KITTANNING, Pa. – Hanging around the entire game, Ridgway took it to the end, missing a game-tying 3-pointer on its final possession in a 44-41 loss to WPIAL champion and defending PIAA Class 2A champion Sewickley Academy at Armstrong High School Wednesday night.
(Photo of Ridgway’s Daunte Allegretto. Photo by Jared Bakaysa of JB Graphics. See more of Bakaysa’s work here)
Ridgway’s season ends at 26-2 while Sewickley Academy moves on to the quarterfinals to take on Jeannette, a 62-60 winner over Cambridge Springs also on Wednesday.
Daunte Allegretto led the Elkers with 11 points while Andy Breier scored 10 points despite fouling out with 5:38 left in the third quarter.
The Elkers trailed 38-33, but outscored the Panthers 6-1 over the next 4:47 to tie it at 39-39 with 2:08 remaining.
Hitting some clutch free throws down the stretch, the Panthers hit two free throws to go up 44-41 with 9.2 seconds on the clock to set up the final shot that Ridgway missed.
Isaiah Smith scored 14 points for the Panthers while David Groetsch finished with 10 points.
The Elkers clearly got Sewickley Academy out of its element as the Panthers averaged 70.9 points per game going into the night. The previous lowest points scored this year came in a 56-39 win over Fairview on Feb. 11.
Ridgway held its 10th straight opponent to less than 50 points and 26th out its 28 games this year. Coudersport went over 50 twice in its season split with the Elkers.
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY 44, RIDGWAY 41
Score By Quarters
Ridgway 13 7 11 10 – 41
Sewickley Academy 12 14 7 11 – 44
RIDGWAY – 41
Daunte Allegretto 3 5-7 11, Andy Breier 4 2-2 10, Johnny Mitchell 4 0-0 8, Josh Thorwart 1 3-5 5, Neil MacDonald 2 0-0 4, Jake Reynolds 1 0-0 3, Totals: 15 10-15 41.
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY – 44
Isaiah Smith 6 2-3 14, David Groetsch 3 2-2 10, Isiah Wartfield 2 4-6 9, Jett Roesing 2 0-0 6, Nate Ridgeway 2 1-5 5, Totals: 15 9-16 44.
3-pointers: Ridgway 1 (Reynolds), Sewickley Academy 5 (Groetsch 2, Roesing 2, Warfield).
