PORT ALLEGANY, Pa. – Port Allegany built a 13-point halftime lead but had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat visiting Northern Potter, 45-41, in the District 9 Class 1A girls’ fifth-place consolation semifinals.
Also see: D9 1A boys’ consolation semifinal recaps
The fifth-seeded Lady Gators led 27-14 at halftime but watched as Northern Potter went on a 25-9 run to start the second half.
That run, which included an 8-0 spurt to start the second half, gave the eight-seeded Lady Panthers a 39-38 lead on a jumper by Riley Thompson with 4:33 to play.
But Port Allegany used a pair of offensive rebounds to retake the lead on the following possession when Ella Moses hit a pair of free throws with 4:12 left giving the Lady Gators a 40-39 advantage.
Brynn Evens then drilled a 2-pointer with her foot on the line with 2:37 to go to give Port Allegany a 42-39 lead.
Evens then hit another basket with 1:29 to go to give the Lady Gators a five-point lead, 44-39.
Those two hoops helped Evens score nine points, which was good for third on the team.
Evin Stauffer, who left the game with an apparent lower leg injury early in the fourth quarter, led Port Allegany with 14 points, all in the first half. Stauffer also had five rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots.
Moses chipped in 12 points, 12 rebounds, and six steals, and Evens added four rebounds and four assists to her nine points.
Martin paced Northern Potter with 16 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, while Brown had eight points and Cady seven points and eight rebounds. Regan Slawson chipped in six points, eight rebounds, and two assists.
Port Allegany will take on Clarion in the fifth-place consolation game Thursday, March 2, at a time and place to be announced. The winner advances to the PIAA playoffs, and the loser’s season is over.
CLARION 41, RIDGWAY 36
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Seventh-seeded Clarion Clarion used a combination of a strong game from Sophie Babington and great defense on Ridgway’s Jenna Kasmierski to knock off the sixth-seeded Lady Elkers, 41-36, in the District 9 Class 1A girls’ fifth-place consolation semifinals at St. Marys High School.
Babington scored a career-high 21 points while hitting four 3-pointers, and the Lady Cats held Kasmierski, who came into the game as the third-leading scorer in District 9 at 16.6 ppg, to a season-low two points.
Behind 12 points from Babington, Clarion led 23-17 at halftime.
Sophie Babington and her older sister, Gia, then hit third-quarter 3-pointers to help the Lady Cats maintain the six-point lead, 35-29, heading to the fourth quarter.
Taylor Alston added 15 points for Clarion.
Gabby Amacher paced Ridgway with 14 points with Kristen Ellenberger adding 10 points.
While being limited in the scoring department, Kasmierski did contribute in other ways with eight rebounds and five blocked shots.
