Pair of D9 Basketball Titles to Be Decided Wednesday

Four postseason games involving District 9 teams will tip-off Wednesday, including championship games in Class 4A boys’ and girls’ play.

(Photo of Bradford’s Tyler Gigliotti. Photo by Paul Burdick. Check out more of Burdick’s work here)

DISTRICT 9 CLASS 4A BOYS’ TITLE GAME

(2) BRADFORD VS. (1) CLEARFIELD
When and Where: 7:30 p.m. at DuBois High School
Winner Gets: The WPIAL runner up in the first round of the PIAA playoffs
Records: Bradford 11-12, Clearfield 12-10
How They Got Here: Bradford beat St. Marys, 58-35, in the semifinals. Clearfield had a bye into the title game.
Bradford Leading Scorers: Tyler Gigliotti (17.7 ppg), Gavin Babcock (8.2 ppg), Steven Knowlton (8.0 ppg).
Clearfield Leading Scorers: Cade Walker (18.0 ppg), Karson Rumsky (16.0 ppg), Andrew Lopez (7.3 ppg)
Last District 9 Title: Bradford 2013 in Class 3A; Clearfield 2018 in Class 4A
Notes: Clearfield has won four D9 titles in a row, two in 3A and two in 4A. The Bison are trying to become the first D9 team to win five boys’ titles in a row since ECC won five in a row in Class 1A from 1991 to 1995 … This is the second straight season these teams have met in the 4A title game with Clearfield winning last year, 42-36 … Bradford has lost its last three D9 title-game appearances … The Owls have won 33 D9 titles while Clearfield has won 10.

DISTRICT 9 CLASS 4A GIRLS’ TITLE GAME

(2) ST. MARYS VS. (1) PUNXSUTAWNEY
When and Where: 6 p.m. at DuBois High School
Winner Gets: WPIAL fourth-place finisher in first round of PIAA Playoffs
Records: St. Marys 17-6, Punxsutawney 21-1
How They Got Here: St. Marys beat Clearfield, 51-30, in the semifinals; Punxsutawney had a bye to the title game.
St. Marys Leading Scorers: Megan Quesenberry (11.9 ppg), Kyla Johnson (9.0 ppg), Kaylee Muccio (7.7 ppg)
Punxsutawney Leading Scorers: Riley Presloid (10.0 ppg), Kate Horner (9.9 ppg), Sarah Weaver (9.7 ppg), Abby Gigliotti (8.0 ppg)
Last District 9 Title: St. Marys 2011 in Class 3A; Punxsutawney 2018 in Class 4A
Notes: This is a rematch of last year’s title game won by Punxsutawney, 47-24. That was the Lady Chucks fourth straight title with two coming in 3A and two in 4A. Punxsutawney is looking to win five titles in a row for the second time since the turn of the millennium. The Lady Chucks took five straight in Class 3A from 2002 to 2006. St. Marys then followed up by winning four in a row before Bradford won three straight and then Punxsutawney went on its current streak split between 4A and 3A after six classifications came into play three years ago … This is the third meeting of the year between these teams with Punxsutawney winning the first two by scores of 46-28 and 44-37 … Punxsutawney had its dream of a perfect regular season shattered by Bradford, 44-43, Feb. 15. That was the last game the Lady Chucks played.

DISTRICT 9 CLASS BOYS’ 1A SEMIFINALS

(3) CLARION-LIMESTONE VS. (2) NORTH CLARION
When and Where: 6 p.m. at Clarion High School
Winner Gets: Elk County Catholic in the title game at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1, at DuBois High School.
Records: C-L 21-3, North Clarion 20-2
How They Got Here: C-L beat Otto-Eldred, 61-58, in the quarterfinals while North Clarion beat DuBois Central Catholic, 66-49, in the quarterfinals.
C-L Leading Scorers: Deion Deas (21.0 ppg), Ian Callen (18.9 ppg in 13 games), Hayden Callen (16.8 ppg), Curvin Goheen (8.3 ppg)
North Clarion Leading Scorers: Kyle Mills (18.8 ppg), Tyler McCord-Wolbert (11.8 ppg), Korey Mills (11.0 ppg), Logan Minich (10.6 ppg), Sam Minich (8.0 ppg)
Last District 9 Title: C-L 2015 in Class 1A; North Clarion 1985 in Class 1A.
Notes: This is the rubber match between these KSAC North rivals. North Clarion beat C-L 79-47 Dec. 18 at C-L in a game that Ian Callen missed due to a football injury. With Ian Callen back in the lineup Feb. 1, the Lions took home a 56-43 victory at North Clarion … C-L has a pair of 1,000-point career scorers in Deion Deas and Ian Callen. Deas was thought to have been lost for the season with a late-season injury but it ended up not being as serious, and he returned in the KSAC Championship game scoring his 1,000th point in that contest … North Clarion is looking for its first D9 title-game appearance since 1999 when it beat Cameron County in the semifinals before falling to ECC in the title game at Brookville High School … C-L has won 17 in a row since a loss to Ridgway Dec. 21 in a game that neither Ian nor Dan Callen played … Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs. The loser of the game will play Johnsonburg in the D9 consolation contest to determined the third- and fourth-place teams out of D9. That game will be at 6 p.m. Friday, March 1, at DuBois High School.

DISTRICT 8-9-10 CLASS 5A BOYS’ SEMIFINALS

DUBOIS VS. CARRICK
When and Where: 7:30 p.m. at Clarion High School
Winner Gets: Meadville Saturday, March 2, at a District 10 site to be announced.
Records: DuBois 14-8, Carrick 13-10
How They Got Here: DuBois earned a spot as the lone District 9 5A team; Carrick had the better of the records among the two 5A Pittsburgh City League (District 8) teams.
DuBois Leading Scorers: Chase Husted (15.6 ppg), Jonathan Cruz (11.5 ppg), Justin Manduley (11.3 ppg), Alex Beers (9.4 ppg)
Carrick Leading Scorers: Not available (Vernon Washington had 12 points and Skyle Giannetti 11 in a loss to Brashear in the City League semifinals)