Nine District 9 Basketball Teams in Action in First Round of PIAA Playoffs Friday

CLARION, Pa. – Nine District 9 basketball teams – four girls and five boys – are in action in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs Friday.

(Photo of Redbank Valley’s Caylen Rearick, one of the young players that have helped the Lady Bulldogs to the D9 Class 2A girls’ title. Redbank Valley opens PIAA play with Cochranton at 5 p.m. Friday at Clarion University. Photo by Jared Bakaysa of JB Graphics. See more of Bakaysa’s work here)

Full coverage of District 9 teams in the basketball postseason can be found here.

Here is a quick look at each game.

GIRLS

CLASS 3A

(6-3) Penn Cambria Lady Panthers vs. (9-1) Brookville Lady Raiders
When: 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: Clarion University’s Tippin Gym
Records: Penn Cambria 15-10; Brookville 12-11
How They Got Here: Penn Cambria was the sixth seed in the District 6 playoffs and upset No. 3 Central-Martinsburg, 46-40, in the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Cambria Heights, 61-47, in the semifinals. The Lady Panthers then beat United, 65-55, in the consolation game; Brookville won its third straight District 9 title beating Moniteau, 64-58, in overtime
Winner Gets: Winner of the 10-3 Northwestern vs. 7-2 Beaver game Tuesday, March 10 at a site and time to be announced
One Thing to Know: Brookville’s Marcy Schindler is 20 points away from 1,000 career points. She would be the first Lady Raider to reach that milestone since Paige Elkin in 2007.

Brookville postseason information is brought to you by: Fran Morelli Sales & Service • Lezzer Lumber • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant • Mike’s Supermarket in Brookville • Jefferson Animal Clinic • Matson Insurance

CLASS 2A

(10-4) Cochranton Lady Cardinals vs. (9-1) Redbank Valley Lady Bulldogs
When: 5 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: Clarion University’s Tippin Gym
Records: Cochranton 16-10; Redbank Valley 19-7
How They Got Here: Cochranton beat Commodore Perry, 51-29, in the D10 quarterfinals before losing to Maplewood, 60-58, in the semifinals and then falling to Cambridge Springs, 53-51, in the consolation game; Redbank Valley won the D9 title by beating Kane, 37-25, Clarion, 63-51, and Keystone, 48-37.
Winner Gets: Winner of the game between (7-2) Laurel, coached by former Moniteau head coach and Otto-Eldred graduate Matt Stebbins, and 6-3 Bellwood Antis, the defending PIAA champion Tuesday, March 10 at a site and time to be announced.
One Thing to Know: Redbank Valley is making just its second appearance in the PIAA playoffs since 1999 (loss in 2015) and is looking for its first PIAA playoff win since 1998. Tara Hinderliter is the second all-time leading scorer in Lady Bulldogs history with 1,360 career points and leads D9 in scoring this year at 21.1 ppg

Redbank Valley postseason information is brought to you by: Delta Contracting & Design/Ace Concrete & Excavating • Burford & Henry Real Estate Services • Tin Town Metal Works • State Representative Donna Oberlander (Paid for by Friends of Donna Oberlander) • District Judge Jeff Miller • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant • Jeff Miller, District Judge • Joe’s Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant in New Bethlehem • Pat Merwin Realty

(10-3) Cambridge Springs Lady Blue Devils vs. (9-2) Keystone Lady Panthers
When: 7 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: Moniteau High School
Records: Cambridge Springs 18-6; Keystone 16-9
How They Got Here: Cambridge Springs had a bye into the District 10 semifinals where it lost to eventual champion West Middlesex, 85-38. It then beat Cochranton, 53-51, in the consolation game; Keystone beat Cranberry, 50-43, in the D9 quarterfinals and then topped top-seeded Ridgway, 43-41, in the semifinals before losing to Redbank Valley, 48-37, in the title game.
Winner Gets: The winner of the game between (7-1) Bishop Canevin and (6-4) Bishop McCort Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be announced.
One Thing to Know: Of Cambridge Springs’ six losses, two apiece came to Maplewood and West Middlesex, the top two teams in 2A. The Lady Blue Devils lost to A-C Valley in last year’s first round

