Friday’s District 9 PIAA Basketball Playoff Previews

Nine District 9 teams will be in action in the PIAA playoffs Friday including five boys’ teams and four girls’ teams.

(Photo of C-L’s Curvin Goheen and Johnsonburg’s Nick Bliss. Both players will try to help their teams to PIAA playoff wins Friday. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media.www.propointmedia.com)

CLASS 1A BOYS

(9-1) ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC VS. (7-6) LEECHBURG
When and Where: 7:30 p.m. at St. Marys High School
Winner Gets: Winner of Vincentian Academy/St. Joseph’s Academy game in second round Tuesday, March 12 at a time and place to be announced
Records: ECC 26-1; Leechburg 13-10
How They Got Here: ECC won the District 9 title with a win over North Clarion; Leechburg earned the sixth seed from the WPIAL by beating Bishop Canevin in the first round before losing to eventual WPIAL runner-up Vincentian Academy in the quarterfinals. The WPIAL uses a follow-the-leader format to qualify for the PIAA Playoffs.
ECC Leading Scorers: Alex Breindel (12.8 ppg), Regis Wortman (12.1 ppg), Alex Wehler (8.2 ppg), Carter Lindemuth (6.2 ppg)
Leechburg Leading Scorers: (All stats are approximate)Conner McDermott (17.5 ppg), Jake Blumer (16.5 ppg), Dylan Cook (14.5 ppg), John Miskinis (12.5 ppg)

(9-2) NORTH CLARION VS. (6-2) BISHOP CARROLL
When and Where: 7 p.m. at Kane High School
Winner Gets: Winner of Jamestown vs. Monessen game in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a time and place to be announced
Records: North Clarion 21-3; Bishop Carroll 19-5
How They Got Here: North Clarion fell to Elk County Catholic in D9 title game and Bishop Carroll lost to Juniata Valley in the District 6 championship game
North Clarion Leading Scorers: Kyle Mills (18.3 ppg), Tyler McCord-Wolbert (11.7 ppg), Korey Mills (10.6 ppg), Logan Minich (10.3 ppg), Sam Minich (7.9 ppg)
Bishop Carroll Leading Scorers: Tristan McDannell (19.3 ppg), Nolan Burk (12.3 ppg), Carson Ertter (11.7 ppg), Scotty Semelsberger (9.8 ppg), Alex Karlheim (7.2 ppg)

(9-3) CLARION-LIMESTONE VS. (6-1) JUNIATA VALLEY
When and Where: 7:30 p.m. at Altoona High School
Winner Gets: Winner of Shanksville-Stonycreek vs. Cornell game in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a time and place to be announced
Records: C-L 22-4; Juniata Valley 18-5
How They Got Here: C-L beat Johnsonburg in the District 9 consolation game after losing to North Clarion in semifinals; Juniata Valley beat Bishop Carroll in District 6 title game
C-L Leading Scorers: Deion Deas (20.5 ppg; 1,000-point scorer), Ian Callen (17.7 ppg in 15 games; 1,000-point scorer), Hayden Callen (16.0 ppg)
Juniata Valley Leading Scorers: Cameron Collins (23.3 ppg), Quinn Zinobile (13.3 ppg), Jaxson Rand (12.2 ppg)

(9-4) JOHNSONBURG VS. (7-1) NAZARETH PREP
When and Where: 6 p.m. at Northgate High School
Winner Gets: Winner of Shade vs. Union (New Castle) game in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a site and time to be announced
Records: Johnsonburg 16-10; Nazareth Prep 19-3
How They Got Here: Johnsonburg beat Cameron County in District 9 quarterfinals before losing to Elk County Catholic in semifinals and Clarion-Limestone on consolation game; Nazareth Prep beat Vincentian Academy in WPIAL title game
Johnsonburg Leading Scorers: Austin Green (18.0 ppg), Isaac Schloder (9.9 ppg)
Nazareth Prep Leading Scorers: Will Taylor (18.5 ppg)

View photo gallery from District 9 1A Consolation Game between C-L and Johnsonburg from Dave Cyphert of Pro Point Media

View photo gallery from District 9 1A Championship Game between ECC and North Clarion from Dave Cyphert of Pro Point Media

