Big Monday
West Shamokin's Talmadge passes two milestones; River Valley, Marion Center score victories
The West Shamokin Wolves were ready for the big game – two big ones, in fact.
West Shamokin welcomed Valley for a non-conference boys’ basketball game Monday afternoon. The teams agreed to move up tipoff time from its scheduled 7 p.m. start to after school so the game would end in time for everyone to catch the Steelers’ 8:15 p.m. kickoff against the Houston Texans in the NFL playoffs.
Coach Judd McCullough, asked by text message if the game time was changed to accommodate kickoff time, replied, “Yep! Go Steelers!”
McCullough’s Wolves took care of business even though the Steelers couldn’t.
Alex Talmadge surpassed 1,000 career points in style, scoring a career-high 33 points to lead West Shamokin to a 46-40 win, its sixth in eight games after an 0-6 start.
The standout senior guard surpassed the career high of 31 he set earlier this year.
Best known for sinking putts as one of the area’s top scholastic golfers and an IUP commit, Talmadge has a knack for sinking 3-point field goals, too. He buried six 3s to go with six 2s against Valley. He also reeled in eight rebounds and came up with five steals.
Talmadge became the seventh player in program history to surpass 1,000 points and joined last year’s teammate, Braydn Rodgers, as the first to do it in back-to-back seasons.
He scored 14 of his team’s points in the first quarter, which ended with the Wolves in front, 18-12, and turned in 11 of the Wolves’ 15 in the fourth when they rallied from down three at 34-31.
West Shamokin’s Anderson Fowler pulled in seven rebounds and three steals, and Cole Wingard raked in six boards. Aiden Oesterling handed out three assists.
Andrew Krizmanich made West Shamokin’s other 3. Krizmanich, Oesterling and Fowler combined for the Wolves’ other 13 points.
Valley outshot West Shamokin from 3-point range, 8-7, but no one outshot Talmadge. Dawson Wall made four 3s for a team-high 14 points.
The Vikings did not shoot a free throw. West Shamokin was 5-for-9.
West Shamokin plays host to Conemaugh Valley in a Heritage Conference game on Wednesday, and the coach noted, it is at the “normal time.”
The Wolves have climbed into contention in the Heritage West at 5-5 and are competing with Marion Center (5-5) and Homer-Center (4-4) in a race for second place. River Valley leads the division at 9-2.
Valley (2-12)
D.Wall 5 0-0 14, Danko 3 0-0 7, Johnson 0 0-0 0, J.Wall 2 0-0 4, Mehalick 1 0-0 3, Moore 3 0-0 7, Wilson 1 0-0 3, Taliani 1 0-0 2, Hawkins 0 0-0 0, Totals 16 0-0 40
West Shamokin (6-8)
Talmadge 12 3-4 33, Oesterling 2 1-1 5, A.Krizmanich 1 1-2 4, Wingard 0 0-2 0, Fowler 2 0-0 4, Cravener 0 0-0 0, N.Krizmanich 0 0-0 0, Scrips 0 0-0 0, Johns 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 5-9 46
Valley 12 12 10 6 — 40
West Shamokin 18 8 5 15 — 46
3-point field goals: Valley 8 (D.Wall 4, Danko, Mehalick, Moore, Wilson), West Shamokin 7 (Talmadge 6, A.Krizmanich).
RIVER VALLEY 59, CONEMAUGH VALLEY 55: River Valley, the Heritage Conference West leader, got a little bit of everything from everyone in the second half of a win over Conemaugh Valley, which is second in the East.
River Valley trailed 28-25 at halftime and outscored Conemaugh Valley 34-27 in the second half.
“It was one heck of a win against a CV team that was hungry for a win,” River Valley coach Rick Spallone said.
Six players scored during an 18-13 third quarter for the Panthers, and five scored in a 16-14 fourth.
Max Persichetti scored a team-high 18 points and hit a big 3 in the fourth quarter. Nick Mortimer scored seven of his 17 points in the third quarter, and Jake Pynos hit one of his three 3s in the fourth and finished with 12 points.
River Valley has won 8 of 10 games and three straight. The Panthers play at Portage on Wednesday.
“We are making strides with each win,” Spallone said. “I’m not sure we win with this style of game last year, so I’m very encouraged with our growth and maturity.”
Lance Masser, a 6-foot-5 junior, scored 18 points for Conemaugh Valley, which had its five-game winning streak snapped. Guards Julian Dietz and Jalen Henry scored 11 points apiece.
