CLARION, Pa. – Elk County Catholic was the lone District 9 boys’ team to advance in the PIAA playoffs Friday with the Crusaders knocking off Jamestown, 66-40, in the Class 1A bracket.
(Photo by Paul Burdick. Check out more of Burdick’s work here)
The other three 1A teams – D9 champion Johnsonburg, North Clarion and Cameron County- all lost as did D9 4A champion Clearfield.
Here is a look at the games.
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 66, JAMESTOWN 40
CLARION, Pa. – Ryan Newton and Alex Breindel combined to score 41 points to lift District 9 runner-up Elk County Catholic to a 66-40 win over District 10 runner-up Jamestown in the opening round of the PIAA Class 1A playoffs at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
Newton netted a game-high 22 points for the Crusaders (22-6) with Breindel adding 19 tallies. It marks the fourth straight year ECC has won a first-round game and the 15th time since 1999 the Crusaders have a first-round win.
Behind nine points from Newton, ECC led 11-3 at the end of a quarter and built the lead to double digits, 27-16, at halftime with Newton scoring eight more points in the second quarter.
Breindel then hit a pair of third-quarter three-pointers to help ECC extend the advantage to 48-31 after 24 minutes of action.
Dawson Urbansky led Jamestown (12-13) with 13 points with Daruan Keyser adding seven.
ECC will face District 6 champion Bishop Carroll, an 86-76 winner over Imani Christian, in the second round Tuesday at a site and time to be announced.
EDEN CHRISTIAN 30, JOHNSONBURG 28
CLARION, Pa. – In the lowest scoring PIAA 1A boys’ playoff game in seven years, WPIAL sixth-place finished Eden Christian stunned District 9 champion, Johnsonburg, 30-28, at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
The Rams (19-8) led 20-17 at halftime but were outscored 13-8 in the second half including not scoring in the fourth quarter – Johnsonburg didn’t even miss a free throw in the quarter.
The 30 points are the lowest for a boys’ Class 1A PIAA winner since at least 1982, which is as far back as scores for PIAA playoff games on the PIAA website go.
Chase Hearing led Eden Christian (17-6), which outscored Johnsonburg 2-0 in the fourth quarter, with 13 points with Dylan Kingan adding 10.
Austin Green had 13 points to pace Johnsonburg.
The last time fewer than 58 total points were scored in a PIAA Class 1A boys’ game was in 2011 when Reading Central Catholic beat Old Forge, 32-21, in the second round. The 32 points scored by Reading CC in that game was also the previous lowest point total for a Class 1A winner since 1982.
Eden Christian will play Shanksville in the second round Tuesday.
UNION-NEW CASTLE 71, NORTH CLARION 56
BUTLER, Pa. – Tre Charles exploded for 35 points to lead Union-New Castle to a 71-56 win over North Clarion in the PIAA Class 1A first round at Butler High School.
Charles scored 13 first-quarter points to help the WPIAL runner-up Scotties (18-6) grab a 24-13 win after a quarter. He then added 13 more third-quarter points to help Union-New Castle expand on a 41-28 halftime lead by outscoring the Wolves 18-13 in the quarter.
Evan Pinkerton chipped in 13 points for Union-New Castle.
Kyle Mills paced North Clarion (21-5), the District 9 third-place finisher, with 21 points with Keeven Weaver adding eight.
Union-New Castle will face Kennedy Catholic in the second round Tuesday.
VINCENTIAN ACADEMY 60, CAMERON COUNTY 53
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – WPIAL champion Vincentian Academy built a 19-point halftime lead then held off a furious second-half challenge from Cameron County to oust the District 9 fourth-place team, 60-53, in the opening round of the PIAA Class 1A playoffs at Northgate High School.
The Royals (19-7) led 35-16 at the break but saw Cameron County (17-8) come out firing in the third quarter with the Red Raiders nailing four third-quarter 3-pointers and seven in the second half.
Behind the long ball, Cameron cut the deficit to 47-36 going to the fourth quarter and then outscored Vincentian Academy 17-13 in the final eight minutes.
Kyler Fedko led Vincentian with 18 points with Zach McDonough adding 15 and Angelo Reeves 12.
Marcus Brown hit four 3-pointers while tying for game-high honors with 18 points for Cameron County while adding 11 rebounds. Dino Brown also drilled four long balls and scored 14 points with Adam Shaffer adding nine points and nine rebounds and Caden Beldin eight points.
Vincentian takes on Shade in the second round Tuesday.
SOUTH FAYETTE 55, CLEARFIELD 44
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Trailing District 9 champion Clearfield by six at halftime, WPIAL fifth-place finisher South Fayette outscored the Bison 16-3 in the third quarter on its way to a 55-44 win in the opening round of the PIAA Class 4A playoffs at St. Marys High School.
Clearfield (15-10) led 29-23 at the break but struggled in the third quarter with Tim Locher scoring seven of his game-high 17 points in the third stanza.
Conner Mislan added 14 points for the Lions (17-8) with Noah Plack scoring 11.
Reese Wilson paced Clearfield with 11 points, Jon Gates scored nine, Cade Walker eight and Taye Lynch had six points and eight rebounds.
South Fayette will take on New Castle in the second round Tuesday.
BOX SCORES
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 66, JAMESTOWN 40
Score by Quarters
Jamestown 3 13 15 9 – 40
Elk CC 11 16 21 18 – 66
JAMESTOWN – 40
Charles Gonzalez 0 0-0 0, Jacob Rhoades 2 2-5 6, Dawson Urbansky 2 8-12 13, Elijah Rhoades 0 0-0 0, Nickolas College 0 0-2 0, Elliott Steadman 1 2-2 4, Darren Dudley 0 0-0 0, Richard Graham 2 2-3 6, Darian Keyser 3 0-0 7. Totals 12 14-27 40.
