DUKE CENTER, Pa. – Seven District 9 basketball games are on tap for Thursday, including boys/girls doubleheaders at Otto-Eldred and DuBois High School.
Girls’ Class 1A games including Northern Potter at Otto-Eldred, Clarion at Elk County Catholic, Ridgway at North Clarion, and Port Allegany at DuBois Central Catholic (this game will be broadcast on the YDL Sports Network).
In Class 4A girls, Clearfield will face St. Marys at DuBois High School, while in Class 4A boys Punxsutawney will take on St. Marys.
Boys’ Class 2A features Curwensville at Otto-Eldred in a game postponed from Wednesday.
Here is a quick breakdown of each matchup.
CLASS 1A GIRLS’ QUARTERFINALS
Note – Losers move into the fifth-place consolation bracket, which will be reseeded
(8) Northern Potter (14-9) at (1) Otto-Eldred (20-2), 7:30 p.m.
Winner gets: Winner of Port Allegany/DCC game
Northern Potter leading scorers: Rebecca Martin (11.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg), Reagan Slawson (6.0 ppg), Haylee Chapman (5.3 ppg), Kayden Brown (4.8 ppg), Molly Caddy (4.3 ppg)
Otto-Eldred leading scorers: Katie Sheeler (21.5 ppg), Anna Merry (10.2 ppg), Brooke Close (6.2 ppg), Bri Heller (5.5 ppg)
Notable: Northern Potter is coming off an opening-round 32-23 win over Oswayo Valley, the second straight year the Lady Panthers have won an opening-round game as the No. 8 seed. Reagan Slawson had nine points and Haylee Chapman eight in the victory … This is the third meeting of the year between NoPo and O-E with the Lady Terrors taking the first two meetings in easy fashion winning 61-31 at Northern Potter Dec. 6 and 67-43 in Duke Center Jan. 20. Otto-Eldred’s Katie Sheeler has scored 56 points in the two games combined including a career-high 34 in the game in January … Northern Potter has won three in a row and 9 of 12 coming into the contest … Otto-Eldred is riding a six-game win streak since losing to Redbank Valley, 64-60, the top seed in the D9 2A tournament Jan. 28 … Sheeler is District 9’s leading scorer at 21.5 ppg and has scored 1,552 points in her career as she closes in on the school record of 1,575 set by April Batt who graduated in 1993 … Otto-Eldred finished second in D9 last year in Class 1A and advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals before losing to eventual runner-up Kennedy Catholic.
(7) Clarion (10-13) at (2) Elk County Catholic (21-3), 7 p.m.
Winner gets: Winner of North Clarion/Ridgway game
Clarion leading scorers: Sophia Babington (9.7 ppg), Taylor Alston (9.2 ppg), Gia Babington (7.0 ppg)
ECC leading scorers: Lucy Klawuhn (10.6 ppg), Tori Newton (8.8 ppg), Syd Alexander (8.7 ppg), Emily Mourer (6.7 ppg), Sami Straub (5.8 ppg)
Notable: Clarion is a young team without a senior on the roster under first-year head coach Sam Heeter, an assistant coach for the Lady Cats last year … The Lady Cats only average 32.7 ppg but win with defense allowing 35.8 ppg. Clarion is coming off a loss to Redbank Valley in the KSAC semifinals and enter the playoffs having lost 3 of 4. Prior to the recent stretch, the Lady Cats had won three in a row … ECC is the defending D9 1A champion, and the Lady Crusaders are fresh off a victory over St. Marys in the AML title game … ECC is also a young player with all five of its leading scorers juniors … The Lady Crusaders three losses this year have come to Punxsutawney (twice) and Otto-Eldred, two teams with a combined record of 44-2 … ECC head coach Ken Pistner won his 400th game at the school earlier this season.
(6) Ridgway (13-9) at (3) North Clarion (19-4), 7 p.m.
Winner gets: Winner of Clarion/ECC game
Ridgway leading scorers: Jenna Kasmierski (17.0 ppg), Gabby Amacher (8.7 ppg), Kristen Ellenberger (7.0 ppg)
North Clarion leading scorers: Lauren Lutz (10.3 ppg), Emma McFarland (7.1 ppg), Maria Bauer (6.1 ppg), Madison McFarland (4.7 ppg), Ainsley Hartle (4.7 ppg)
Notable: Ridgway’s Jenna Kasmierski is the third-leading scorer in District 9 and was recently the top vote-getter in the AML All-Stars … Ridgway enters the playoffs having won 5 of 6 with the lone loss coming in overtime at Keystone … North Clarion will be without leading scorer Lily Homan (Jr., 12.0 ppg) who is ineligible for the postseason under PIAA rules since she transferred to North Clarion this season from Venango Catholic (transfers after freshman year are automatically ineligible unless an appeal hearing overturns it and Homan didn’t request a hearing). The She-Wolves did play the opening two games of the season with Homan because of an ankle injury and won the Brookville Tournament while averaging 51 ppg which is right on their season average of 50.4 ppg … North Clarion is coming off a loss to Moniteau in the KSAC semifinals Friday and enters the playoffs having lost 3 of 4 with two of those loses coming against Otto-Eldred (20-2) and Redbank Valley (23-1). The She-Wolves also lost twice to Monietau.
(5) Port Allegany (19-3) at (4) DuBois Central Catholic (12-11), 7 p.m.
