CLARION, Pa. – Using runs of 9-2 and 10-0 in the second half, Karns City claimed the District 5-8-9 Class 3A girls’ subregional championship with a 41-34 win over defending subregional champion Chestnut Ridge Friday night at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
Rewatch the game
The Lady Gremlins (18-8), who trailed 15-14 at halftime, were tied at 22 with just over five minutes to play in the third quarter before using the 9-2 run to take a 31-24 lead on two Savanna Prescott free throws with 1:12 to play in the third quarter.
Naomi Venesky played a key role in the run with five points, including a 3-pointer that put Karns City ahead 29-22.
Chestnut Ridge (13-12), who beat Karns City for the subregion title a year ago on the same floor a year ago, cut the deficit to 31-28 on an Ashlie Weaver basket right out of the quarter break to start the fourth quarter.
That’s when the Lady Gremlins put the game away with the 10-0 spurt.
Eight of the 10 points came on “and-one” situations, although Karns City only capitalized on the final one with the extra point.
A 3-pointer by Hanna Dailey was followed by a layup by Brooklynn Taylor to make it 36-28. Prescott then scored, was fouled, and hit her free throw after both Dailey and Taylor missed theirs, to make it 39-22.
When Taylor scored with just over four minutes to play, Karns City had a 13-point advantage, 41-28.
Vanesky, who was named the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the game led Karns City with 12 points while Taylor added 10, Prescott nine, and Dailey eight.
Naomi Venesky. Submitted photo
Weaver had a game-high 16 points for Chesnut Ridge while Isabella Hillegass added 10.
Both teams will host PIAA playoff games on Friday, March 8.
Karns City will host WPIAL sixth-place finisher Seton-LaSalle while Chesnut Ridge will host WPIAL third-place finisher Neshannock.
BOYS
CHESTNUT RIDGE 81, MONITEAU 38
CLARION, Pa. – Scoring 63 of the final 83 points in the game, Chesnut Ridge won the District 5-8-9 Class 3A boys’ subregional title with an 81-38 win over Moniteau Friday night at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
The teams were tied at 18 following a Chason Delaros-Rugg 3-pointer for Moniteau (13-11) just under two minutes into the second quarter.
But that was the high point for the Warriors, who found themselves down 34-23 at halftime before being outscored 29-10 in the third quarter to leave the entire fourth quarter played under the Mercy Rule.
There was just too much Nate Whysong, Justin Whysong, and Gavin Lazor for Moniteau to handle.
Nate Whysong scored 15 first-half points on his way to a game-high 30, while Justin Whysong hit a pair of first-half 3-pointers while hitting three triples in all and scoring 15 points for the Lions (21-4).
Lazor, meanwhile, got hot in the second half knocking down three 3-pointers in the third quarter while scoring all 12 of his points in the second half, all on 3-pointers.
David Martino and Andrew Zepeda each scored 10 points for Moniteau.
Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs and will host games on Saturday, March 9.
Moniteau will play WPIAL third-place finishers Mohawk, and Chestnut Ridge will take on WPIAL fifth-place finisher Shady Side Academy.
