ECC/DCC Girls; Ridgway/ECC Boys advance to AML Title Games

See WJAC-TV Highlights of the AML Semifinals 

GIRLS

DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 42, KANE 26

DuBOIS, Pa. – DuBois Central Catholic built a 13-point halftime lead on its way to a 42-26 win over Kane in the AML girls’ semifinals Friday night in DuBois.

The Lady Cardinals (13-10) led 21-8 at the break.

Riley Assalone led all scorers with 14 points for DCC, while Gabby Caruso added eight.

Rachel Clark paced Kane (12-11) with 11 points with Taylor Morgan adding seven.

DCC will take on Elk County Catholic in the title game at 6 p.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 58, BROCKWAY 30

ST. MARYS, Pa. – Unbeaten Elk County Catholic ran its record to 23-0 with a 58-30 win over visiting Brockway in the AML semifinals Friday night.

The Lady Crusaders, the AML North champs, bolted out to a 14-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 25-10 at halftime.

Macy Neireiter netted a game-best 17 points for ECC, while Erin Petrosky and Cassidy Cunningham each had 10.

Juli Esposito paced Brockway with 12 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Kaitlyn Morelli had seven steals to go with two points for the Lady Rovers (12-9).

ECC will face DuBois Central Catholic in the AML Title game at 6 p.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School.

BOYS

RIDGWAY 34, JOHNSONBURG 26  

RIDGWAY, PA. – Ben MacDonald and Jeremy Breier combined to score all but nine points for Ridgway in a 34-26 Elker win over visiting Johnsonburg in the AML boys’ semifinals Friday night.

MacDonald netted 13 points and Breier 12 for Ridgway (21-2), the AML South champion.

Zane Hodgdon led Johnsonburg (12-11), the AML North runner-up, with 13 points, while Kevin Benson added six.

Ridgway led by 13-11 at halftime after ending the half on a 4-1 spurt. Hodgdon had eight of his points at the break to lead all scorers at that point, while MacDonald and Breier each had four to pace Ridgway.

The Elkers then started to pull away in the third quarter using a 7-4 spurt in the final six minutes of the quarter to take a 22-15 lead into the final eight minutes.

The Ridgway run grew to 15-8 six minutes into the fourth quarter helping the Elkers go up 30-19 with just over two minutes to play.

Johnsonburg tried to fight back in the final couple of minutes but wasn’t able to get closer than seven, 31-24, with 40 seconds left.

Ridgway will take on Elk County Catholic for the AML TItle at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Marys High School.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 67, DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 40

ST. MARYS, Pa. – Mitchell Struble netted a game-high 21 points to lead Elk County Catholic back to the AML Title game with a 67-40 win over visiting DuBois Central Catholic Friday night.

Struble hit eight shots from the field including three 3-pointers and was also 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. Kyle Huff added 12 points for the ECC (22-1), who led 19-9 at the end of the first quarter and 37-23 at halftime.

Dane Aucker led DCC with 14 points, while Christine LaParne added eight.

The Crusaders will take on Ridgway in the AML Title game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Marys HIgh School. Ridgway handed ECC its only loss of the year, 37-33, Dec. 27, on the court at St. Marys High.