Conemaugh Valley remained in second place in the Heritage East when Conemaugh Township lost at Marion Center. Each team has three losses and trails unbeaten United. The Blue Jays play at West Shamokin on Wednesday.
Conemaugh Valley (11-3)
Dietz 5 0-0 11, Henry 4 1-2 11, Weimer 2 0-0 5, Korhut 3 1-2 7, Masser 8 3-4 19, Blair 0 0-0 0, Totals 22 5-8 53
River Valley (11-4)
Persichetti 8 0-0 18, McDowell 3 0-2 6, Mortimer 6 5-8 17, Reed 1 2-2 4, Pynos 4 1-2 12, Dinger 1 0-2 2, Reilly 0 0-0 0, Torres 0 0-0 0, Totals 23 8-16 59
Conemaugh Valley 15 13 13 14 — 55
River Valley 11 14 18 16 — 59
3-point field goals: Conemaugh Valley 4 (Henry 2, Dietz, Weimer), River Valley 5 (Pynos 3, Persichetti 2).
MARION CENTER 53, CONEMAUGH TOWNSHIP 51: Marion Center used a big second half to get past Conemaugh Township and hold off the Indians in a Heritage Conference interdivision game between second-place teams.
Marion Center scored only 15 points in the first half and trailed by eight points going into the second. The Stingers outscored Conemaugh Township by 10 points, 38-28, in the second half.
Tyler Pack, a junior guard, led the second-half charge, hitting all five of his 3-point field goals for 15 points. He drilled four in the third quarter when Marion Center cut the margin to six to stay within striking distance and sank another during the fourth-quarter comeback.
Hayden Fox also hit a 3 in the fourth, and Alex Brudnock scored all seven of his points in the final period. Fox finished with 14 points and Kamden Rozier scored 11.
Colin Dinyar paced Conemaugh Township with a game-high 19 points. Stephen Stango scored 12 and 6-foot-8 junior Erik McClemens had nine.
Marion Center snapped a three-game losing streak and remained in the race for second place in the West with Homer-Center at West Shamokin.
Conemaugh Township has lost 3 of 4 games after a 10-0 start, with the first two losses coming in succession against unbeaten United. The Indians play host to West Shamokin on Friday.
Conemaugh Township (11-3)
Dinyar 7 2-2 19, Lohr 2 0-0 6, Stango 4 2-2 12, Studer 2 1-2 5, McClemens 4 1-2 9, Brotz 0 0-0 0, Totals 19 6-10 51
Marion Center (8-6)
Fox 6 0-0 14, Brudnock 3 1-2 7, Mattis 0 0-0 0, Rozier 5 1-2 11, Pack 5 0-0 15, Bish 2 0-0 4, Sacco 1 0-2 2, Totals 22 2-6 53
Conemaugh Township 17 6 16 12 — 51
Marion Center 9 6 18 20 — 53
3-point field goals: Conemaugh Township 7 (Dinyar 3, Lohr 2, Stango 2). Marion Center: 7 (Pack 5, Fox 2).
UNITED 51, PUNXSUTAWNEY 42: United’s stingy defense did enough in the first half to cover for a struggling offense in the second against a two-win Punxsutawney team in a non-conference game.
The Lions led 30-15 at halftime and were outscored 27-21 in the second half.
Regardless, United won its 13th game without a loss.
United’s Carter Payne scored 13 of his game-high 17 points in the first half. Brody Burkett hit two of his three 3-pointers in the third quarter and finished with 11 points. Cole McGinnis converted two 3s in the first half and scored four points in the fourth quarter to finish with 10 points.
Beau Thomas scored 14 points and Evan Presloid made all three of Punxsutawney’s 3-pointers and had 12 points.
United plays a Heritage Conference game at Penns Manor on Wednesday.
United (13-0)
Duncan 0 0-0 0, James 0 0-0 0, Worthington 2 0-0 5, Darr 0 0-0 0, Burkett 4 0-0 11, McGinnis 3 2-2 10, Payne 7 2-7 17, Felix 4 0-0 8, Totals 20 4-9 51
Punxsutawney (2-10)
Thomas 7 0-0 14, Day 4 0-1 8, M.Hetrick 1 0-0 2, E.Presloid 4 1-2 12, Noerr 0 0-0 0, T.Hetrick 1 0-0 2, Burkett 0 0-0 0, Totals 19 1-3 42
United 14 16 13 8 — 51
Punxsutawney 4 11 15 12 — 42
3-point field goals: United 7 (Burkett 3, McGinnis 2, Worthington, Payne), Punxsutawney 3 (E.Presloid 3).
