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Eagles push Region 3 leader Cochranton to the brink

Youngsville’s Brady Olewine (43) goes up for a shot over Cochranton’s Tanner Fox (22) during the first half of their game at Youngsville High School, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. The Cardinals cameback in the fourth quarter to defeat the Eagles, 61-47.

For 26 minutes Tuesday, Youngsville gave Region 3 leader Cochranton all it could handle and then some.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, games last 32 minutes and those final six minutes belonged to the Cardinals as they came away with a 61-47 win over their hosts.

“We can’t play for just 26 minutes,” Youngsville coach Jesse DeLoof said.

The Eagles led 42-37 heading into the fourth quarter, but a 9-1 Cardinals run to start the frame gave them a 46-43 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Youngsville was unable to connect from the field and was forced to foul. Cochranton went 4-6 from the line to close out the win.

“If we were up double digits, we could play at a different pace,” DeLoof said. “We need to extend leads when we can and make them come out and play us.”

Youngsville’s Gage Hendrickson (11) puts a shot up over the outstretched arm of Cochranton’s Jon Gallo (1) during the first half of their game at Youngsville High School, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2019. Hendrickson had a team-high 21 points, but the Cardinals came back to beat the Eagles, 61-47.

Youngsville (7-8 overall, 2-5 Region 3) came out in a soft press defense that seemed to throw Cochranton (12-4, 7-0) out of synch offensively. In addition, the Eagles keyed on the Cardinals leading scorer, Kohl Bernarding (20.25 ppg) and held him to just four points in the first quarter.

Offensively, the Eagles connected on most of their shots as they were able to get inside position and take high percentage shots.

“We moved the ball well,” DeLoof said.

Youngsville took a 14-11 lead with just under two minutes to go in the quarter, and took an 18-13 lead into the second.

Bernarding hit his first 3-pointer of the game 1:10 into the second to cut the lead to 19-16. A Cale Miller dunk just over a minute later put the Cardinals back on top, 20-19, as they went on a 7-1 run to start the period. The teams went back-and-forth for the remainder of the half. Another Bernarding 3 put the Cardinals up late and they took a 27-26 lead into the locker room.

Youngsville’s Ethan Kesterholt (2) lifts the ball out of the reach of Cochranton’s Kohl Bernarding (5) during the first half of their game at Youngsville High School, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. Bernarding had a game-high 26 points to lead the Cardinals to a 61-47 win over the Eagles.

Ethan Kesterholt hit a jumper to get Youngsville on the board early in the third, but Bernarding came right back and buried a corner-3 to put Cochranton up 30-28. Gage Hendrickson began asserting himself on the next possession. He drove the lane and put in a layup to start an 8-0 run for the Eagles. Hendrickson owned the third quarter. He outmuscled Cochranton’s big men for rebounds on both ends of the floor, blocked shots defensively and was a force offensively (he scored eight of his 21 points in the quarter).

“Gage is really starting to play up to his ability,” DeLoof said.

Bernarding kept the Cardinals in it, however, as he drilled another corner-3 with 45 seconds left to close the gap to 40-37. Youngsville got a bucket, then a stop defensively with just seconds to go. Joe Mack shot the ball ahead to Brady Olewine with time winding down and Olewine got to the basket just before the buzzer. The ball rolled off the edge of the rim and out, giving Youngsville the 42-37 advantage.

“I hope they see our potential and that we can play with anybody,” DeLoof said. “We can see it, we can see the progression. We just have to stay the course.”

Bernarding had a game-high 26 points and Miller added 13 in the win.

Hendrickson had 21 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Eagles. Mack added 11 points.

Youngsville travels to Cambridge Springs Friday.

– – –

Cochranton (61)

Bernarding 8-4-5-26, Miller 6-1-1-13, McKay 4-0-1-9, Jackson 1-2-2-4, West 2-0-0-4, Gallo 1-0-0-3, Freyermuth 1-0-0-2, Team 23-7-9-61

Youngsville (47)

Hendrickson 7-7-8-21, Mack 4-3-3-11, Olewin 2-3-4-7, Kesterholt 2-0-0-4, Mercado 1-1-3-3, Peterson 0-1-2-1, Dell 0-0-0-0, Team 16-15-20-47

By quarters

Cochranton 13 14 10 24 – 61

Youngsville 18 8 16 5 – 47

3-point FGs: Cochranton (5)-Bernarding 3, McKay, Gallo. Youngsville-None.

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