Haylie Birt's 3-pointer sparked a 17-3 third quarter run for Eisenhower's girls basketball team on Monday. The Lady Knights won their second straight game against a AAA opponent with a 60-47 victory over Oil City at Eisenhower High School.
"I'm very happy with our two wins against Triple-A schools," said Eisenhower coach Mike Logue. "Any time you can beat a bigger school it's big."
The Oilers had opened the third quarter with a 7-2 run to open a 33-27 lead. Birt then hit a 3-pointer with just under five minutes to play in the quarter. The Knights fed off the shot and swung the momentum solidly in their favor, closing out the quarter on a 17-3 run.
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Times Observer photo by Brian Hagberg
Game changer
Eisenhower's Haylie Birt puts up a 3-point shot during the second half of a high school girls basketball game against Oil City Monday at Eisenhower High School. Birt's shot sparked a 17-3 third quarter run for the Knights as they defeated the Oilers 60-47.
"That's been our thing all year, we don't get rattled," Logue said. "We'll look for someone to step up and Birt did that tonight."
Both teams traded baskets early in the game. The Knights were able to draw some quick fouls, but couldn't convert them into points, an issue that has plagued them all season.
"We've got to work on our free throws and do better than 6-19 (from the line)," Logue said.
Eisenhower led 14-13 after the first quarter.
Oil City went on a 6-0 run to start the second quarter, mainly through outrebounding the Knights. Halie VanOrd got Eisenhower's first field goal midway through the quarter. Kristen Williams then buried her second 3-pointer of the half to get the lead back for the Knights with 2:30 left to play in the second.
"Kristen Williams had her best game of the year," Logue said. "She took care of the ball and made the right decisions tonight."
Both teams found their scoring stroke in the final two minutes, but Eisenhower was still clinging to a one-point lead, 25-24, at halftime.
Oil City tried to rally in the fourth quarter, but Eisenhower was able to answer and close out the victory.
Williams connected on four 3-pointers in the game and led all scorers with 19 points. Alyssa Peterson added 14 markers and Birt finished with eight.
The Knights will travel cross-county Thursday to take on Tidioute Charter.
Birt had 12 points for Eisenhower in a 33-27 junior varsity loss.
OIL CITY (47): Hall 3 5-8 13, Wenner 6 0-2 12, Davis 3 5-8 11, Clyde 4 1-2 9, Stevenson 1 0-0 2, Wilfang 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 11-20 47.
EISENHOWER (60): Kristen Williams 6 3-7 19, Alyssa Peterson 6 2-4 14, Haylie Birt 3 0-0 8, Halie VanOrd 3 1-8 7, Dakota Williams 3 0-0 6, Lyssa Knapp 2 0-0 4, Brooke Stanton 1 0-0 2, Kari Santo 0 0-0 0, Totals 24 6-19 60.
Oil City 13 11 12 11- 47
Eisenhower14 11 19 16- 60
3-pointers: O-Hall 2. E-K. Williams 4, Birt 1.
Junior varsity game
OIL CITY (33): Kulling 4 2-5 10, Wolfgang 3 2-3 8, Williams 3 0-1 6, Stevenson 1 0-0 3, Reck 1 0-0 2, DeArmant 1 0-1 2, Serafin 1 0-0 2, King 0 0-0 0, Bernecky 0 0-0 0, Totals 14 4-10 33.
EISENHOWER (27): Haylie Birt 2 8-12 12, Holly Chapman 1 3-6 5, Meghan Hagberg 2 0-4, Cassidy Edwards 1 0-1 2, Danielle Bradish 1 0-0 2, Kearsten Maine 0 1-2 1, Bailey Burch 0 1-4 1, Chelsea Parmenter 0 0-0 0, Aysia Peters 0 0-0 0, Courtney Knapp 0 0-0 0, Totals 7 13-29 27.
3-pointers: O-Stevenson. E-None.
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GM 48, Warren 47
EDINBORO - Warren lost its second straight Region 6 game by one point on Monday in a 48-47 loss at General McLane.
"We gave it to them," said Warren coach Lisa Ruhlman, whose Lady Dragons are now 7-3 overall and 1-2 - and in fifth place - in the region.
McLane is now 7-4 overall and jumps Warren and all the way into third place in the region at 2-1. Mercyhurst Prep and North East are each 4-0 after wins on Monday, and Fort LeBoeuf is 2-2. Warren hosts undefeated Mercyhurst Prep on Wednesday in another key game in a stretch of region games.
"Down the stretch we just made mental mistakes and mental turnovers and, in the end, the toughness wasn't there," said Ruhlman.
Ruhlman said the Dragons played well other than "the last three minutes of the second quarter and the last three minutes of the fourth."
Warren led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, but McLane cut that lead to 26-25 at the half. Warren led by five after three quarters, but a 15-9 fourth quarter - in which McLane seemed to grab several key loose balls and offensive rebounds at the end - cost the Dragons the game. General McLane was 17-of-19 at the line for the game - to Warren's 4-of-6.
Lindsey Jahn finished with 17 points and Leah Hansen 12. T.L. Wreh-Wilson hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with one second left on the clock.
With Warren up 47-46, McLane's Wreh-Wilson stole the ball with under 30 seconds left in the game but missed a shot. McLane got the ball back on a jump ball, and missed another shot. They got the rebound there, and missed again. Hansen missed with seconds left, and Wreh-Wilson got the rebound again for McLane, getting fouled with one second left.
Despite the loss, Warren got an outstanding offensive effort from Emily Sherman. She was 10-of-14 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 at the line for 22 points and nine rebounds.
