Burrell’s D-1 combo too much for Karns City

Information for this story courtesy of the Butler Eagle

CLARION, Pa. – Going into the opening round of the PIAA Class AA girls’ basketball playoffs, District 9 champion Karns City knew it was up against a tough team in Burrell that featured a pair of NCAA Division I basketball recruits.

And those players heading to the big leagues next year proved to be too much for the Lady Gremlins, who dropped a 55-45 decision to the Buccaneers Friday night at Clarion High School.

Sydney Boronaro, who is headed to Peperdine, and Natalie Myers, who is going to Youngstown State, combined to score 42 of Burrell’s 55 points in the victory with each netting eerily similar lines for the fourth-place team out of the WPIAL, that is coming off a PIAA semifinal appearance a year ago.

Bordonaro was 4 of 13 shooting from the floor and 11 of 14 from the free-throw line for 21 points, while Myers was also 4 of 13 from the field and 11 of 12 from the line for 21 as well. The duo helped Burrell go 23 of 30 from the charity stripe to help overcome a 14 of 42 (33 percent) shooting night.

LeeAnn Gibson, only a junior, held her own for the Karns City with a team-high 20 points on 5 of 7 shooting and 10 of 14 from the charity stripe. But the rest of the Lady Gremlins were just 10 of 29 from the floor and 2 of 6 from the line.

Alyssa Gibson, a sophomore, added 10 points connecting on 4 of 4 shots and both of her free throws, while Emily Hegedus, a freshman, had seven points shooting 3 of 3 from the floor.

The Karns City seniors, the backbone of back-to-back District 9 titles, struggled, though, with Emily LoPresti, Shanel Preston and Annie Hegedus combining to shoot just 3 of 22 with Preston’s five points on 2 of 13 shooting being the highwater-scoring mark of the group.

Despite the upperclassmen struggles, the game was tight.

The teams were tied at 13 at the end of the first quarter before Burrell took a 28-21 halftime lead.

Karns City fought back in the third quarter outscoring the Bucs 7-5 in the quarter to get within five, 33-28, going to the final eight minutes.

The game was still a five-point contest, 45-40, with 1:49 to play before Burrell was able to end the game with a 10-5 spurt.

Karns City ends the year 21-4, while Burrell improves to 22-4 and will play Bellwood-Antis, a 50-48 winner over Everett, in the second round Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

BURRELL 55, KARNS CITY 45

Score by Quarters

Burrell 13 15 5 22 – 55

Karns City 13 8 7 17 – 45

Burrell – 55

Elisa Oswalt 2-6 0-0 4, Sydney Bordonaro 4-13 11-14 21, Natalie Myers 4-13 11-12 21, Brooke Smith 3-7 1-2 6, Nicole Kristof 0-1 0-2 0, Bailey Taylor 1-2 0-0 2, Erica Finn. Totals: 14-42 23-30 55.

Karns City – 45

Alyssa Gibson 4-4 2-2 10, Emily Hegedus 3-3 0-0 7, Emily LoPresti 1-7 0-0 3, LeeAnn Gibson 5-7 10-14 20, Annie Hegedus 0-2 0-2 0, Shanel Preston 2-13 0-2 5, Saydie Moore 0-0 0-0 0, LeErin Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-36 12-20 45.

Three-pointers – Burrell 4 (Bordonaro 2, Myers 2); Karns City 3 (E. Hegedus, LoPresti, Preston)