WARREN, Pa. – Top-seed Redbank Valley received a bye into the semifinals, but the other six D9 Class 2A boys playoff teams will be in action in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday.
The Bulldogs will meet the winner of the 4-5 game between Clarion-Limestone and Keystone, while sixth-seed Coudersport travels to No. 3 Karns City in a rematch of last season’s championship game, and No. 2 seed Ridgway hots seventh-seeded Smethport in the other quarterfinal game.
Here’s a look at each.
(7) SMETHPORT at (2) RIDGWAY
Records: Smethport 12-10; Ridgway 16-5
Top Players: Smethport – Alex Ognen 19.4 ppg., Preston Alfieri 6.8 ppg., John Adamski 6.5 ppg., Brandon Higley 5.8 ppg.; Ridgway – Dan Park 15.8 ppg., Dom Allegretto 10.6 ppg., Jack Benninger 7.5 ppg., Aaron Sorg 7.5 ppg.
Winner Gets: Winner of No. 3 Karns City/No. 6 Coudersport in semifinals
Notable: Alex Ognen has scored at least 21 points in five of his last seven games. The two teams met on Feb. 7, a 58-27 Ridgway win. Ridgway is 8-1 in its last nine games, allowing 36 points or fewer in all of those wins.
(6) COUDERSPORT at (3) KARNS CITY
Records: Coudersport 11-11, Coudersport 17-6
Top Players: Coudersport – Christian Furman 15.3 ppg., Brady Streich 9.1 ppg., Garrett Kellert 8.9 ppg., Logan Ruter 7.6 ppg.; Karns City – Luke Cramer 12.7 ppg., Tate Beighley 12.2 ppg., Micah Rupp 10.4 ppg., Cole Sherwin 6.5 ppg.
Winner Gets: Winner of No. 2 Ridgway/No. 7 Smethport
Notable: Rematch of last season’s 2A title game, won by Karns City. Coudersport 6-3 in its last nine regular-season games. Karns City has allowed more than 50 points just four times.
(5) KEYSTONE at (4) CLARION-LIMESTONE
Records: Keystone – 11-11; Clarion-Limestone 11-11
Top Players: Keystone – Bret Wingard 16.7 ppg. Zander McHenry 9.2 ppg, Tyler Albright 8.3 ppg., Cole Henry 6.0 ppg.; Clarion-Limestones – Rylie Klingensmith 11.9 ppg., Jordan Hesdon 10.3 ppg., Ryan Hummell 9.7 ppg., Tommy Smith 7.5 ppg., Jase Ferguson 7.4 ppg.
Winner Gets: No. 1 seed Redbank Valley in semifinals
Notable: Clarion-Limestone swept the regular-season series for Keystone, winning 59-53 on Dec. 21, and 49-44 on Feb. 8. C-L scored 58 points or more in 10 of its 11 wins. Bret Wingard has scored in double figures in 18 of 22 games.