Sabrina Anderson was 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 at the line for 10 points and six rebounds.
Kristie Reynolds played well defensively, helping to limit four-year varsity player Leah Hansen to 12 points.
The silver lining would be that Warren has been in two tough region games and could have win either or both. "The name of the game is that you have to put this game behind you and move on," said Ruhlman.
WARREN (47): Kristie Reynolds 1 0-0 3, Jaimie Eaton 4 0-1 8, Sabrina Anderson 4 2-2 10, Kristin Hultquist 1 0-1 2, Taylor Mineweaser 1 0-0 2, Sam Bevevino 0 0-0 0, Emily Sherman 10 2-2 22. Totals 21 4-6 47.
GENERAL McLANE (48): L. Jahn 5 7-9 17, Clark 0 2-2 2, Hansen 4 2-2 12, Rodriguez 2 0-0 5, Wreh-Wilson 1 4-4 6, Lytle 2 2-2 6. Totals 14 17-19 48.
Warren 13 13 12 9 - 47
General McLane 8 17 8 15 - 48
3-pointers: W-Reynolds; G-Hansen 2, Rodriguez.
Junior varsity game
WARREN (24): Meghan Loutzenhiser 2 0-0 5, Amy Castagnino 3 3-6 9, McKenzie Merenick 2 3-6 8, Brittni Merenick 1 0-1 2, 8 6-13 24.
GENERAL McLANE (34): M. Jahn 3 1-3 8, Sidle 3 0-0 6, Yoder 2 0-0 4, Burkett 1 2-4 4, Higham 5 0-0 10, Miller 1 0-0 2, 15 3-7 34
Warren 6 11 4 3 -24
General McLane 7 6 13 8 - 34
3-pointers: W-Loutzenhiser, M. Merenick; G-M.Jahn.
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East Forest 57, Sheffield 32
EAST FOREST-Sheffield's girls basketball team outplayed East Forest for three quarters Monday night. Unfortunately, the Wolverines were outscored 29-2 in the second quarter as they fell to the Bears 57-32 at East Forest High School.
"The second quarter was not pretty," said Sheffield coach Jeff Labesky. "We played them evenly for three quarters. I don't know what it was about the second quarter, but we got in a funk."
Erica Long, one of District 9's leading scorers, exploded for 30 points. Logue said that Sheffield was able to hold her in check through the first quarter, but she was able to get going in the second.
Jen Isenberg had a double-double for the Wolverines with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Juli Ely just missed a double-double of her own with eight points and eight rebounds.
East Forest won the junior varsity game 47-25. Marlea Sprandle led Sheffield with 10 points in the loss.
SHEFFIELD (32): Jade Moore 1 0-0 3, Hannah Vile 12 1-2 3, Sarah Hoden 0 0-2 0, Hanna Fitch 1 0-0 2, Sami Pollock 0 0-0 0, Ashley Davidson 0 0-0 0, Abby Labesky 0 1-2 1, Juli Ely 4 0-0 8, Jen Isenberg 6 3-4 15, Totals 13 5-10 32.
EAST FOREST (57): Simpson 3 0-0 6, Harriger 4 1-2 10, Kahle 1 0-0 2, McLaughlin 0 2-2 2, Oliver 1 3-8 5, Songer 1 0-0 2, Long 13 4-4 30, Totals 23 10-16 57.
Sheffield 8 2 14 8-32
East Forest 8 29 13 7-57
3-pointers: S-None. E-Harriger.
Junior varsity game
SHEFFIELD (25): Marlea Sprandle 4 2-2 10, Jade Moore 2 0-2 5, Abby Cromwell 1 0-0 2, Anna Baldensperger 1 0-7 2, Mariah Fitzgerald 1 0-0 2, Tierra Hanson 2 0-4 4, Totals 11 2-15 25.
EAST FOREST (47): Clow 2 1-2 5, McLaughlin 9 4-10 22, Songer 3 2-3 8, Motter 3 1-4 7, Erosenko 2 1-4 5, Totals 19 9-23 47.
Sheffield 7 4 11 3-25
East Forest 11 10 17 9-47
3-pointers: S-Moore. E-None.
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N. Clarion 49, TCCS 14
Tidioute Charter fell to 0-9 after a 49-14 loss to visiting North Clarion on Monday at Tidioute Community Charter School.
North Clarion won its first game on Monday, but comes from the tough KSAC North - with Cranberry, Clarion, East Forest and Venango Catholic - in District 9.
The Lady Bulldogs were also playing without one of their senior leaders, Lacy Wolford, due to injury.
"They were just missing Lacy a lot," said TCCS coach Ted Nuttall. "They were stepping into positions they aren't playing normally. They started playing some ball in the second half."
Ten players scored for North Clarion (1-7), which went up 32-2 at halftime.
NORTH CLARION (49): Ochs 1 1-2 3, Siegel 2 0-0 6, Sherman 5 0-0 10, Nick 3 0-2 6, Hargenrader 1 2-2 4, Zacerl 1 0-0 2, Rizer 0 0-2 0, Schmader 4 2-2 11, Bauer 2 0-0 4, Reed 1 1-2 3. Totals 20 6-12 49.
TCCS (14): Loralee Lindemuth 4 0-0 9, Lacy Kielinger 0 0-0 0, Aubrey Sunny 0 0-0 0, Robbi Kitelinger 2 1-2 5, Morgan Molek 0 0-0 0, Emalei Schaberl 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 1-2 14.
North Clarion 16 16 13 4 - 49
TCCS 0 2 6 6 - 14
3-pointers: N-Siegel 2, Schmader; T-Lindemuth.