JV score: United 67-42.
NORTHERN CAMBRIA 64, PORTAGE 44: The Northern Cambria Colts are making a move from the outside in the Heritage Conference East race.
The Colts jumped Portage into fourth place by racing past the Mustangs in a division game.
Northern Cambria took a double-digit lead into halftime and outscored Portage by 10 in the second half.
Malik Fox poured in 24 points to lead the Colts. Danny Farrell chipped in 12, Harper Shutty turned in 10 and Luke Blickenderfer added nine.
Portage’s Tyson Burkett scored 11 points and Llehson Walker had nine.
Northern Cambria bounced back after a loss to Conemaugh Valley that snapped a five-game winning streak. The Colts play host to Purchase Line on Wednesday.
Portage has lost 5 of 6 after a 4-2 start. The Mustangs play host to River Valley on Wednesday.
Portage (5-7)
L.Walker 3 2-2 9, Burkett 5 0-0 11, Caldwell 0 0-0 0, Bobolsky 3 0-0 6, Kick 1 0-0 3, O.Slanoc 0 0-0 0, E.Slanoc 3 0-0 6, B.Walker 2 0-0 6, Regitz 0 1-2 1, Burgan 0 0-0 0, Michuk 0 0-0 0, Allison 0 1-2 1, Papcun 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 4-6 44
Northern Cambria (8-5)
Cavallo 3 0-0 6, Fox 9 2-2 24, Shutty 4 0-0 10, Blickenderfer 4 0-0 9 , Farrell 5 0-0 12, Bodeck 2 0-0 5, Buterbaugh 0 0-0 0, Arotin 0 0-0 0, Smarsh 0 0-0 0, Brawley 0 0-0 0, Totals 27 2-2 64
Portage 7 16 13 7 — 44
Northern Cambria 15 19 12 18 — 64
3-point goals: Portage 5 (B.Walker 2, L.Walker, Burkett, Kick), Northern Cambria 10 (Fox 4, Shutty 2, Ferrell 2, Blickenderfer, Bodeck).
TUESDAY’S GAMES
BOYS
Apollo-Ridge at South Park
Elizabeth Forward at Derry
Indiana at Plum
Ligonier Valley at Charleroi
Harmony at Purchase Line
GIRLS
Penns Manor at Cambria Heights
Conemaugh Township at West Shamokin
Homer-Center at Portage
Northern Cambria at Marion Center
Purchase Line at United
Indiana at Penn-Trafford
SWIMMING
Sometimes a coach makes your job easy, which is what Marion Center’s Frederick Adkins does after his team’s meets. Here is the Stingrays’ wrapup from Monday’s meet, reproduced almost verbatim from the coach’s submission.
STINGERS TURN IN STRONG EFFORT: Marion Center had an impressive night in the pool as the girls’ and boys’ teams posted numerous first-place finishes in a competitive meet against Cambria Heights.
The Marion Center girls battled to the final event before narrowly falling to Cambria Heights, 87-83.
Despite the close loss, the Stingrays turned in several standout performances. Rowen Wagner claimed first place in the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle. In the 200-yard individual medley, Jorjah Kessler and Eva Long finished first and second, and in the 100-yard butterfly, Kessler and Lilly Schultz finished first and second.
Marion Center also swept the 100 backstroke with Eva Long leading the way ahead of Reagan Storm and Carissa Adkins.
The Stingrays capped the meet with a strong showing in the 400-yard freestyle relay, finishing first and second. The winning relay team consisted of Kessler, Charleigh Swigart, Lindsey Reaugh and Wagner, while the second-place team featured Schultz, Maggie Vaglia, Adelyn Cook and Adkins.
On the boys’ side, the Stingrays earned a decisive 76–49 victory powered by depth across individual and relay events. The team of Gage Pennington, Jack Cooper, PJ Shellhammer and Jacob Weil opened the meet with a first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay.
Seth Boring had a standout performance, winning the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard butterfly. Carson Wells added multiple victories, taking first place in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke. Jack Cooper earned first place in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Relay success continued for Marion Center as Jacob Weil, Boring, Gage Pennington and Wells captured first place in the 200-yard freestyle.
The meet concluded with another relay win as Shellhammer, Cooper, Boring and Wells took first place in the 400-yard freestyle.
Marion Center visits Punxsutawney on Thursday.
