Feb. 16 District 9 boys’ basketball recaps
NORTH CLARION 56, UNION 45
FRILLS CORNERS, Pa. – Building a nine-point halftime lead, North Clarion clinched its first KSAC divisional crown since 2013 with a 56-45 win over visiting Union in KSAC Small school action.
Aiden Hartle and Ethan Carll each hit second-quarter 3-pointers to help the Wolves (14-8 overall, 8-2 KSAC Small School) outscored Union (12-8, 8-2) 10-4 in the quarter to take a 23-14 lead at the break.
North Clarion still led by eight, 41-33, going to the fourth quarter and put the game on ice by hitting 7 of 8 free throws in the quarter led by Josh Daum going 3-for-4.
Daum also got the Wolves off to a quick start by scoring six of his team-high 15 points in the first quarter.
Hartle, who hit three 3-pointers, added 13 points in the win with Collin Schmader chipping in 12 and Cole Byers eight.
Caden Rainey had 13 points, three assists, and three rebounds for Union, while Payton Johnston added 10 points and seven rebounds. Skyler Roxbury and Zander Laughlin also each scored eight points for the Golden Knights.
The loss coupled with Clarion’s 56-50 win at A-C Valley, knocked the Golden Knights out of the KSAC Playoffs, although Union will still participate in the District 9 Class 1A playoffs. North Clarion, Union, and Clarion all finished conference play 8-2 with North Clarion winning the tiebreaker for the league crown because of the best record vs. the KSAC Large School Division and Clarion taking second because it had the second-best record vs. the Large School Division.
The KSAC semifinals are set for Friday at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym with North Clarion playing Karns City at 6 p.m. and Redbank Valley taking on Clarion at 8 p.m. Clarion University is requiring all fans to wear masks to the games.
CLARION 56, A-C VALLEY 50
FOXBURG, Pa. – Outscoring homestanding A-C Valley by six points in the second half, Clarion broke a 33-all halftime score on its way to a 56-50 win in KSAC Small School action that clinched a KSAC playoff berth for the Bobcats.
Devon Lauer hit two of his five 3-pointers after halftime and scored eight second-half points to help Clarion to the win.
Lauer finished with a game-high 19 points.
Dawson Smail added 14 points and six rebounds for the Bobcats who also got 10 points and six boards from Christian Simko and six points and seven rebounds from Gabe Simko.
Jay Clover led A-C Valley with 17 points, including 12 in the first half, while Brody Dittman added 13 and Alex Preston 11.
Clarion will take on Redbank Valley at 8 p.m. Friday in the KSAC Semifinals at Tippin Gym at Clarion University. Clarion University is requiring all fans to wear masks.
BROOKVILLE 61, CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS 51
CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS, Pa. – A nine-point third-quarter advantage helped visiting Brookville top Cambridge Springs, 61-51, in a late-season District 9/District 10 crossover battle.
The Raiders led by two, 26-24, at the break before pushing the lead to 11, 45-34, by the end of the third quarter.
Griffin Ruhlman led the way in the third quarter for Brookville with 10 of his team-high 16 points.
Hunter Geer added 12 points for the Raiders with Danny Lauer chipping in nine and Clayton Cook eight.
Parker Schmidt led Cambridge Springs with 19 points, including going 13 of 14 from the free-throw line.
Nathan Held added 12 points for the Blue Devils, and Ethan Counasse chipped in nine points.
CURWENSVILLE 49, JUNIATA VALLEY 45
CURWENSVILLE, Pa. – Behind 18 points from Ty Terry, Curwensville beat visiting Juniata Valley, 49-45, in ICC North action.
Davis Fleming added 12 points for the Golden Tide who also got eight from Danny McGarry.
Christopher Deihl led Juniata Valley with a game-high 21 points.
CLARION-LIMESTONE 67, CRANBERRY 52
SENECA, Pa. – Strong games from Jase Ferguson and Jordan Hesdon led visiting Clarion-Limestone to a 67-52 win over Cranberry in KSAC Large School action.
Hesdon led the Lions with 22 points with Ferguson adding nine points, 10 rebounds, eight steals, six assists, and two blocked shots.
Also for C-L, Tommy Smith scored 10 points, Rylee Klingensmith had nine points, four assists, and two steals, and Ryan Hummell scored eight points.
Noel Bunyak paced Cranberry with 19 points with Ethan Merryman adding 15.
KARNS CITY 36, MONITEAU 28
KARNS CITY, Pa. – Outscoring visiting rival Moniteau 14-4 in the fourth quarter, Karns City rallied for a 36-28 win in KSAC Large School action.
The Gremlins trailed 24-22 going to the fourth quarter before pulling out the win.
Taite Beighley led Karns City with 11 points with Luke Cramer adding 10.
Chason Delarossa-Rugg paced Moniteau with nine points.
REDBANK VALLEY 49, KEYSTONE 22
NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Mason Clouse scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second quarter to lift Redbank Valley to a 49-22 home KSAC Large School win over Keystone.
Bryson Bain and Marquese Gardlock each added eight points for the Bulldogs who got seven tallies from Chris Marshall.
Cole Henry and Bret Wingard each scored seven points for Keystone.
Keystone at Redbank Valley
VENANGO CATHOLIC 49, FOREST AREA 37
TIONESTA, Pa. – Jake Liederbach and Logan Rakow each scored 16 points to help Venango Catholic to its second win in as many days, this time with a 49-37 win over Forest Area at West Forest.
Colin Liederbach added 13 points in the win for the Vikings.
Allen Johnston led Forest Area with 17 points with Colton Kuntz adding 10.
PHILIPSBURG-OSECOLA 50, ST. MARYS 36
PHILIPSBURG, Pa. – Jeremy Whitehead led a four-some of Philipsburg-Osceola players in double digits with 13 points in a 50-36 win over visiting St. Marys.
Oliver Harpster, Nick Johnson, and Jacob DiSimone each added 10 points for the Mounties.
Tyler Mitchell led St. Marys with 10 points with Tanner Fox adding eight.
HOMER-CENTER 66, PUNXSUTAWNEY 65
HOMER CITY, Pa. – Michael Krejocic scored 19 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter to lead Homer-Center to a 66-65 home win over Punxsutawney.
Austin Zenisek added 10 points in the win for the Wildcats.
Gabe Kengersky led Punxsutawney with 20 points with Donnie Neese adding 14, Kyle Nesbitt 12, and Ryen Heigley 10.
