KARNS CITY, Pa. – Karns City put together a dominant performance in the opening round of the PIAA Playoffs, defeating Conemaugh Township 72-46.
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The Gremlins offense took four minutes to get on the board but bossed the rest of the game, with the Gremlins taking and maintaining a big lead throughout the entire contest. After taking a 33-14 lead at the half, Karns City expanded their lead to 19 after three quarters and coasted to a lopsided win.
Chase Beighley had a huge game for the Gremlins, scoring 26 points. Luke Cramer scored 16 points for Karns City, and Micah Rupp contributed 10 points. Jackson Beyer led Conemaugh Township with 20 points. Jackson Byer topped Conemaugh Township with 20 points.
The game began at a slow pace, with both teams prioritizing patience over pace. Unfortunately for the squads, the patient play did not result in quality shots, as only two points were scored in the opening five minutes. Beighley finally connected on a field goal to score the Gremlins’ first points and tie the score at two with 3:00 remaining. The field goal kickstarted the Gremlins’ offense, as they embarked on an 11-2 run to take an 11-4 lead after the first quarter.
Cramer continued his scoring push in the second period, offsetting three Conemaugh Township buckets to preserve the Gremlins lead. Karns City kept pushing the pace, with Micah Rupp scoring on a second-chance layup to boost the Gremlins’ lead to double-digits midway through the period. The Gremlins continued to expand their lead, keeping their offense rolling and using their tenacious defense to deny Conemaugh Township. Karns City grew their lead to 19 points, finishing the quarter up 33-14.
Conemaugh Township started the second half with a surge of offense, scoring eight unanswered points to cut Karns City’s lead to 11. Beighley single-handedly grabbed the momentum back for the Gremlins, connecting on three consecutive threes to build the lead back up to 18. A three-pointer by Eric Booher gave the Gremlins the quarter’s final points, with Karns City holding a wide 50-31 lead.
The Gremlins kept their lead secure, going on an 8-3 run to up their advantage to 24. The Gremlins cruised through the remainder of the contest, slowing down their offensive pace to secure a commanding 72-46 victory to advance in the PIAA Playoffs. Karns City will advance to face Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the PIAA quarterfinals, with the game scheduled for Saturday, March 20 at 1:00 pm.
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