By MITCH WILSTON, ALLEN SEYBERT and JON SITLER
With six-tenths of a second left on the clock, Andrew Santo stood alone at the free throw line with the tie game resting on his shoulders.
Article Photos
Times Observer photos by Mitchell Wilston
Big Knights
Above, Eisenhower freshman Tre Frank dribbles past a defender during Eisenhower’s 47-46 win over Saegertown. Frank had a huge night for Eisenhower, putting up 20 points. At top left, Eisenhower’s Andrew Santo takes a deep breath and calms himself right before sinking the game-winning free throw with .6 seconds left on the clock. Below left, Santo scrambles for a loose ball.
No problem.
After missing the first shot, Santo stayed cool and clinched the 47-46 non-region win for the Knights over Saegertown.
"It was a 180-degree change from how we played last game," said Eisenhower coach Steve Norris, whose Knights are 2-7 overall. "We played physical basketball and we can't win unless we do. My biggest thing was that we stayed focused."
On Tuesday, in a tough loss to Maplewood, the Knights squandered a lead and were outscored 25-6 in the second half. They made sure it didn't happen this time.
The Knights grabbed an early lead and held onto it - until the fourth quarter when Saegertown closed the gap with 55 seconds left.
After the Knights grabbed an airball that Saegertown sent from the 3-point arc, Santo took off on a breakaway and was fouled with .6 seconds left on the scoreboard. Two free throws were awarded and, after missing the first shot, a time out was called. After an attempt to ice Santo, he stepped back up to the free throw line and drained his second attempt, giving the Knights a 47-46 win.
Saegertown had time for once last heave at the basket, but the shot fell way out of range.
"I'm very proud," said Norris. "He did great out there.
"I'm playing such a young ball club," explained Norris.
Young isn't always a negative, and freshman Tre Frank proved that by leading the Knights in scoring with 20 points, including three field goals from beyond the 3-point arc. "He's running my offense," said Norris.
Friday's win was the Knights' second win this season, their first coming against county-foe Youngsville. The young Knights will go for win number three when they face Youngsville again on Tuesday.
SAEGERTOWN (46): Siple 0 0-0 0, McCray 2 0-2 5, Carter 4 3-8 12, Ohmer 0 0-0 0, Handel 2 5-8 15, Pavlik 1 0-0 2, Rigby 3 0-2 6, Mattocks 2 2-3 6. Totals 14 10-23 46.
EISENHOWER (47): Josh Deppas 3 1-2 7, Tre Frank 7 3-4 20, Aaron Lundmark 0 1-2 1, Colin Shine 1 1-2 4, Nathan O'Brien 0 0-2 0, Andy Onoratti 3 0-0 7, Austin Schwanke 0 0-0 0, Ryan Williams 1 2-2 4, Andrew Santo 1 2-4 4. Totals 16 10-18 47.
Saegertown 10 7 13 16 - 46
Eisenhower 13 13 10 11 - 47
3-pointers: E-Frank 3, Shine, Onoratti; S-McCray, Carter.
Junior varsity game
SAEGERTOWN (23) Johnston 0 0-2 0, Siple 1 1-3 3, Ohmer 1 2-4 4. Lang 2 3-4 9, Scere 1 2-4 4, Hayes 0 0-0 0, Mattocks 1 1-5 3, Shoop 1 0-0 2, Totals: 7 9-22 23
EISENHOWER (44): Carter Farrell 2 0-2 4, Colin Shine 3 2-3 9, Nathan O'Brien 1 0-2 2, Andy Onoratti 4 0-0 9, Alex Johnson 0 0-0 0, Austin Schwanke 4 5-10 14, Ryan Williams 1 0-0 2, Joe Rutsky 2 0-0 4, Totals: 17 7-17 44
Saegertown 2 5 8 8 - 23
Eisenhower 4 11 12 17 - 44
3-pointers: E- Shine, Onoratti, Schwanke; S-none.
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CLA 49, WCCS 25
Warren County Christian School's poor shooting night cost it a chance at the season's second win during a 49-25 loss to Christian Life Academy on Friday.
As has become the case this season, WCCS had trouble shooting the ball while close to the hoop and being pressured. The team actually finished the game with a higher percentage shooting three-pointers as opposed to shooting twos.
"Our effort is commendable," said WCCS coach Steve Zwald. "Our rebounding was good, our defense was good, but our shooting was dismal. When our shooters have time they are very dangerous, but we have trouble shooting when the defense is pressuring us."
Both teams shot well from beyond the arc. In a game that featured 29 made field goals, 12 came from three-point land. That included three from WCCS guard Ricky Zortman and two more from Josh Wagonseller.
Zortman led the Lions Friday with nine points. Andrew Hammersley added eight points and Wagonseller finished with six. Hammersley pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and Carson Moore chipped in eight boards.
CLA also won the junior varsity game, 26-19. Jamie Petrush scored six points in defeat for the Lions.
WCCS (1-4) returns to action Thursday, hosting Community Prep.
