FARRELL, Pa. – In a rematch of last season’s Class 2A title game, No. 1 Mercer got 30 points from Dae Mattocks in a 75-55 win over No. 8 Erie First Christian.
The win was a measure of revenge of sorts for the Mustangs (20-3), who lost to EFC (5-17) in the title game a year ago.
Mattocks scored 10 of his points in the first quarter, helping stake the Mustangs to a 20-7 lead. They never looked back.
Cole Cunningham and Tristen McCracken had 12 points each for Mercer.
Simon Gonzalez had a big game in the loss for the Eagles, pouring in 33 points, including four 3-pointers and a 7-of-7 effort from the charity stripe.
Avery Collins added 12 of his 16 points in the first quarter for EFC.
With the win, Mercer advances to play Cambridge Springs, a 66-57 winner over Saegertown, in the semifinals at a site and time to be determined on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.
EISENHOWER 68, SHARPSVILLE 44
OIL CITY, Pa. – Sharpsville scored the game’s first three points, but Eisenhower responded with a 15-0 run and never looked back on its way to a 68-44 win in the District 10 Class 2A quarterfinals.
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Sharpsville’s Aidan Cadman hit a 3-pointer in the first minute of the game. The Blue Devils didn’t score again until the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Knights methodically pulled away with a 15-0 run.
“(We saw) gaps on shooters when we were driving,” Eisenhower’s Austin Hanson said during the Cole Orthodontic Associates player interview. “We hit the post and they were helping and collapsing and that allowed us to kick it out to the shooters and they were knocking down shots.”
See the full Cole Orthodontic Associates player interview:
Sharpsville wasn’t going to go away quietly. The Blue Devils outscored the Knights, 17-16, in the second quarter and had the lead down to single digits. Kyler Black’s 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left in the half pushed the Knights’ lead back to double digits, 31-20, going into halftime.
Eisenhower’s offense found its rhythm in the third quarter, going off for 21 points all from inside the arch.
“We always say we just need our own energy,” Eisenhower’s Gavin Lindemuth said.
Cadman finished with 10 points, while Carter DeJulia added nine for the Blue Devils.
Hanson had a game-high 22 points in the win. Black added 13 points and Maysen Wonderling had nine.
Eisenhower will face Iroquois, a 54-49 winner over Lakeview, in the Class 2A semifinals on Tuesday at a time and location to be announced.
(6) IROQUOIS 54, (3) LAKEVIEW 49
FARRELL, Pa. – Trailing 40-39 going into the fourth quarter, No. 6 Iroquois outscored No. 3 Lakeview 15-9 over the final eight minutes to earn a 54-49 D10 Class 2A quarterfinal win.
Devin Brink knocked down a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter for the Braves, while Roman Caporale matched Brink with five points in the final eight minutes.
The win for Iroquois (12-11) was their first in the postseason since 2018.
Lakeview (16-7) built a 13-7 lead after the first quarter and was ahead, but Iroquois rallied to take a 25-22 halftime advantage.
Brink finished with 15 points, while Kellen Burroughs had 13 and Caporale 11 for the Braves.
Lucas Fagley finished with a game-high 18 points for Lakeview, while Evan Reiser added 10.
(4) CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS 66, (5) SAEGERTOWN 57
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Trailing by one early in the fourth quarter, No. 4 Cambridge Springs went on a 7-0 en route to a 66-57 win over rival and No. 5 seed Saegertown, 66-57.
Parker Schmidt scored a game-high 20 points for Cambridge Springs (17-6) in the win.
Cambridge Springs led 18-11 after the first quarter and 33-30 at halftime.
Tristen Mazzadra hit a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and finished with 16 points.