Winner gets: Winner of Northern Potter/Otto-Eldred game
Port Allegany leading scorers: Kayleigha Dowell (10.5 ppg), Evin Stauffer (8.7 ppg), Ella Moses (8.6 ppg), Brynn Evens (6.5 ppg), Leigha Nelson (5.9 ppg)
DCC leading scorers: Kayley Risser (12.1 ppg), Faith Jacob (7.7 ppg), Lexi Berta (6.3 ppg), Emma Elensky (4.1 ppg, Jessy Frank (4.1 ppg), Marina Hanes (3.9 ppg)
Notable: Some were surprised when the 19-3 Lady Gators were seeded behind 12-11 DCC but the District 9 committee’s response is that it was rewarding DCC for playing a brutal schedule. The Lady Cardinals basically said that they had a basketball and would play anyone this year. Some notable losses for DCC include to 2022 PIAA 2A champion Neshannock, 2023 D9 top seeds Redbank Valley (2A) and Punxsutawney (4A) as well as two losses to second-seeded ECC (1A) as well as to Warren, which has won three of the last four District 10 Class 5A titles and is the third seed in the D10 Class 4A tournament this year. In fact, Thursday is game No. 24 for the Lady Cardinals but just the seventh vs. a Class 1A opponent. DCC is 4-2 vs. 1A foes this year with the only two losses coming to ECC … That said, Port Allegany’s only losses were twice to 1A top-seed Otto-Eldred and once to a very good Portville (N.Y.) team … The Lady Gators enter the postseason having won 10 in a row with all but two wins over Kane coming by double digits … Kayley Risser has really risen her level of play for DCC averaging 15.9 ppg over her last 12 games and has helped the Lady Cardinals go 6-2 in their last eight games.
CLASS 2A BOYS’ QUARTERFINALS
(8) Curwensville (8-14) at (1) Otto-Eldred (21-1), 6 p.m.
Winner gets: Ridgway
Curwensville leading scorers: Davis Fleming (12.6 ppg), Parker Wood (11.9 ppg), Chandler English (8.3 ppg), Dan McGarry (7.1 ppg)
Otto-Eldred leading scorers: Landon Francis 15.5 ppg, Manning Splain (13.5 ppg), Shene Thomas (11.9 ppg), Austin Cousins (11.7 ppg)
Notable: Otto-Eldred was in Class 1A last year and finished third while advancing to the PIAA playoffs … The Terrors lone loss was a 61-55 setback to Salamanca (N.Y.) Dec. 30, and they have won 13 in a row entering the postseason … Otto-Eldred averages 64.9 ppg … Curwensville comes into postseason play having lost seven in a row. The Golden Tide last won, 66-58, Jan. 27 at Bellwood-Antis … Two of the seven losses have come by one possession … Curwensvilles averages 52.7 ppg
CLASS 4A GIRLS’ SEMIFINALS
(3) Clearfield (10-12) vs. (2) St. Marys (18-6), 6 p.m. at DuBois High School
Winner gets: Punxsutawney
Clearfield leading scorers: Hannah Glunt (10.8 ppg), Cayleigh Walker (10.7 ppg), Riley Ryen (10.3 ppg), Mia Helsel (9.7 ppg)
St. Marys leading scorers: Jayssa Snelick (11.0 ppg), Izzy Catalone (8.4 ppg), Maura Caskey (8.1 ppg), Olivia Eckels (7.2 ppg), Alexa Schneider (5.1 ppg)
Notable: This is a rematch of a Dec. 7 game won by St. Marys, 58-35, at Clearfield. Four players reached double digits for the Lady Dutch in that game led by 14 from Izzy Catalone. Cayleigh Walker had 12 points for Clearfield … The Lady Bison have two coach’s kids on the court. Leading scorer Hannah Glunt, only a sophomore, is the daughter of Clearfield boys’ head coach Nate Glunt, while Mia Helselt, the fourth-leading scorer and only a freshman is the daughter of Lady Bison second-year head coach Missy Helsel … Clearfield enters the postseason having gone 5-8 in its last 13 games after a 5-4 start … St. Marys’ six losses have come to Elk County Catholic (4 times including in the AML title game Saturday) and Class 4A top seed Punxsutawney (twice) … The Lady Dutch have lost 3 of 4 entering postseason play.
CLASS 4 BOYS’ SEMIFINALS
(3) Punxsutawney (7-15) vs. (2) St. Marys (11-12), 8 p.m. at DuBois High School
Winner gets: Clearfield
Punxsutawney leading scorers: Noah Weaver (9.3 ppg), Ryen Heigley (8.8 ppg), Noah Kengersky (5.7 ppg), Jimmie Neese (5.2 ppg), Beau Thomas (5.2 ppg), Zach Presloid (4.9 ppg)
St. Marys leading scorers: Tanner Fox (12.9 ppg), Quin Gavazzi (12.7 ppg), Anthony Nedzinski (7.3 ppg)
Notable: This is the third meeting this year between these D9 League foes with the teams splitting the first two winning on each other’s home courts. St. Marys won 38-30 at Puxnsy Jan. 17 and the Chucks returned the favor by winning 58-54 Feb. 8 at St. Marys when they rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to get the win … The win at St. Marys started a strong closing stretch for Punxsutawney, which enters the postseason winners of 3 of 4, Prior to that, the Chucks had struggled going 1-9 in their previous 10 … St. Marys has had an up-and-down season. The Dutch started 8-4 before losing 8 of their final 11 games … St. Marys is coming off a loss to ECC in the AML semifinals in a game where second-leading scorer Quin Gavazi didn’t play … Both teams are under the direction of veteran coaches who are fairly new to their respective benches. Bill Shuey is in his second year as the head coach at St. Marys after a highly-successful tenure as the Johnsonburg boys’ coach, while Randy Reitz is in his first year on the bench at Punxsutawney, where he is also the athletic director. Reitz previously built the Punxsutawney girls’ team into a dynasty and was also the highly successful boys’ coach at Brookville.
