WARREN, Pa. – It’s another big night in the District 9 basketball playoffs, as Punxsutawney and Bradford meet in the Class 4A boys semifinal, while three of four Class 1A girls quarterfinal games are also on tap.
Here’s a look at each.
BOYS
CLASS 4A SEMIFINAL
(3) BRADFORD vs. (2) PUNXSUTAWNEY at St. Marys HS
Records: Bradford 9-13; Punxsutawney 9-12
Top Players: Bradford – Cam Austin 12.9 ppg., Jake Franz 10.7 ppg., Jerid Wilmoth 6.3 ppg., Dalton Dixon 5.0 ppg; Punxsutawney – Gabe Kengersky 10.5 ppg., Noah Weaver 9.1 ppg., Donnie Neese 8.7 ppg., Ryan Heigley 6.2 ppg.
Winner Gets: No. 1 Clearfield in the championship game
Notable: Punxsutawney swept season series, winning 54-41 and 36-20. Bradford gave up fewer than 50 points in eight of its nine wins. Gabe Kengersky has scored nine or more points in nine of last 10 games.
GIRLS
CLASS 1A QUARTERFINALS
(8) NORTHERN POTTER at (1) ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC
Records: Northern Potter 17-6; Elk County Catholic 20-3
Top Players: Rebecca Martin 11.2 ppg., Courtney Martin 9.8 ppg., Megan Hyde 5.7 ppg., Abbie Cady 3.9 ppg.; Elk County Catholic – Syd Alexander 10.3 ppg., Lucy Klawuhn 9.3 ppg., Tori Newton 8.8 ppg., Emily Mourer 5.7 ppg., Sami Straub 5.7 ppg.
Winner Gets: 5 Ridgway/4 DuBois Central Catholic winner in semifinals
Notable: Northern Potter beat Smethport 42-35 in the first round, its ninth straight victory. ECC is 13-1 in its last 14 games, including rallying from a 15-point deficit to beat DCC in AML championship game.
(5) RIDGWAY at (4) DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC
Records: Ridgway 14-7; DCC 15-7
Top Players: Ridgway – Jenna Kasmierski 10.8 ppg., Julie Peterson 9.8 ppg., Payton Delhunty 7.0 ppg., Carli Thomas 6.3 ppg.; DCC – Kayley Risser 12.6 ppg., Faith Jacob 9.2 ppg., Lexi Berta 8.0 ppg., Jessy Frank 7.0 ppg.
Winner Gets: 8 Northern Potter/1 Elk County Catholic winner in semifinals
Notable: Ridgway is 6-1 in its last seven games. DCC won both meetings this season by a combined three points.
(10) CLARION at (2) NORTH CLARION
Records: Clarion 10-10; North Clarion 19-3
Top Players: Clarion – Jordan Best 9.8 ppg., Payton Simko 6.7 ppg., Taylor Alston 5.8 ppg., Rebekah Kettner 5.7 ppg.; North Clarion – Gwen Siegel 12.8 ppg., Claire Kriebel 6.2 ppg., Emma McFarland 5.9 ppg., Lauren Lutz 4.8 ppg.
Winner Gets: 3 Otto-Eldred/6 Union winner
Notable: North Clarion won all three meetings this season by nine, 32 and 19 points
