Looking Good

West Shamokin attracts attention by jumping into Heritage West race

The West Shamokin Wolves didn’t get much attention when the Heritage Conference gathered for basketball media day last month.

The Wolves are getting noticed now.

West Shamokin knocked Homer-Center out of a tie for second place in the Heritage West, beating the Wildcats, 41-36, at the HomerDome on Thursday.

The Wolves stayed in second place at 4-1 and are tied with Marion Center following its loss to unbeaten Penns Manor last night. West Shamokin plays at Marion Center on Friday.

Trailing by one point after the opening period, West Shamokin outscored Homer-Center by 10 points in the middle quarters and then held off the Wildcats behind Aubrey Reefer in the final eight minutes.

Reefer, a 5-foot-6 sophomore, scored all 11 of West Shamokin’s points in the fourth quarter when the Wolves stifled Homer-Center’s comeback attempt. She scored two field goals and went 7-for-7 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter and finished with 16 points to go with a couple steals.

Evie Grantz, another 5-6 sophomore, scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds and produced seven steals. Sophomore Mia Scrips dished out five assists, and senior Madi Keirn had three assists to go with three steals.

The Wolves didn’t make a 3-point field goal but finished 13-for-16 at the free throw line. Reefer was 8-for-9 and Grantz was 4-for-4.

Defensively, West Shamokin held Homer-Center sophomore standout Julianna Fabin in check until the fourth quarter. Fabin scored all seven of her points on two 3-pointers and a free throw in the final period.

Taylor Rado helped pick up the slack with 15 points and Bekah Marshall added 10.

Homer-Center, which fell to 3-2 and is tied for fourth with River Valley, visits the Panthers on Friday.

West Shamokin (4-3)
Grantz 4 4-5 12, Keirn 0 0-0 0, Reefer 4 8-9 16, Scrips 2 0-0 4, Spencer 3 0-0 6, Orr 1 1-2 3, Elkin 0 0-0 0, Totals 14 13-16 41
Homer-Center (3-3)
Marshall 5 0-0 10, Bence 0 0-0 0, Fabin 2 1-2 7, Rado 4 7-8 15, Bartlebaugh 2 0-0 4, Yount 0 0-0 0, Brendlinger 0 0-0 0, Beer 0 0-0 0, Totals
West Shamokin 9 10 11 11 — 41
Homer-Center 10 5 6 15 — 36
3-point field goals: West Shamokin 0, Homer-Center 2 (Fabin 2).

RIVER VALLEY 43, PURCHASE LINE 38: River Valley prevailed over Purchase Line in a back-and-forth Heritage West game.

Purchase Line jumped on the Panthers in the first quarter and led 15-7.

River Valley got the jump in the second quarter and outscored the Red Dragons 19-6 for a 26-21 halftime lead.

The teams matched 10s in the third quarter and 7s in the fourth of a back-and-forth second half.

Maren Dunlap and Kenady Kitner each hit two 3-point fields goals and scored 10 points for River Valley. Maddie Twinchek added nine points, Kennedy Cole eight and Alessia Lamantia six.

Purchase Line’s Rylee Mahaffey scored a game-high 13 points to go with eight rebounds and four steals. Leah Nelson finished with 10 points. Rachel Johns and Hannah Johns combined for 13 points.

Rachel Johns led the rebounding with 11, and Alorra Phillips handed our four assists.

Both teams play Friday. River Valley plays host to Homer-Center, and Purchase Line visits Penns Manor.

River Valley (4-3)
Colinet 0 0-0 0, Torres 0 0-0 0, Dunlap 4 0-0 10, Twinchek 3 304 8, Lamantia 4 0-0 10, Kitner Cole 4 0-0 8, Totals 17 5-9 43
Purchase Line (3-3)
Phillips 0 0-0 0, Cessna 0 0-0 0, Nelson 4 1-2 10, Mahaffey 6 1-2 13, H.Johns 2 1-2 6, R.Johns 3 0-0 7, McCombs 1 0-0 2, Totals 16 3-6 38
River Valley 7 19 10 7 — 43
Purchase Line 15 6 10 7 — 38
3-point field goals: River Valley 4 (Dunlap 2, Kitner 2), Purchase Line 3 (Nelson, H.Johns, R.Johns)

PORTAGE 53, CONEMAUGH TOWNSHIP 28: Portage has had a hot start to the season and holds first place in the Heritage East.

The Mustangs were especially hot Tuesday night. