Sometimes the final score doesn't indicate how close a game really was.
Monday was one of those games for the Youngsville girls basketball team as the Eagles (7-6, 2-5 Region 3) dropped a 54-41 Region 3 decision to visiting Linesville (11-3, 5-1) at Youngsville High School?
"We were more intense and much improved from the last time we played them," said Youngsville coach Allison Kitchel.
Article Photos
Times Observer photo by Brian Hagberg
Youth movement
Youngsville freshman girls basketball player Kennedy Cratty, left, drives strong to the basket in front of a pair of Linesville defenders during the first half of a girls basketball game Monday at Youngsville High School. The Eagles struggled at the line Monday, finishing up 5-of-22 and falling to 7-6 after a 54-41 loss to the Lady Lions.
Youngsville lost 63-30 at Linesville earlier this season, a game which Linesville dominated early. This time, it was a combination of being outscored 20-11 in the third quarter and going 5-of-22 from the free throw line that doomed the Eagles.
The Eagles were able to get some good looks at the basket early in the game, but couldn't get the shots to fall as Linesville opened with a 4-0 run. Kennedy Cratty got Youngsville on the board with a field goal, but Linesville then moved into its press defense and was able to create turnovers to go on a 6-0 run and gain a 14-4 advantage.
"The girls didn't give up (down 10)," Kitchel said. "I'm very proud of them."
Fact Box
LINESVILLE (54): A. Lotwiler 6 3-3 15, C. Lotwiler 7 1-2 15, K. Lotwiler 6 1-3 13, Krider 2 5-10 9, Reynolds 0 2-2 2, Phelps 0 0-0 0, Trypus 0 0-0 0, Totals 21 12-20 54.
YOUNGSVILLE (41): Katie Chuzie 4 0-2 10, Amber Fox 2 5-10 9, Lyndsey Lyon 4 0-8 8, Jesse Jameson 4 0-2 8, Kennedy Cratty 2 0-0 4, Jorie Clark 1 0-0 2, Katie Gustafson 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 5-22 41.
Linesville 14 6 20 14 - 54
Youngsville 8 11 11 11 - 41
3-pointers: L-None. Y-Chuzie 2.
Junior varsity game
LINESVILLE (46): Phelps 4 2-5 10, Alford 4 2-2 10, Zarembinski 2 2-3 6, Trypus 2 2-4 6, Shrum 2 0-2 5, Baum 2 1-2 5, Farley 1 0-2 2, Hines 0 2-2 2, Rancaglion 0 0-0 0, Peterson 0 0-0 0, Duncan 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 11-22 46.
YOUNGSVILLE (45): Julie Jameson 3 5-8 11, Karrisa Cratty 5 0-0 10, Kennedy Cratty 1 5-6 7, Jorie Clark 3 0-0 6, Katie Gustafson 2 1-1 5, Piper Olsen 1 0-0 2, Cierra Ohl 4 points. Totals 15 11-15 45.
Linesville 6 15 7 10 8 - 46
Youngsville 9 16 5 8 7 - 45
3-pointers: L-Shrum. Y-Jameson 2.
SAGERTOWN (42): Hanley 5 0-3 10, Levis 2 3-6 7, DiBartolo 3 1-3 7, Kapernick 3 2-2 9, Eckhart 4 1-2 9, Totals: 17 7-16 42
EISENHOWER (28): Lyssa Knapp 1 0-0 2, Haylie Birt 0 1-2 1, Kristen Williams 1 4-4 7, Holly Chapman 2 0-0 4, Halie VanOrd 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Peterson 2 0-0 4, Dakota Williams 1 0-0 2, Kearsten Maine 0 0-0 0, Brooke Stanton 3 0-0 6, Kari Santo 1 0-0 2, Totals: 11 5-6 28
Saegertown 8 8 12 14 - 42
Eisenhower 7 8 10 3 - 28
3-pointers: S- Kapernick; E- K. Williams
Junior varsity game
SAGERTOWN (31): Shovey 1 0-2 3, Lilly 3 0-0 7, Rodgers 1 0-0 2, Caldwell 3 3-6 9, Tomiczek 3 2-8 8, Parker 1 0-3 2, Totals: 12 5-19 31
EISENHOWER (35): Haylie Birt 1 0-3 2, Holly Chapman 5 6-10 16, Kearsten Maine 3 2-6 8, Meghan Hagberg 0 0-0 0, Bailey Burch 0 0-0 0, Cassidy Edwards 0 0-0 0, Chelsea Parmenter 0 0-2 0, Danielle Bradish 3 0-4 9, Jackie Talasky 0 0-0 0, Aysia Peters 0 0-0 0, Kourtney Knapp 0 0-0 0, Totals: 12 8-25 35
Saegertown 8 4 8 9 2 - 31
Eisenhower 5 5 11 8 6 - 35
3-pointers: S- Shovey, Lilly; E- Bradish 3
Youngsville was able to close the quarter on a 4-0 run to pull within six at 14-8.