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC – 40
Isaac Wortman 0 0-0 0, Bryce O’Leary 1 0-0 2, Carter Lindemuth 0 2-4 2, Ale Wehler 0 0-0 0, Erick Mader 0 0-0 0, Logan Hoffman 1 1-4 3, Ben Hoffman 0 0-0 0, Will Uberti 0 0-0 0, Stephen Bobby 0 0-0 0, Brennen Klawuhn 1 0-0 2, Regis Wortman 3 0-0 6, Joe Aiello 1 0-0 2, Leo Gregory 2 0-0 4, Ryan Newton 8 5-6 22, Brady Schneider 2 0-0 4, Alex Breindel 6 4-4 19, Taylor Boland 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 12-18 66.
Three-pointer: Jamestown 2 (Keyser, Urbansky). ECC 4 (Breindel 3, Newton).
EDEN CHRISTIAN 30, JOHNSONBURG 28
Score by Quarters
Eden Christian 8 9 11 2 – 30
Johnsonburg 10 10 8 0 – 28
EDEN CHRISTIAN – 30
Chase Haring 5 1-3 13, Gideon Manges 1 0-0 2, Mickey Clary 0 2-2 2, Markus Williams 0 0-0 0, Elijah Manges 0 0-0 0, Dylan Kingan 4 2-5 10, Warren Schmotzer 0 0-0 0, Tanner Gross 1 0-0 3. Totals 11 5-10 30.
JOHNSONBURG – 28
Isaac Schloder 1 2-4 4, Kacey Raubenstrauch 1 0-0 2, Austin Green 5 0-0 13, Trevor Lobaugh 1 0-0 2, Logan Notorianni 0 0-0 0, Tyler Singer 1 0-0 3, Ben Freeburg 1 0-0 2, Nick Bliss 1 0-0 2. Totals 11 2-4 28.
Three-pointers: Eden Christian 3 (Haring 2, Gross). Johnsonburg 4 (Green 3, Singer).
UNION-NEW CASTLE 71, NORTH CLARION 56
Score by Quarters
North Clarion 13 15 13 15 – 56
Union-NC 24 18 18 12 – 71
NORTH CLARION – 56
Nathan Banner 1 1-3 3, Keeven Weaver 4 0-0 8, Jesse Schmader 1 2-2 4, Zander Hargenrader 2 2-4 6, Sam Minich 0 0-0 0, Noah Meyers 2 0-0 5, Korey Mills 0 0-1 0, Kyle Mills 8 5-10 21, Tyler McCord-Wolbert 0 1-2 1, Matson Higgins 1 0-1 2, Logan Minich 2 2-3 6, Devon Walters 0 0-0 0, Zyler Hargenrader 0 0-0 0, Jacob Bauer 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 13-25 56.
UNION-NEW CASTLE – 71
Tre Charles 15 3-6 35, Matt Costello 0 0-0 0, Mike Flowers 2 2-4 7, Vince Fuleno 0 0-0 0, Jayson Pasquarello 0 0-0 0, Seth Pinkerton 2 2-2 6, Evan Pinkerton 6 0-0 13, Rob King 0 0-0 0, Nate Meeks 2 2-2 8, Sean Louis 0 2-2 2, Nick Jacobs 0 0-0 0, Caleb Lombardo 0 0-0 0, Tyler Benedicts 0 0-0 0, Anthony Huntley 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 11-16 71.
Three-pointers: North Clarion 1 (Meyers). Union-New Castle 6 (Charles 2, Nate Meeks 2, Evan Pinkerton, Flowers).
VINCENTIAN ACADEMY 60, CAMERON COUNTY 53
Score by Quarters
Cameron County 11 5 20 17 – 53
Vincentian Academy 19 16 12 13 – 60
CAMERON COUNTY – 53
Dino Brown 5 0-0 14, Marcus Brown 7 0-0 18, Alex Umble 0 0-0 0, Adam Shaffer 4 0-1 9, Caden Beldin 3 0-0 8, Ty Bauer 1 2-2 4, Bryce Bauer 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 2-3 53.
VINCENTIAN ACADEMY – 60
Kyler Fedko 7 4-7 18, Zach McDonough 5 3-6 15, Angelo Reeves 6 0-0 12, Zach Collins 2 0-1 4, Nathan Cullo 5 0-2 11, Marshall Gadzik 0 0-0 0, Mike Schneider 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 6-17 60.
Three-pointers: Cameron County 11 (Dino Brown 4, Marcus Brown 4, Caden Beldin 2, Adam Shaffer). Vincentian Academy 3 (McDonough 2, Cullo).
SOUTH FAYETTE 55, CLEARFIELD 44
Score by Quarters
South Fayette 9 14 16 16 – 55
Clearfield 14 15 3 12 – 44
SOUTH FAYETTE – 55
Connor Mislan 4 6-7 14, Drew Franklin 0 5-6 5, Tim Locher 7 1-4 17, Noah Plack 5 1-2 11, Ben Coyne 0 0-0 0, Braden Hoy 1 0-0 2, Austin Smith 0 0-2 0, Joe Alcorn 2 0-0 6, Drew Saxton 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 12-21 55.
CLEARFIELD – 44
Ryan Chew 1 0-0 2, Reese Wilson 5 0-0 11, Jon Gates 3 2-2 9, Wyatt Porter 0 0-0 0, Cade Walker 3 1-1 8, Taye Lynch 1 4-4 6, Karson Rumsky 0 0-0 0, Jake Leezer 1 0-0 2, Keegan Hess 2 2-2 6. Totals 16 9-9 44.
Three-pointer: South Fayette 5 (Locher 2, Alcorn 2, Mislan). Clearfield 3 (Wilson, Gates, Walker)
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