WARREN, Pa. – Champions will be crowned on Friday in District 9 in Class 2A boys and girls, while the defending PIAA runner-up Brookville boys begin their postseason run as well.
Here’s a look at each game.
DISTRICT 9 BOYS
CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP
(1) Redbank Valley vs. (2) Ridgway at Clarion University, 7:30 p.m.
Something has to give, as Ridgway, widely regarded as a superior defensive team battles a Redbank Valley squad that loves to get up and down the floor.
It’s a Ridgway (19-5) program that is used to being in big games under head coach Tony Allegretto. The Elkers beat Clarion for the Class 2A crown in 2020 and Coudersport for the title in 2019. They also have Class 1A championships to their credit in 2012 and 2014.
Redbank Valley (22-3), meanwhile, hasn’t been to a D9 championship game since 2015 when they beat Cranberry. The year before that, they lost to Brookville, and before that, you have to go back to 1991 when they lost to Brockway.
It’s a game filled with all-district level players, and they shined in their respective semifinal wins.
The Elkers allowed just seven points in the first half of their semifinal win over Karns City and held off the Gremlins for a 45-37 win. Aaron Sorg scored 16 points, Dom Allegretto 15 and Dan Park had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Redbank Valley, meanwhile, found itself in a 28-all deadlock with Keystone early in the fourth quarter but went on an 11-0 run to seal the win. Bryson Bain and Chris Marshall, the Bulldogs’ 1,000-point scoring duo, had 15 and eight points, respectively, while Marquese Gardlock added nine.
The winner will meet the fourth-place team from District 10 in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Wednesday (March 9), while the loser will face 6-3.
DISTRICT 9 GIRLS
CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP
(1) Brockway vs. (2) Clarion-Limestone at Clarion University, 6 p.m.
The Brockway girls are looking to make history, as they seek the first D9 title in program history when they battle Clarion-Limestone.
The Lady Rovers (15-7) got to the title game a year ago, falling 42-31 to Clarion-Limestone.
They are led by a pair of 1,000-point scorers in seniors Danielle Wood (17.5 ppg.) and Selena Buttery (16.8 ppg.), as well as Ciara Morelli (4.2 ppg.).
It’s been a long layoff for both teams, as Brockway hasn’t played since a 41-34 AML semifinal loss to Elk County Catholic on Feb. 17, while C-L’s last game was a win over Cranberry on Feb. 15.
The Lady Lions (12-9) are making their first appearance in the championship game since to Karns City in Class 2A in 2015. Their last title came in 1988, when they beat Northern Potter, 54-40 in Class A. They also lost to Johnsonburg in 1979 and Coudersport in 1993 and 1994, all in Class 1A.
C-L is led by the duo of Frances Milliron and Kendall Dunn, who come in averaging 15.9 and 13.1 ppg., respectively, while Alex Leadbetter checks in at 7.8 ppg.
Both teams have already advanced to the PIAA playoffs, with the winner getting the third seed from District 10 and the loser playing the No. 3 team from the WPIAL on Tuesday (March 8).
CLASS 3A BOYS SUBREGIONAL
(9-1) Brookville vs. (5-1) Chestnut Ridge at Windber HS, 7 p.m.
Brookville made a magical run to the PIAA final last year, and they look to do so again in 2022, beginning against a familiar foe, Chestnut Ridge, in subregional action.
The Raiders have won each of the last two subregionals against Ridge, both last season and in 2020. In fact, they are 3-0 in their last three subregional games, having knocked off Everett in 2019.
They own D9 title wins over Kane (2021, 2020) and Moniteau (2019) in recent years.
The Raiders come in with a record of 20-2 and captured the D9 League title. Danny Lauer and Griffin Ruhlman have led the way this season, averaging 11.7 and 11.3 ppg., respectively.
Clayton Cook and Hunter Geer each check-in at 7.1 ppg. for the Raiders and Ian Pete at 6.3.
The Lions check in with a record of 17-7 and are coming off a 71-59 win over Perry Traditional Academy on Feb. 26.
They are led by senior Matt Whysong, who comes in averaging 18.1 ppg., while Christian Hinson averages 15.1 ppg., Nate Whysong comes in at 10.9 ppg. and Hayden Little 9.5 ppg.
The winner will meet the No.3 team from the WPIAL in the first round of the state playoffs on Wednesday (March 8).
CLASS 5A SUBREGIONAL
(9-1) DuBois at (8-1) Brashear, 6:30 p.m.
The Beavers have had a long layoff not playing a game since a 44-37 loss to Brookville on Feb. 18.
The Beavers (16-6) will be facing a Brashear team that knocked off District 10 champion General McLane, 71-60. DuBois got to this round a year ago, falling to eventual state champion Cathedral Prep, 46-34. The Ramblers lost to GM for the D10 this season, 50-48.
Forward Chooch Husted has led DuBois this season to the tune of 13.7 ppg., while Joey Foradora checks in at 10.8 ppg. Ryan Kovalyak is at 8.2 ppg. and Al Pasternak 6.0 ppg.
Titus Gillete led Brashear (8-9), which had its season delayed because of COVID, with 26 points in the win over GM, while Kameron Cheatom scored 17 and Rasheed Saunders 10.
The winner will meet the fourth-place team from the WPIAL in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Tuesday.
CLASS 4A SUBEGIONAL
(8-1) Obama Academy at (9-1) Clearfield, 6:30 p.m.
The Bison are flying high after a 34-4 run propelled them to a 47-38 victory over Punxsutawney in the D9 title game, their eighth D9 crown in a row.
Cole Miller once again lead the way, as the 20-plus point-per-game scorer net 17 in the win, while Nick Collins had nine and Ryan Gearhart seven.
Another familiar foe awaits in Obama Academy out of the Pittsburgh City League. The two teams met a season ago in this very subregional, with DuBois coming away with a 52-35 victory.
Teryon Wofford led Obama with 19 points in a City League semifinal loss to Brashear, while freshman guard Dame Givner, who averages 19 per game, didn’t play in the loss. Zxavier Rodgers added 11 points in the setback for Obama.
The winner of this game faces the No. 4 team from the WPIAL in the first round of the PIAA championships on Tuesday.
CLASS 2A THIRD-PLACE
(5) Keystone at (3) Karns City, 7 p.m.
The final spot from District 9 in Class 2A will be determined when Keystone travels to Karns City to take on the Gremlins.
Keystone put up a hard-fought battle before falling to top-seed Redbank Valley in the semifinals, 42-32, as did Karns City against No. 2 Ridgway, 45-37.
The two teams met twice this season, with Karns City winning 44-24 in the first meeting and 43-39 the second time around.
The winner will meet the second-place team from District 6 in the first round of the PIAA playoff on Wednesday.