The Eagles took a hit early in the second quarter as Cratty went down with an apparent ankle injury and was unable to return.
"Her early injury really hurt us," Kitchel said. "She had been everywhere and (was) making plays."
Youngsville was able to close the gap to just two points twice in the second quarter, but both times Linesville was able to answer with a bucket. Jorie Clark's field goal with 31 seconds left in the half tied the game at 19-19, but the Lions went 1-of-2 from the line in the final seconds to take a 20-19 lead into halftime.
The Eagles came out cold in the third quarter while it seemed like the Lions just couldn't miss. Linesville opened the quarter with an 11-2 run to push the lead back to 10 at 31-21. With Youngsville trailing 40-25, Katie Chuzie drained a three and Lyndsey Lyon hit a layup to pull the Eagles back within 10 at 40-30 going into the fourth quarter.
Youngsville cut the deficit to eight on several occasions, but Linesville would not allow the Eagles to get any closer, hitting the front end of a 1-and-1 situation on three straight possessions to thwart the late comeback attempt.
"The third quarter really hurt us tonight," Kitchel said. "We need to play all four quarters."
Chuzie led Youngsville with 10 points. Amber Fox added nine points and Lyon and Jessica Jameson both finished with eight markers.
The Eagles will look to get back on the winning track Thursday as they travel to cross-county rival Eisenhower (4-9, 1-5) for a key Region 3 matchup.
A questionable call on what appeared to be a 3-pointer from Kennedy Cratty gave Youngsville a heartbreaking 46-45 junior varsity loss in overtime. Cratty appeared to be behind the 3-point line, but the official signaled that it was only a 2-point field goal. Julie Jameson had a game-high 11 points and Karrissa Cratty added 10 points in the loss.
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Saegertown 42, Eisenhower 28
A 14-3 fourth quarter deficit ruined any chance of an Eisenhower victory Monday as the visiting Saegertown Panthers left Eisenhower High School with a 42-28 victory.
Few turnovers and some above average shooting helped keep the Knights in the game early. The Knights played a stout 2-3 zone on defense and were methodical in their approach on offense. Slowing the game down worked to the Knights' favor and the hosts trailed by just one point after a quarter.
Late in the first half, Eisenhower was clinging to a 15-14 lead when a Saegertown steal turned into a layup on the other end. While the bucket gave the Panthers just two points, it also provided a spark and a 16-15 lead at halftime.
The momentum from the late bucket carried into the third as Saegertown was hot from the field. Despite that, the Knights did just enough on the offensive end to keep things close and trailed 28-25 with eight minutes remaining in the game.
The fourth quarter was the difference.
Saegertown continued to shoot well while the young Knights began to run out of steam.
"In the fourth quarter, we seemed more tired than they were," said Ike coach Mike Logue. "The more tired we got, the more mistakes we made."
While the final score shows a 14-point loss, Logue's Knights were actually much closer than that. They trailed by just seven with 1:40 to play, but had to foul down the stretch and Saegertown converted on its free throws.
Kristen Williams paced the Knights with seven points in the loss. Brooke Stanton added six points and Holly Chapman and Alyssa Peterson had four points each.
Eisenhower (4-9, 1-5 Region 3) is back in action Wednesday when it visits Oil City.
The Knights won the junior varsity game in overtime, 35-31. Chapman led the Knights with a game-high 16 points.