CLA (49): Van Dyke 6 4-5 19, Hepler 3 0-0 7, Manssur 8 0-0 18, Schneider 1 0-2 2, McFall 1 0-0 3, Totals: 19 4-7 49
WCCS (25): Andrew Hammersley 4 0-2 8, Ricky Zortman 3 0-0 9, Josh Wagonseller 2 0-0 6, Jamie Petrush 1 0-2 2, Andrew Laird 0 0-0 0, Carson Moore 0 0-0 0, Chris Root 0 0-0 0, Totals: 10 0-4 25
CLA 16 6 10 17 - 49
WCCS 5 7 10 3 - 25
3-pointers: C-Van Dyke 3, Hepler, Manssur 2, McFall; W-Zortman 3, Wagonseller 2
Junior varsity game
CLA (26): Barger 4 0-0 8, McFall 5 0-3 11, Schneider 3 0-0 7, Totals: 12 0-3 26
WCCS (19): Josiah Poindexter 1 0-0 2, Tyler Keller 2 0-0 4, Eric Sorenson 1 0-0 2, Josh Wagonseller 2 0-0 5, Jamie Petrush 3 0-0 6, Totals: 9 0-0 19
CLA 2 8 9 7 - 26
WCCS 3 8 4 4 - 19
3-pointers: C- McFall, Schneider; W- Wagonseller
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Cochranton 40, Youngsville 24
COCHRANTON - Youngsville couldn't put four good quarters together and fell to 1-8 overall.
"The kids did play a good game," said Youngsville coach Ray Neidrick. "We played hard."
He said the Eagles improved in rebounding numbers, steals and committed fewer turnovers, but started slowly in each of the first and third quarters in the loss.
Nathan Smith led Youngsville with 10 points.
YOUNGSVILLE (24): Nathan Smith 4 2-6 10, Jeremy Clark 1 1-5 3, Broc Horn 1 0-0 2, Billy Chuzie 1 0-0 2, DJ Rose 3 1-4 7, Tom Chapman 0 0-0 0, James Frazier 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 4-15 24.
COCHRANTON (40): Hering 6 2-6 14, Rynd 3 1-2 7, Kenny 1 0-0 2, Oertly 6 3-3 15, Herzberger 0 2-2 2. Totals 16 8-13 40.
Youngsville 2 14 2 6 - 24
Cochranton 9 9 14 8 - 40
3-pointers: None.
Junior varsity game
YOUNGSVILLE (12): Jon Pollow 2 0-0 4, James Frazier 3 0-0 8, Collin Lehnen 0 0-0 0, Logan Morrison 0 0-0 0, A.J. Gustafson 0 0-0 0, J.R. Yost 0 0-0 0, Coll Dininny 0 0-0 0, Tom Chapman 0 0-0 0, Corey Jones 0 0-0 0, Nick Barrett 0 0-0 0, Christian Gibson 0 0-0 0, Esteban Carphio 0 0-0 0, Brandon Reed 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 0-0 12.
COCHRANTON (68): Troutner 4 0-2 10, Roche 3 0-2 6, Saunier 2 3-4 7, Villamar 2 2-2 7, Adams 4 4-6 12, Custead 0 0-2 0, Eisenhooth 1 0-2 2, Herzberger 2 2-3 7, Vanderhoof 8 1-3 17. Totals 26 12-26 68.
Youngsville 0 8 4 0 - 12
Cochranton 16 17 18 16 - 68
3-pointers: Y-Frazier 2; C-Troutner 2, Villamar, Herzberger.
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ECC 55, Sheffield 37
Sheffield gave Elk County Catholic a battle, but came up short of notching a big win after a 55-37 loss to Crusaders Friday at Sheffield Area High School.
"We were 2-of-12 from the three-point line and we're normally much better than that," said Sheffield coach Todd Fitch. "The kids played very hard, but we struggled fundamentally tonight and you can't beat good teams like Elk County when you do that."
The Wolverines kept the game close early, trailing by one point two minutes into the second quarter. However, by halftime, ECC had stretch the edge to 11 points and it would continue to swell in the second half of play.
Mark Sprandle and George Fitch were the only two Sheffield players to reach double digits, finishing with 11 points each. Nick Bonavita chipped in five points and Brendan Winslow added four more.
The Wolverines (6-4) are back in action Tuesday when they visit Ridgway.
Elk County also bested Sheffield in junior varsity play, 44-28. Tyler Fitzgerald paced the Wolverines with eight points.
ELK COUNTY (55): Herzing 5 3-3 13, Cooke 1 1-2 3, Wortman 1 0-0 2, Kraus 1 0-0 3, Jacob 2 0-0 4, Simmons 2 5-6 9, Haberberger 1 0-0 2, B. Daghir 1 6-6 8, L. Daghir 1 0-0 3, Gebauer 4 0-2 8, Totals: 19 15-19 55
SHEFFIELD (37): Dylan Reynolds 0 0-0 0, Tony Burt 0 0-0 0, Tyler Fitzgerald 0 0-0 0, Mark Sprandle 5 0-0 11, Brendan Winslow 2 0-0 4, Kalil Slaughter 0 2-6 2, Chris Pederson 0 1-2 1, Dylan McNeal 1 0-0 3, Nick Bonavita 1 3-6 5, George Fitch 4 3-4 11, Totals: 13 9-18 37
Elk County Catholic 9 21 13 12 - 55
Sheffield 8 11 7 11 - 37
3-pointers: E- Kraus, L. Daghir; S- Sprandle, McNeal
Junior varsity game
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC (44): Housler 4 3-5 11, O'Neill 1 0-0 2, Constable 1 2-2 5, Herzing 2 0-0 4, Cortina 2 4-4 9, Gahr 0 2-2 2, McCollough 4 1-3 9, Meyer 1 0-0 2, Totals: 15 12-16 44
SHEFFIELD (28): Dylan Reynolds 2 1-2 5, Tony Burt 1 1-2 3, Brendan Winslow 1 1-2 3, Chris Pederson 1 1-1 3, Dylan McNeal 2 2-8 6, Tyler Fitzgerald 4 0-0 8, Totals: 11 6-15 28
Elk County Catholic 8 14 12 10 - 44
Sheffield 14 4 3 7 - 28
3-pointers: E- Constable, Cortina; S-None