ST. MARYS, Pa. (D9Sports) — Using runs of 26-10 in the first half and 16-3 in the second half, second-seeded Clarion-Limestone cruised to a 72-58 over seventh-seeded Otto-Eldred in the District 9 Class 1A quarterfinals at St. Marys High School.
(Photo of C-L’s Mitch Knepp)
“It’s fun just to be able to get (to the semifinals and qualify for the state playoffs),” C-L head coach Joe Ferguson said. “I tell the kids you have to position yourself to be able to have the chance to get there, and you have to work hard. Every night you have somebody good you are playing when you get to the playoffs.”
Reslisten to the game:
The 26-10 run in the first half turned an early 10-7 lead into a 36-17 advantage 1:36 to play before halftime with freshman Jordan Hesdon hitting a pair of 3-pointers during the run which also saw Deion Deas scored six points and Curvin Goheen five. In all, six different Lions scored during the spurt.
“Getting contributions from a lot of guys is really important,” Ferguson said. “It was really nice to get the experience on the floor tonight.”
Otto-Eldred was able to end the half on an 8-1 run thanks to a 3-pointer from Braden Maholic and an old-school 3-point play by Cole Sebastian to close within 12, 37-25, at halftime.
The Terrors (11-11) then cut the deficit to nine when Jake Merry hit a 3-pointer early in the third quarter.
That is when C-L (20-4) put the game away by going on the 16-3 run that featured five points from Kaden Park, four from Mitch Knepp and three from Hesdon. That spurt pushed the lead to a game-high 22 points, 55-33, for C-L.
Knepp, who finished with nine points while playing a key role on the board and on defense for the Lions, was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game. He talked about how rebounding played a key role in C-L’s win.
“We just have so many athletes out there,” Knepp said. “Hayden Callen, who is extremly tall and athletic, Deion (Deas) who can get boards when he wants to, Curvin (Goheen) and I both have the ability to do so. It is just about going the extra mile and doing the extra effort doing the little things that matter, like rebounding.”
Watch Knepp’s full postgame interview.
Callen led C-L, which had seven players score, with 18 points, Deas added 13, Hesdon had 12 and Goheen 10.
Jake Merry paced Otto-Eldred with 19 points with Braden Maholic scoring 13 off the bench.
C-L will play third-seeded Cameron County in the semifinals Wednesday.
CAMERON COUNTY 54, NORTH CLARION 44
KANE, Pa. — Closing the game on a 14-2 run, third-seeded Cameron County held off an upset attempt by sixth-seeded North Clarion beating the Wolves, 54-44, in the District 9 Class 1A quarterfinals at Kane High School.
The Rad Raiders (19-4) trailed 42-40 with less five minutes to play but tied the game on a pair of Dino Brown free throws with 4:30 left and then took the lead around the 3:30 mark with two more free throws, this time from Caden Beldin. Beldin followed with a steal and a basket to make it 46-42, and Cameron County never looked back.
Dino Brown led all scorers with 22 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter and 16 in the second half, with Beldin adding 14 points and Hayden Brown 12.
North Clarion (14-9), which led 22-19 at halftime, got 11 points from Devon Walters, eight each from Drew Gatesman and Jacob Bauer and seven from Matson Higgins.
But the Wolves went cold down the stretch finishing the game hitting just one of their final 11 shots while also turning the ball over four times.
Cameron County will take on Clarion-Limestone in the semifinals Wednesday.