CLASS 4A BOYS

(9-1) CLEARFIELD VS. (7-2) QUAKER VALLEY
When and Where: 7:30 p.m. at Punxsutawney High School
Winner Gets: Bishop McDevitt vs. Ringgold winner in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a site and time to be announced
Records: Clearfield 13-10; Quaker Valley 20-4
How They Got Here: Clearfield beat Bradford in the District 9 championship game; Quaker Valley fell to New Castle in WPIAL title game
Clearfield Leading Scorers: Cade Walker (17.7 ppg), Karson Rumsky (15.8 ppg), Andrew Lopez (7.4 ppg)
Quaker Valley Leading Scorers: Ryan Stowers (23.0 ppg), Danny Conlan (16.5 ppg), Adu Thiero (10.0 ppg)

CLASS 2A GIRLS

(9-1) KANE VS. (10-4) SAEGERTOWN
When and Where: 6 p.m. at St. Marys High School
Winner Gets: Brentwood vs. Penns Manor winner in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a site and time to be announced
Records: Kane (23-3); Saegertown (13-13)
How They Got Here: Kane beat A-C Valley for their first District 9 title; Saegertown beat Mercer in D10 first round before beating a depleted by PIAA transfer rules Iroquois in quarterfinals then losing to Maplewood in D10 semifinals and Cambridge Springs in D10 consolation game
Kane Leading Scorers: Ella Marconi (23.2 ppg; 1,000-point scorer), Hannah Buhl (9.5 ppg), Emily Bucheit (8.3 ppg)
Saegertown Leading Scorers: Carlie Schlosser (10.4 ppg), Katelyn Young (8.7 ppg), Ava Jones (8.6 ppg)

(9-2) A-C VALLEY VS. (10-3) CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS
When and Where: 7 p.m. at Keystone High School
Winner Gets: Our Lady of Sacred Heart vs. Blairsville winner in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a site and time to be announced
Records: A-C Valley 20-4; Cambridge Springs 20-5
How They Got Here: A-C Valley lost to Kane in the District 9 title game; Cambridge Springs beat Sharpsville in District 10 quarterfinals before losing to West Middlesex in the semifinals and beating Saegertown in the consolation game
A-C Valley Leading Scorers: Olivia Boocks (12.9 ppg), Cami McNany (12.8 ppg), Kylee Eaton (11.7 ppg)
Cambridge Springs Leading Scorers: Ashton Hoover (12.6 ppg), Abby Wescott (12.2 ppg), Julia Mailliard (11.3 ppg)

(9-3) CLARION VS. (4-1) MOUNT CARMEL
When and Where: 6 p.m. at Shamokin Area High School
Winner Gets: Bellwood-Antis vs. Windber winner in second round Tuesday, March 12, at a site and time to be announced
Records: Clarion 17-8; Mount Carmel (15-10)
How They Got Here: Clarion beat Cranberry in District 9 quarterfinals before losing to Kane in semifinals and beating Keystone in the consolation game; Mount Carmel beat Sayre in District 4 title game
Clarion Leading Scorers: Kait Constantino (13.0 ppg), KK Girvin (10.0 ppg), Wendy Beveridge (9.0 ppg)
Mount Carmel Leading Scorers: Dani Rae Renno (16.9 ppg), Lauren Shedleski (8.8 ppg)

CLASS 3A GIRLS

(9-1) BROOKVILLE VS. (6-3) CENTRAL CAMBRIA
When and Where: 6 p.m. at Punxsutawney
Winner Gets: Shady Side Academy vs. Greenville winner in second Tuesday, March 12, at a site and time to be announced
Records: Brookville 19-5; Central Cambria 17-7
How They Got Here: Brookville beat Moniteau in District 9 title game and Chestnut Ridge in the D5-9 subregion; Central Cambria beat Cambria Heights in District 6 quarterfinals, lost to Penns Valley in District 6 semifinals and beat Tyrone in District 6 consolation game.
Brookville Leading Scorers: Morgan Johnson (13.3 ppg), Marcy Schindler (12.6 ppg), Madison Johnson (8.4 ppg), Lauren Herget (7.0 ppg)
Central Cambria Leading Scorers: McKenna Hayward (14.6 ppg), Jenna Bauer (10.3 ppg), Cassidy Bezek (8.5 ppg), Liz Bopp (7.5 ppg)