CLARION, Pa. – It was mixed results for the Karns City girls and boys basketball teams Saturday at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
The Lady Gremlins lost to Chestnut Ridge, XX-XX, in the District 5-8-9 Class 3A subregional game, while the Gremlin boys beat Ridgway, 36-33, in the District 9 Class 2A third-place game to clinch the final PIAA playoff berth awarded to D9 Class 2A.
CHESTNUT RIDGE 36, KARNS CITY 17
Turnover and poor shooting were the downfalls of Karns City in the subregional championship game.
The Lady Gremlins shot 26.9 percent (7 of 26) for the game and turned the ball over 25 times.
Those two factors really manifested themselves over the final three quarters when Karns City was outscored 32-9.
The Lady Gremlins actually led 8-2 in the first quarter but trailed 14-12 at halftime after Isabella Hillegas scored off a Belle Bosch pass at the first-half horn.
The second half belonged to the Lady Lions, as they outscored Karns City 22-5 led by Ashlie Weaver, who scored all 10 of her points after halftime.
Bosch, who came into the game averaging over 21 points per game, was limited to a game-high 11 points by the defense of Naomi Venesky.
Chloe Fritch paced Karns City with eight points with Emma Dailey adding seven points and seven rebounds.
Both teams will host PIAA playoff games next week with Chestnut Ridge playing Waynesburg Central, the sixth-place finisher out of the WPIAL, and Karns City taking on Shady Side Academy, the third-place finisher out of the WPIAL. Both of those games are Saturday, March 11.
CHESTNUT RIDGE 36, KARNS CITY 17
Score by Quarter
Chestnut Ridge 4 10 9 13 – 36
Karns City 8 4 2 3 – 17
CHESTNUT RIDGE – 36
Tabitha Hyde 0 0-0 0, Caylie Conlon 2 0-0 6, Belle Bosch 5 1-4 11, Ashlie Weaver 4 1-2 10, Maya Wingard 1 1-2 3, Madison Beutman 0 0-0 0, Isabella Hillegass 3 0-1 6, Siera Pfister 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Henderson 0 0-0 0, Camryn Ickes 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 3-9 36.
KARNS CITY – 17
Emma Dailey 3 1-2 7, Naomi Venesky 0 0-0 0, Chloe Fritch 3 1-2 8, Shae Pistorius 0 0-0 0, Hanna Dailey 0 0-0 0, Savanna Prescott 0 0-0 0, Hannah Buchanan 0 0-0 0, Jordan Macurak 0 0-0 0, Brooklyn Taylor 1 0-2 2. Totals 7 2-7 17.
Three-pointers: Chestnut Ridge 3 (Conlon 2, Weaver 1). Karns City 1 (Fritch)
KARNS CITY 36, RIDGWAY 33
In the 2A boys’ consolation game, Karns City grabbed an early lead and never relinquished it in getting the 36-33 win.
The Gremlins led 11-6 at the end of the first quarter and 14-8 at halftime in a game played at Ridgway’s pace before going ahead 21-13 at the end of the third quarter.
Ridgway made a push in the fourth quarter and got within two but Karns City was able to hold on for the win.
Jacob Callihan paced Karns City with 13 points with Micah Rupp adding 11, including a one-handed dunk in the second half in traffic.
Aaron Sorg had a game-high 19 points for Ridgway with Jack Benninger adding 10 tallies.
Karns City will face the WPIAL champion, either Aliquippa or Northgate, in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs Saturday, March 11. That game will be at either Aliquippa or Northgate.