HERITAGE CONFERENCE
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: The Heritage Conference recognizes these individuals who were selected by their school. Each school sets its own criteria for selection. #indicates conference champion *indicates state qualifier
Girls’ Cross Country
Cambria Heights: *Sierra Hoover and Megan Eckenrode
Homer-Center: Olivia Shimko
Marion Center: *Macie Miller, #Brooke Slade, Nora Pollock
Penns Manor: Aubrey Smicklo
Portage: *Josephine White
Purchase Line: Payton Wannett* Bristol Warren* Brenna Murdock
River Valley: Samantha Beuten
United: *Hope Fischer, *Aaliyah Long, *Jada Walls, *Sara Gornick, *Olivia Henning, *Payton Kolarik, *Katerina Dishong, Madison Henning
West Shamokin: Paige McCarthy
Boys’ Cross Country
Cambria Heights: Mason Kline
Homer-Center: Andrew Wirt
Marion Center: *Colton Blazavich, *Hayden Fox, *Adam Ryer, *Colin Sacco, *Eric Slovinsky, *Carson Wells, #*Seth Boring, Jacob Weil
Penns Manor: *Trevor Cameron, Jackson Hardesty
Portage: *Nolan Westover; Logan Gentile
Purchase Line: Jacob Kauffman
River Valley: *Skyler Lewber, Devin Peiffer
United: *Matt Beaver, *Luke Shepler, *Hayden Hill, *Kaz Stokes, *Keydun Tomalson, *Ben Gornick, *Syson Oleksa, Chris Brilhart
West Shamokin: Peyton Moore
Football
Cambria Heights: Jack Sherwood, Brayden DeArmitt, Colton Strong
Conemaugh Township: Brennan Lohr, DJ Bambino
Conemaugh Valley: Eric Korhut, Joey Toth
Homer-Center: Riley Cobaugh, Jackson Taylor
Marion Center: Camden Rising, Carter Knox, Austin McKendrick
Northern Cambria: Malik Fox, Zak Kirsch
Penns Manor: Dylan Depp, Justin Vojtek
Portage: Fence Rocker, Lucas Gathers
Purchase Line: Victor Bartlebaugh, Tyson Lear
River Valley: Hunter Adair, Brenden Brezinski, Brody Stuller
United: Dmitri Worthington, Nicholas Garver
West Shamokin: Ryan Booher, Conner Gervasoni
Boys’ Soccer
Cambria Heights: Carter Bradley, Steven Stevens
Conemaugh Township: Rocco Hagan, Gentry Sotosky
United: Carter Payne, Sean Beach
West Shamokin: Coleman Stockdale, Zack Atherton
Girls Soccer
Cambria Heights: Morgan Ross Brooklyn Galinis
Conemaugh Township: Andie Hunsberger, Mayce Kordell
Volleyball
Cambria Heights: Carly Sowers
Conemaugh Township: Sarah Swank, Madison Roman
Conemaugh Valley: Maddie McCleester
Homer-Center: Emma-Lee Rouser
Marion Center: Alivia Ruddock
Northern Cambria: Lainey Vasil
Penns Manor: Clara Henry
Portage: Calla Miko
Purchase Line: Isabella Cessna
River Valley: Bella Prenni
United: Lilly McGinnis
West Shamokin: Aleya Talmadge
Golf
Conemaugh Township: Ben Steinbeck, Hayden Miller
Conemaugh Valley: Lance Masser
Homer-Center: Brayden Rado
Northern Cambria: Zach Cavallo
Portage: Britton Myher
River Valley: *Maren Dunlap, *Madigan Dunlap, *Ashley Pynos, *Alessia Lamantia, Sara Bollinger
River Valley: *#Jake Pynos, Jeremy Reed
West Shamokin: *Alex Talmadge, Carson Carnahan
Marching Band
Cambria Heights: Anthony Swander, Sarah Huber
Conemaugh Valley: Olivia Brainard, Isabella Ream
Conemaugh Township: Daniel Turley, Alonna Bracken
Homer-Center: Rebekah Marshall, Abigail Harper
Marion Center: Sarah Moore, Mylene Buffone
Northern Cambria: Zoey Anderson, Giovanni Turano
Penns Manor: Katie Ferguson, Haylee Lemmon
Portage: Nathan Phillips, Esabela Flores
Purchase Line: Jacob Kauffman, Feria Newman
River Valley: Danica Marsh, Molly Condor
United: Mya Cook, Mackenzee Palko
West Shamokin: Kassidy Gleason, Brianna Reitz
Congratulations 🏀