BROCKWAY, Pa. – Using a game-ending 16-5 run, Moniteau advanced to its seventh District 9 title game in the past 12 years with a 50-38 win over Coudersport in the Class 2A semifinals at Brockway High School.
Also see: Karns City girls win D9 3A title • DuBois Boys Win Subregional
Rewatch the game
The Lady Warriors (19-6), who are 0-6 in the title game during that stretch, led by 14. 32-18, going to the fourth quarter only to watch Coudersport (16-7) go on a 15-2 run in the first 3 ½ minutes of the fourth quarter to get within one, 34-33, on a basket by Sierra Myers with 4:24 to play.
But Kendall Sankey answered on the other end with a bucket to stop the bleeding.
Sankey’s basket – she missed the ensuing chance at an old-school 3-point play – started a 9-0 spurt for the Lady Warriors that saw Sankey score eight of her game-high 18 points.
Sankey also had 13 rebounds and six steals and was named the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game.
She talked about the victory.
After closing the gap to one, Coudersport struggled from the floor down the stretch going just 3 of 12.
One of those, though, was a 3-pointer by Kirsten Denhoff with just under a minute to play that got the Lady Falcons within six, 44-38.
But Moniteau hit 6 of 6 free throws in the final 49 seconds – two each from Catherine Kelly, Allie Pry, and Sankey, to salt the game away.
Allie Pry added 13 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while Kelly had 11 points. Davina Pry chipped in six points and five rebounds.
Moniteau hurt itself with 24 turnovers, including 10 by Kelly.
Coudersport got 13 points, five rebounds, and three steals from Emma Chambers, 12 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals from Myers, and six points, three rebounds, and three steals from Bel Porterfield.
Moniteau will face Redbank Valley for the fourth time this season in the D9 title game at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
REDBANK VALLEY 60, KEYSTONE 16
CLARION, Pa. – After falling behind early, 5-4, Redbank Valley turned on the jets and blew right past Keystone for a 60-16 win in the D9 Class 2A semifinals at Clarion High School.
Last year’s Class 3A champions, finished the first quarter on an 8-0 run and then outscored the Lady Panthers (13-10) 19-4 in the second quarter behind six points from Mylee Harmon and five from Alivia Huffman.
Harmon led the way for Redbank Valley (24-1) with 18 points with Caylen Rearick scoring 10 points, Huffman nine points, and Kira Bonnano seven.
Natalie Bowser led Keystone with seven points.
Redbank Valley will look for a fourth win over Moniteau in the title game at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
(1) OTTO-ELDRED 61, (4) DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 40
KANE, Pa. – Katie Sheeler was at it again for top-seed Otto-Eldred.
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Sheeler, fresh off a 30-point game in a quarterfinal win over Northern Potter in which she broke the program scoring record, put up 32 more as Otto-Eldred powered past No. 4 DuBois Central Catholic, 61-40 to advance to the Class 1A championship game for the third consecutive season.
“It’s really my teammates that pick me up,” Sheeler said. “I wouldn’t be able to score those points without them. Anna (Merry) driving and kicking, Bri (Heller) setting those amazing screens that she always does, I really have to give it to them on the offensive end.”
See Sheeler’s full interview:
Sheeler scored 21 of her points in the first half, with the Lady Terrors (22-3) taking a 40-19 halftime lead.
The lead grew to as many as 32, 55-23, on an Anna Merry runner in the lane with 2:05 to go in the third quarter, putting the running clock into effect. Merry finished with eight of her 19 points in the third quarter.
Carrie Drummond added seven points for Otto-Eldred. Sheeler also had five steals and four rebounds, while Merry had six rebounds, Brooke Close had four rebounds, Drummond had seven rebounds, and Heller had nine rebounds and four blocks.
Lexi Berta knocked down three 3s and finished with a team-high 10 points for DuBois Central Catholic (13-12), while Faith Jacob added eight.
Otto-Eldred was also 18-of-22 from the free throw line, including 11-of-11 from Sheeler.
The win sets up a rematch with Elk County Catholic for the D9 title at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym. ECC won last season’s game, 39-28.
“We’re so excited,” Sheeler said. “It’s been our biggest goal for the year, making history again and just keep having fun.”
(2) ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC, (3) NORTH CLARION 31
KANE, Pa. – Trailing by three after the first quarter, No. 2 and defending champion Elk County Catholic went on a 16-5 in the second quarter and never looked back in a 51-31 win over No. 3 North Clarion.
Rewatch the game:
The Lady Crusaders (23-3) allowed 12 points in the first quarter, but just 19 the rest of the game.
Lucy Klawuhn knocked down a pair of second-quarter 3s to help ECC take control and finished with a game-high 15 points.
“After the first quarter, we talked about how we have to start driving it more and passing it to the cutter and that’s what we started doing that and we started to get open layups,” Klawuhn said.
See Klawuhn’s full interview:
Ainsley Hartle’s jumper with seven minutes to go in the third quarter got North Clarion (20-5) within seven at 26-19, but Syd Alexander responded with a 3 for ECC and the lead never dipped below double-digits the rest of the way.
“We take a lot of pride in our defense,” Klawuhn said. “Defense wins games for us.”
As per usual, it was a balanced scoring effort for ECC as Emily Mourer scored eight of her 10 points in the first half, while Tori Newton added nine and Alexander eight.
Maria Bauer led North Clarion with 10 points, while Lauren Lutz finished with eight.
North Clarion will battle DuBois Central Catholic in the third-place game Thursday, March 2, at a time and place to be announced.
Like their counterparts at Otto-Eldred, Elk County Catholic is excited for the title game rematch as they try and win back-to-back D9 championships for the first time since 2009 and 2010.
“It’s great to play them again,” Klawuhn said. “We know they’re a good team and we’re excited to play them.
Watch Janney Montgomery Scott in Clarion QR Coach’s Chalkboard Postgame Show
Watch the Janney Montgomery Scott in Clarion QR Coach’s Chalkboard Postgame Show as Chris Rossetti and special guest Steve Buttery talk about Tuesday’s action.
