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Six Games, One Super Saturday of Basketball Action on Tap at Tippin Gym

CLARION, Pa. (EYT/D9) — The Super Saturday slate is set.

Again.

(Pictured above, Redbank Valley’s Mylee Harmon celebrates with teammates/photo by Stephanie Bonanno)

A sixth basketball game was added to the docket when the Karns City vs. Ridgway boys Class 2A third-place consolation game was postponed on Friday night and shifted to Saturday at 10 a.m. at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.

Following that clash are five more games. Four will decide District 9 champions. One will determine a subregional winner.

WHO: Karns City (21-5) vs. Ridgway (17-7)

WHAT: Boys Class 2A third-place consolation game

TIP-OFF: 10 a.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Karns City fell to Clarion-Limestone, 47-43, in the D9 Class 3A semifinals; Ridgway dropped a 41-35 decision to Otto-Eldred in the semifinals.

THE SKINNY: Karns City junior point guard Taite Beighley leads a talented group of Gremlins at 14.6 points per game. He’s also averaging 4.6 assists and 2.3 steals. … Senior forward Micah Rupp has been the X-factor, averaging 11.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 3.3 blocks per game for Karns City. … Sophomore Shane Peters has been a key sixth-man for the Gremlins, averaging 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench. … Senior Jacob Callihan has also been an unsung hero for KC, averaging 9.5 points and 6.5 boards. … Ridgway, known for its deliberate play and focus on defense, is led by Aaron Sorg, who is averaging 14 ppg. … Jack Benninger is putting up around 10 ppg. … The Elkers average just 42 points per game as a team and have given up a mere 33 points per night. … The winner moves on to the PIAA playoffs. Loser has its season end.


(Karns City sophomore guards Brooklynn Taylor, left, and Chloe Fritch)

WHO: Karns City (15-8) vs. Chestnut Ridge (21-3)

WHAT: Girls Class 3A subregional championship

TIP-OFF: Noon

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Karns City beat Kane, 28-21, in the District 9 championship game; District 5’s Chestnut Ridge beat Westinghouse, 46-15, in a Subregional semifinal.

THE SKINNY: Karns City is led by its tandem of sophomore guards, Chloe Fritch and Brooklynn Taylor. Fritch leads the Gremlins at 12.2 points per game. Taylor is close behind at 12 ppg. … Chestnut Ridge is led by 5-foot-11 senior forward Belle Bosch, who is averaging 21.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for the Lions. … Ashlie Weaver, a 5-10 junior guard/forward, is second on the team in scoring at 9.5 ppg.


(Redbank Valley’s Addy Bond tries to dribble past Moniteau’s Catherine Kelly/photo by Stephanie Bonanno)

WHO: Moniteau (19-6) vs. Redbank Valley (24-1)

WHAT: Girls Class 2A championship game

TIP-OFF: 2 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Moniteau downed Coudersport, 50-38, in the semifinal; Redbank rolled past Keystone, 60-16, in the other semifinal.

THE SKINNY: This will be the fourth meeting between these two teams and the third in a span of 22 days. Redbank has won all three (36-34, 46-31 and 56-37). … Moniteau’s five starters are all juniors, led by guard Catherine Kelly, who is averaging 15.1 points per game. … Forward Davina Pry averages 7.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and forward Kendall Sankey pitches in 7.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest. … Redbank is powered by one of the most dynamic players in the state in sophomore guard Mylee Harmon, who is averaging 21 points per game. … Senior forward Alivia Huffman has also been dominant this season at 16 points and nearly 10 rebounds each night. … The Bulldogs’ lone loss came on Dec. 27 in a 45-40 setback to District 7’s Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Since, Redbank Valley has rolled off 17 straight wins. … The average margin of victory for the Bulldogs this season has been 35 points.


(Union’s Dawson Camper grabs a rebound/photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography)

WHO: Union (14-11) vs. Elk County Catholic (24-2)

WHAT: Boys Class A championship game

TIP OFF: 4 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Union upset DuBois Central Catholic, 51-48, in the semifinals; ECC toppled Cameron County, 43-28, in the other semifinal.

THE SKINNY: This is the first time Union will play for a D9 title since the 2010-11 season. That team was coached by Karen Davis. … Elk County Catholic has won 27 district titles since 1974 while Union hasn’t won one since 1981. … The Golden Knights have bounced back well after losing seven of eight in January. A 71-69 overtime win on Jan. 30 over Keystone got Union back on track. … Union is led by senior guard Payton Johnston, who is averaging 16.4 points per game. … Junior guard/forward Zander Laughlin (12 ppg) and senior guard Skyler Roxbury (10.2 ppg) are also scoring threats. … Junior forward Dawson Camper has ruled the glass for the Knights, averaging 11.7 rebounds per game. He’s also at 8.5 ppg. … Elk County Catholic has gotten things done this season on the defensive end, surrendering a meager 31 points per game. … ECC junior guard Jordan Wasko is back from a knee injury he suffered in early February. He leads the Crusaders at 10.6 ppg. When Wasko was out, Wil Wortman filled in and played admirably, averaging 13 ppg in his stead. … Colby Nussbaum is second on the team at eight points per game. Michael Jacobs and Wortman are each averaging 7.5 ppg.


(Otto-Eldred’s Katie Sheeler)

WHO: Elk County Catholic (23-3) vs. Otto-Eldred (22-3)

WHAT: Girls Class A championship game

TIP OFF: 6 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Elk County Catholic beat North Clarion 51-31; Otto-Eldred downed DuBois Central Catholic, 61-40

THE SKINNY: This will be a rematch of last year’s D9 Class A title game, won by ECC, 39-28. … Junior Lucy Klawuhn leads the Crusaders in scoring at 10 points per game. … That’s in stark contrast to Otto-Eldred, which has one of the most dangerous scorers in the state in senior guard Katie Sheeler, who is putting up 22.6 points per game to lead all of D9. … It will be a battle of contrasting styles with ECC giving up just a shade more than 30 points per game, while the Terrors are averaging 55 points per night. … Junior Syd Alexander is the second-leading scorer for ECC at nine ppg. Junior Tori Newton has pitched in 8.5 ppg and junior Emily Mourer, who missed several games this season, is at seven ppg. … Crusaders’ coach Ken Pistner won his 400th game as ECC coach earlier this season.


(Clarion-Limestone’s Jordan Hesdon looks to dribble past Keystone’s Kyle Nellis/photo by Diane Lutz)

WHO: Clarion-Limestone (24-2) vs. Otto-Eldred (23-1)

WHAT: Boys Class 2A championship game

TIP OFF: 8 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Clarion-Limestone rallied to edge Karns City, 47-43; Otto-Eldred downed Ridgway, 41-35

THE SKINNY: Clarion-Limestone has gotten things done this season with balanced scoring and clutch defense. … Senior guard Jordan Hesdon leads the Lions at 14.3 points per game. Senior forward Rylie Klingensmith (11.6 ppg) and sophomore guard Jase Ferguson (10 ppg) are also double-digit scorers for C-L. … Senior Alex Painter is chipping in 7.9 points per game and Tommy Smith has added seven points per night. … Ferguson missed six games due to an elbow injury, but is back in the lineup. He’s also averaging 5.4 rebounds, five assists and 4.8 steals per game. … Sophomore point guard Landon Francis leads Otto-Eldred at nearly 16 points per game. … The Terrors haven’t lost to a team from Pennsylvania — the lone loss came on Dec. 30 to Salamanca, N.Y., 61-55. Since, Otto-Eldred has won 15 straight.