and Tori Obenrader (19 points, 18 rebounds) both had double-doubles for the She-Wolves (27-0), who trailed 32-30 midway through the third quarter before going on a quarter-ending 11-0 run that featured five different players score led by four points from Obenrader.
Gatesman talked about the win.
Cornell (8-17) used a 5-0 spurt early in the fourth quarter to get within four, 43-39, thanks to a 3-pointer from Myka Smith, who had a game-high 20 points, and a steal and hoop from Maya Goins that closed the gap to 43-39 with 5:51 to go. But Gatesman hit two free throws and Obenrader scored four straight points to get the lead back to double digits.
Free throws played a big role in the win with North Clarion going 23 of 34 from the line and three Cornell players fouling out the game. The Lady Raiders were 8 of 14 from the line.
Gabby Schmader added seven points for North Clarion, while Nysia Miles added 14 for Cornell.
North Clarion will take on Farrell in the second round Wednesday at a site and time to be announced Sunday.
A-C VALLEY 54, SEWICKLEY ACADEMY 48, OVERTIME
KNOX, Pa. – Cami McNany scored seven of her 15 points in overtime, as A-C Valley knocked off Sewickley Academy, 54-48, in the PIAA Class 1A first round at Keystone High School.
The teams were tied at 43 at the end of regulation after Sewickley Academy rallied from a six-point deficit with under two minutes to go to square the game thanks to three free throws after being fouled taking a triple and a 3-pointer by Sam Smith, who had a team-high 21 points.
After Smith’s triple with about a minute to play tied the game, A-C Valley (21-6), the second-place finisher in District 9, held for a late shot. But Kylee Eaton’s inside shot with just over two seconds to play was off the mark, and the ball was tied up with the arrow giving the ball to the Lady Panthers (14-7), the third-place finisher in the WPIAL.
But in overtime, A-C Valley made hay from the free-throw line going 9 of 14 from the line led by McNany going 5 of 6. For the game, the Lady Falcons were 23 of 33 from the free-throw line.
The game was tight throughout with A-C Valley holding a 14-10 lead after a quarter and a 24-21 halftime lead. The advantage remained at three, 35-32, going to the fourth quarter before A-C Valley got it to six, 43-37 late.
But Smith kept her team alive by scoring nine of her 21 points in the fourth quarter. She got the Lady Panthers within three by hitting all three free throws after being fouled by Thomas and then buried a deep three to tie the game.
Ellie Thompson had a monster game for A-C Valley with a game-high 25 points.
Bre Warner added eight points for Sewickley Academy.
A-C Valley will take on Kennedy Catholic in the second round Wednesday at a site and time to be announced Sunday.
JUNIATA VALLEY 65, OTTO-ELDRED 28
HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. – Juniata Valley, the District 6 champion and the PIAA runner-up a year ago, raced out to a 17-point lead after one quarter and never looked back on its way to a 65-28 win over Otto-Eldred in the PIAA Class 1A first round at Hollidaysburg High School.
The Lady Hornets (23-3) led 19-2 at the end of the first quarter and 35-12 at halftime.
Hale Smith led Juniata Valley with 23 points while Sydney Reed added 20 points and Maddie Mattas 11.
Haylee Frederick scored 11 to pace Otto-Eldred (21-5), the third-place team out of D9, with Allison Cousins adding eight. Leading scorer Camryn Thomas was held to four points and five rebounds. Britney Greeley had a team-best six rebounds to go with five points and three steals.
Juniata Valley takes on Berlin Brothersvalley in the second round Wednesday.
WINCHESTER THURSTON 50, ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 31
CANONSBURG, Pa. – Ayanna Townsend and Gia Thorpe combined to score 30 points, as WPIAL champion Winchester Thurston toppled Elk County Catholic, the D9 fourth-place team, 50-31, in the opening round of the PIAA Class 1A tournament at Canon-McMillan High School.
Townsend, a Xavier recruit, scored a game-high 16 points with Thorpe adding 14.
Winchester Thurston (20-5), which led 29-11 at halftime, also got nine points from Nya Nicholson and seven from Luka van de Venne, who hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Taylor Newton had a double-double for ECC (16-12) with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Makenzie Cashmer hit a pair of 3-pointers and added nine tallies for the Lady Crusaders.
Winchester Thurston faces Bishop Carroll in the second round.
AMBRIDGE 36, PUNXSUTAWNEY 21
CLARION, Pa. – Ainya Walker and Chloe Rabold combined for 19 points to lead Ambridge, the WPIAL fifth-place, to a 36-21 win over District 9 champion Punxsutawney in the PIAA Class 4A first round at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
Walker, a 6-1 junior, led the Lady Bridgers (14-11) with 10 points with Rabold chipping in nine points.
Sarah Weaver and Leah Miller each scored seven points for Punxsutawney (18-6) with Miller also adding 15 rebounds. Kate Horner added five points for the Lady Chucks.
Ambridge built a 17-8 halftime lead before Punxsutawney scored the first four points of the second half to get within five, 17-12. But the Lady Bridgers scored the next six points to restore the lead and went up 26-15 at the end of three quarters.
The Lady Bridgers will play Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in the second round.
BOX SCORES
NORTH CLARION 54, CORNELL 46
Score by Quarters
Cornell 13 13 6 14 – 46
North Clarion 13 17 11 13 – 54
CORNELL – 46
Nysia Miles 6 2-5 14, Maya Goins 1 0-0 2, Hailey Leitner 1 0-0 2, Amirah Bethel 1 0-0 2, Myka Smith 5 6-7 20, Cy’Moni Harrison 2 0-2 4, Adrriana Mull 0 0-0 0, Patience Gipson 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 8-14 46.