Keystone postseason information is brought to you by: Delta Contracting & Design/Ace Concrete & Excavating • Burford & Henry Real Estate Services • Tin Town Metal Works • Wired Outdoors • State Representative Donna Oberlander (Paid for by Friends of Donna Oberlander) • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant

(9-3) Clarion Lady Cats vs. (4-1) Mount Carmel Red Tornadoes
When: 5 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: Shamokin High School
Records: Clarion 15-10; Mount Carmel 20-5
How They Got Here: Clarion beat Port Allegany, 56-50, in D9 quarterfinals before losing to Redbank Valley, 63-51, in the semifinals. The Lady Cats then rallied to beat Ridgway, 44-40, in the consolation game. Mount Carmel won the D4 title by beating Cowanesque Valley, 63-16, Muncy, 61-22, and South Williamsport, 51-35.
Winner Gets: The winner of the (2-1) Old Forge vs. (11-2) Morvavian Academy Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be announced.
One Thing to Know: This is a rematch of a game played last year in the first round at the same place that was won by Mount Carmel, 47-34.

Clarion postseason information is brought to you by: Delta Contracting & Design/Ace Concrete & Excavating • Burford & Henry Real Estate Services • Tin Town Metal Works • State Representative Donna Oberlander (Paid for by Friends of Donna Oberlander) • Clarion Boys’ Basketball Boosters • Clarion Girls’ Basketball Boosters • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant

BOYS

CLASS 4A

(7-2) Belle Vernon Leopards vs. (9-1) Clearfield Bison
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: St. Marys High School
Records: Belle Vernon 19-7; Clearfield 15-8
How They Got Here: Belle Vernon beat Derry Area, 65-44, Quaker Valley, 66-61, and New Castle, 56-46, in the WPIAL playoffs before falling to Highlands, 72-54, in the WPIAL title game; Clearfield beat Bradford, 51-40, in the D9 title game
Winner Gets: Winner of (3-1) Lancaster Catholic vs. (7-5) Ringgold Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be announced
One Thing to Know: Clearfield is 1-17 all-time in the PIAA playoffs last winning a game, 63-61, over Penn Hills in Class 4A in 1989. The Bison have lost 13 PIAA playoff games in a row including in each of the last four years … Belle Vernon hasn’t won a PIAA playoff game since beating Punxsutawney, 73-53, in the 1981 first round in Class 3A. The Leopards then lost the second-round game, 63-59, in 3 overtimes to Erie McDowell and didn’t return to the PIAA playoffs until 1994 losing in the first round while also losing in the first round in 1998 and 2018.

Clearfield postseason information is brought to you by: Lezzer Lumber • 120 Pub and Grub in Clearfield • Green Advantage Lawncare & Landscaping

CLASS 1A

(7-6) Imani Christian Saints vs. (9-1) Elk County Catholic Crusaders
When: 8 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: Clarion University’s Tippin
Records: Imani Christian 15-9; ECC 26-1
How They Got Here: Imani Christian beat West Greene, 67-41, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs before losing Cornell, 84-65, in the quarterfinals; ECC won the D9 title by beating Austin, 69-18, A-C Valley, 46-16, and Cameron County, 53-36.
Winner Gets: Winner of (7-2) Cornell vs. (6-3) Saltsburg game Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be announced
One Thing to Know: ECC is in the PIAA playoffs for the eighth straight season and for the 21st time in the last 22 years having won their 13th D9 Class 1A title since 1999, while Imani Christian is here for just the third time and has never won a PIAA playoff game.

