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Statement win

Eagles put the clamps on Cochranton

Youngsville’s Gage Hendrickson (11) puts up the first of his four 3-pointers during the first quarter of a game against Cochranton at Youngsville High School, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. Hendrickson finished with a game-high 23 points to lead the Eagles to a 62-41, Region 3 win over the Cardinals.

A year ago, Youngsville had Cochranton on the brink of defeat at the Eagle’s Nest only to see the Cardinals stage a fourth quarter rally and escape with a win.

The Eagles were determined not to let that happen again when the two teams met at Youngsville Tuesday. After giving up 15 points in the first quarter, the Eagles clamped down and held the Cardinals to single digits in the remaining three quarters en route to a 62-41 win in the Region 3 opener.

“We were ready to go from the start,” Youngsville coach Jesse DeLoof said. “I could just feel it when I walked into the gym at 5 o’clock. We knew this was an opportunity tonight and we seized it.”

Cochranton (0-4 overall, 0-1 Region 3) started with a pair of 3-pointers from Franklin Morris and Jon Gallo to jump out to an 8-4 lead. Gage Hendrickson answered with a three of his own, then got a block and a rebound on the next defensive possession. He passed up to Timber Bower on the outlet and Bower’s layup gave Youngsville (3-2, 1-0) its first lead at 9-8. Gallo’s second 3-pointer of the quarter put Cochranton back on top, but Bower hit a jumper and Hendrickson knocked down a pair of free throws to give Youngsville a 13-11 advantage with 2:31 to play in the frame.

The Eagles wouldn’t trail again for the rest of the game.

Brady Olewine and the Youngsville Eagles take on Sheffield at the Sheffield Christmas Tournament on Friday.

Hendrickson continued his dominant start with a steal, then sent a lead pass to Brady Olewine who cruised in for an easy layup. With a minute to go, Hendrickson hit a mid-range jumper, then drained a 3-pointer with 37 seconds left to give Youngsville a 20-15 edge after the first eight minutes.

“We ask (Hendrickson) to do so much on both ends of the floor,” DeLoof said. “We’re an equal opportunity offense, so he passes and handles pressure (defense) too.”

Olewine and Joe Mack put in layups on back-to-back possessions to start the second, then Olewine connected on a corner three to put Youngsville up 27-15. Gallo answered right back with a three of his own and Jaiben Walker put in a layup to cut the deficit to 27-20. Owen Proctor connected on a jumper from the free throw line and Hendrickson went 2-2 from the line to push the lead back to 31-22. Hendrickson buried another 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in the half to make it 34-24 at the half.

“We’re much more confident in that situation (keeping a lead),” DeLoof said. “We’re confident because we put in the work, and you can’t fake that.”

Olewine and Mack gave the Eagles a 5-0 run to start the second half. The Cardinals cut the lead to 41-33 with 2:46 left in the third, but Hendrickson made a free thrown and Olewine hit a jumper to push the advantage back to 44-33. With 36 seconds left, Hendrickson hit his fourth 3-pointer of the night to make it 47-33 going into the fourth quarter.

“They cut it to eight at one point, but we’re just of the mindset that we’re going to go take it,” DeLoof said.

Bower hit a corner three on the first possession of the fourth quarter as the Eagles set the tone that there would not be a repeat of last year’s heroics for the Cardinals. Olewine’s layup a minute later made it 52-33 and the Eagles methodically pulled away from there.

“We played well,” DeLoof said. “Our defense is really progressing.”

Hendrickson finished with 23 points, 17 in the first half. Olewine added 20, while Mack had nine and Bower seven.

Gallo had 11 points for Cochranton. Walker had 10 points, while Morris and Alex Jackson each had eight.

The Eagles face a big early season test Thursday when they head to Cambridge Springs for a matchup with the preseason favorite to win the region.

——

Cochranton (41)

Gallo 4-0-0-11, Morris 3-0-0-8, Walker 5-0-1-10, Jackson 4-0-0-8, Grimes 1-0-0-2, Barzak 1-0-1-2, Wagner 0-0-0-0, Miller 0-0-0-0, Total 17-0-2-41

Youngsville (62)

Hendrickson 7-5-6-23, Olewine 9-0-0-20, Mack 4-1-1-9, Bower 3-0-0-7, Proctor 1-0-0-2, Peterson 0-1-2-1, Kesterholt 0-0-0-0, Total 24-7-9-62

By quarters

Cochranton 15 9 9 8 – 41

Youngsville 20 14 13 15 – 62

3-point FGs: Cochranton (5)-Gallo 3, Morris 2. Youngsville (7)-Hendrickson 4, Olewine 2, Bower.

——

JV: COCHRANTON 59, YOUNGSVILLE 42

Wyatt Barzak scored 12 of his 22 points in the first half and Cochranton held off a late Youngsville rally for a 59-42 junior varsity win.

Xavier Mowrey tried to will the Eagles back in it in the second half as he scored 12 of his team-high 17 points in the half. Koby Hendrickson added 10 points in the loss.

——

Cochranton (59)

Barzak 11-0-0-22, Grimes 4-1-4-9, Homa 2-3-5-8, Kenny 3-0-0-7, D. Miller 2-0-0-4, Walker 1-0-0-2, C. Miller 1-0-2-2, Maynard 1-0-0-2, Axton 1-1-2-3, Total 26-5-13-59

Youngsville (42)

Mowrey 7-3-7-17, Hendrickson 4-2-4-10, Myers 4-0-1-8, Mesel 2-0-0-4, Dell 1-1-2-3, Total 18-6-14-42

By quarters

Cochranton 14 17 19 9 – 59

Youngsville 5 12 11 14 – 42

3-point FGs: Cochranton (2)-Homa, Kenny. Youngsville-None.

– – - 

SAEGERTOWN 49,

EISENHOWER 39

SAEGERTOWN, Pa. – Despite a game-high 19 points from Jared Martone, Eisenhower fell on the road at Saegertown, 49-39 on Tuesday.

Drew Williams added 11 points for the Knights.

Saegertown, which used a 13-4 third quarter run to take control of the game, had a balance offense attack, led by Brady Greco (11 points) and Max Fuller (10 points).

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