NORTH CLARION – 54
Mackenzie Bauer 0 4-6 4, Cierah Manross 1 2-4 4, Gabby Schmader 1 4-5 7, Gabby Carll 1 2-2 4, Abbey Gatesman 4 7-7 15, Tori Obenrader 8 3-6 19, Haley Sherman 0 1-4 1. Totals 15 23-34 54.
Three-pointers: Cornell 4 (Smith 4). North Clarion 1 (Schmader).
A-C VALLEY 54, SEWICKLEY ACADEMY 48, OVERTIME
Score by Quarters
Sewickley Academy 10 11 11 11 5 – 48
A-C Valley 14 10 11 8 11 – 54
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY – 48
Myra Samuel 0 0-0 0, JJ Jardini 1 0-0 2, Theressa Wilson 2 0-0 4, Olivia Ryder 3 0-0 6, Kamryn Lightcap 1 1-2 3, , Tatum McKelvey 0 0-0 0, Sam Smith 6 5-7 21, Bre Warner 4 0-0 8, Alyssa Winter 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 6-9 48.
A-C VALLEY – 54
Cami McNany 6 6-9 15, Ellie Thompson 6 13-18 25, Annie Viertel 1 1-2 3, Brooke Irwin 1 0-0 2, Kylee Eaton 1 1-2 3, Emma Fox 1 0-0 2, Allison Sherman 1 2-2 4. Totals 15 23-33 54.
Three-pointers: Sewickley Academy 4 (Smith 4). A-C Valley 1 (McNany)
JUNIATA VALLEY 65, OTTO-ELDRED 28
Score by Quarters
Otto-Eldred 2 10 6 10 – 28
Juniata Valley 19 16 12 18 – 65
OTTO-ELDRED – 28
Allison Cousins 3 1-2 8, Alyssa Shelander 0 0-0 0, Reilly Raught 0 0-0 0, Autumn Smith 0 0-0 0, Britney Greeley 2 1-2 5, Jadelyn Spinney 0 0-0 0, Camryn Thomas 2 0-0 4, Emily Smith 0 0-0 0, Haylee Frederick 3 2-2 11, Kayley Heller 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 4-6 28.
JUNIATA VALLEY – 65
Taylor Leidy 1 3-4 5, Haydon Taylor 1 0-0 2, Sydney Reed 6 4-4 20, Hale Smith 11 0-0 23, Maddie Mattas 5 1-2 11, Lexie Reed 0 0-0 0, Olivia Smith 2 0-0 4, Emily Jefferis 0 0-0 0, Emma Musser 0 0-0 0, Kathryn Hopsicker 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 8-10 65.
Three-pointers: Otto-Eldred 4 (Frederick 3, Cousins). Juniata Valley 5 (Sydney Reed 4, Hale Smith.)
WINCHESTER THURSTON 50, ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 31
Score by Quarters
Elk County Catholic 3 8 9 11 – 31
Winchester Thurston 13 16 12 9 – 50
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC – 31
Sady VanAlstine 0 0-0 0, Makenzie Cashmer 2 3-3 9, Josie Smith 1 0-0 3, Taylor Newton 5 1-2 11, McKayla Wilson 2 0-0 5, Brandi Clyde 0 0-1 0, Kristen Kirst 0 0-0 0, Sammi Fedus 0 0-0 0, Gabbi Rohr 0 1-2 1, Maggie Dinsmore 1 0-0 2, Ellie Fledderman 0 0-0 0, Emily Wolfe 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 5-8 31.
WINCHESTER THURSTON – 50
Tatiana Barelli 0 0-0 0, Malaynie McCreary 0 0-0 0, Gia Thorpe 7 0-1 14, Grace Stewart 0 0-0 0, Kate Chaillet 0 0-0 0, Ayanna Townsend 8 0-0 16, Luka van de Venne 2 1-2 7, Karen Chen 0 0-0 0, Nya Nicholson 3 3-4 9, Emma Small 2 0-0 4. 22 4-7 50.
Three-pointers: ECC 4 (Cashmer 2, Smith, Wilson). Winchester Thurston 2 (van de Venne 2).
AMBRIDGE 36, PUNXSUTAWNEY 21
Score by Quarters
Ambridge 12 5 9 10 – 36
Punxsy 4 4 7 6 – 21
AMBRIDGE – 36
Aniya Walker 4 2-4 10, Kara Hazlett 2 1-2 6, Megan Guthrie 2 1-2 6, Chloe Rabold 4 0-0 9, Dasha Jackson 1 3-5 5, Jordan Swarte 0 0-0 0, Savanah Fischer 0 0-0 0, Rachel Guthrie 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 7-13 36.
PUNXSUTAWNEY – 21
Mia Lingenfelter 0 0-0 0, Leah Miller 2 3-4 7, Jordyn Powell 0 0-0 0, Elyse White 1 0-0 2, Kate Horner 2 0-0 5, Abby Gigliotti 0 0-0 0, Sophie Wyant 0 0-0 0, Riley Presloid 0 0-0 0, Sarah Weaver 3 1-2 7. Totlas 8 4-6 21.
Three-pointers: Ambridge 3 (Hazlett, Megan Guthrie, Rabold ). Punxsutawney 1 (Horner).