Elk County Catholic postseason information is brought to you by: Fran Morelli Sales & Service

(6-2) Williamsburg Blue Pirates vs. (9-2) Cameron County Red Raiders
When: 6 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: St. Marys High School
Records: Williamsburg 15-8; Cameron County 20-5
How They Got Here: Williamsburg beat Saltsburg, 63-60, in D6 semifinals before losing to Bishop Carroll, 67-47, in the title game; Cameron County beat North Clarion, 54-44, in the D9 quarterfinals and Clarion-Limestone, 47-46, in the semifinals before losing to ECC, 53-36, in the championship game.
Winner Gets: Winner of (10-1) Commodore Perry vs. (7-4) Bishop Canevin game Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be determined
One Thing to Know: Cameron County’s last PIAA playoff win game in the 2015 first round, 55-29, over Saltsburg in 2015 when Nate Sestina, who is now at Kentucky, was a senior. The Red Raiders lost to Kennedy Catholic in the next round, 53-29.

Cameron County postseason information is brought you by: Team Minard • Potter County Family Campground • Close’s Lumber Company • Rhonda Ramsey Hair Salon in Emporium • E& G Auto Plus, Inc. in Coudersport

(9-3) Clarion-Limestone Lions vs. (6-1) Bishop Carroll Huskies
When: 6 p.m. Friday, March 6
Where: Richland High School in Johnstown
Records: C-L 21-5; Bishop Carroll 15-10
How They Got Here: C-L beat Otto-Eldred, 72-58, in D9 quarterfinals before losing to Cameron County, 47-46, in the semifinals and rebounding to beat A-C Valley, 70-66, in the consolation game; Bishop Carroll beat Blacklick Valley, 72-25, in the D6 semifinals before topping Williamsburg, 67-47, in the title game.
Winner Gets: Winner of (5-2) Shade vs. (7-3) Nazareth Prep game Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be determined.
One Thing to Know: C-L beat District 6 champion Juniata Valley, 62-51, in the first round last year before losing to Cornell in the second round, while Bishop Carroll beat North Clarion, 68-58, in last year’s first round before losing to Monessen in the second round.

Clarion-Limestone postseason information is brought to you by: Delta Contracting & Design/Ace Concrete & Excavating • Burford & Henry Real Estate Services • Tin Town Metal Works • State Representative Donna Oberlander (Paid for by Friends of Donna Oberlander) • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant

(9-4) A-C Valley vs. (7-1) Vincentian Academy
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 6
Where: Valley High School
Records: A-C Valley 16-9; Vincentian Academy 21-4
How They Got Here: A-C Valley beat Johnsonburg, 71-65, in D9 quarterfinals before losing to ECC, 46-16, in semifinals and then losing to C-L, 70-66, in the consolation game; Vincentian Academy beat Geibel Catholic, 99-51, in WPIAL quarterfinals, Nazareth Prep, 65-54, in semifinals and Cornell, 63-51, in the championship game
Winner Gets: Winner of (5-1) Berlin Brothersvalley vs. (7-5) Geibel Catholic game Tuesday, March 10, at a site and time to be determined
One Thing to Know: A-C Valley is in the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 2006 when it lost in the first round to Blairsville, 73-53. The Falcons haven’t won a PIAA playoff game since 1984, when they beat Williamsburg, 84-76, in the second round before losing to Cornell in the quarterfinals. Since then, this is only the fourth trip to the PIAA playoffs for A-C Valley (1985, 2004, 2006). This could be the last-ever game for Vincentian Academy, which lost in last year’s PIAA title game, as the school has announced it will close following this school year.

A-C Valley postseason information is brought to you by: Levi’s Lawncare (814-758-0878) • The A-C Valley Booster Club • Delta Contracting & Design/Ace Concrete & Excavating • Burford & Henry Real Estate Services • Tin Town Metal Works • State Representative Donna Oberlander (Paid for by Friends of Donna Oberlander) • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant

D9Sports.com’s District 9/PIAA basketball playoff coverage Powered by Lezzer Lumber is brought to you by:

Lezzer Lumber • Delta Contracting & Design/Ace Concrete & Excavating • Team Minard • Fran Morelli Sales & Service • Burford & Henry Real Estate Services • Potter County Family Campground • Close’s Lumber Company • Tin Town Metal Works • State Representative Donna Oberlander (Paid for by Friends of Donna Oberlander) • 120 Pub and Grub in Clearfield • Campbell Bus Lines • Hunter Station Golf Club and Restaurant