Moniteau Rallies to Down Clarion Behind Second-Half Defense and Dessicino Dominance on the Boards

WEST SUNBURY. Pa. (EYT/D9) — Coming off an emotional, double-overtime loss to rival Karns City on Tuesday night, Moniteau boys basketball coach Mike Jewart was fretting about the game at home against Clarion on Thursday evening.

(Pictured above, Moniteau’s David Dessicino)

Early on, it seemed Jewart’s concerns were warranted.

The Warriors fell behind against the Bobcats by double digits in the first half.

But things changed in the second half as the Moniteau defense clamped down on Clarion stars Devon Lauer and Dawson Smail and the Warriors edged the Bobcats, 46-44.

“I talked to them after the game and I flat out told them I was extremely nervous about this game,” Jewart said. “And they proved me wrong.”

Clarion Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.

David Dessicino scored 14 points and also had 17 rebounds and Moniteau went to a box-and-one against Lauer in the second half, holding the Clarion junior point guard scoreless over the final two quarters.

It was a defense, thanks to a shortened preseason, that Jewart and his team hadn’t practiced.

“Chasen (Delarosa-Rugg) did a phenomenal job on (Lauer),” Jewart said. “He guarded him the entire second half. He was killing us in the first half and we had never practiced it and we thought, ‘Let’s just give it a shot.’ They executed it perfectly, did a great job in it. Phenomenal job by those guys.”

Moniteau (4-2) trailed by just five at the half and by three by the end of the third quarter as they chipped away at that early big deficit.

The Warriors then held Clarion to just one basket by Bryce Brinkley in the fourth to finally pull ahead.

The Bobcats had a final shot to tie, but misfired.

“The kids didn’t blink,” Jewart said. “In the first half, we were down a couple time by 10, 11 points. They just kept scratching and battling. They did a great job.”

Moniteau was also playing without freshman point guard Andrew Zepeda. He is expected to be back next week.

Delarosa-Rugg and David Martino each added nine and Connor Ealy eight, including a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter for the Warriors.

Dessicino, though, was the force.

“He owned the glass,” Jewart said. “He had a big game.”

Lauer scored 14 and Smail added 12 to lead Clarion.

Both Dawson Smail and Derek Smail battled foul trouble and both ended up fouling out.

Gabe Simko returned to the Bobcat lineup after missing Tuesday’s game against A-C Valley due to illness. He pitched in eight points.

Clarion (6-2) saw its six-game winning streak snapped.

Clarion Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.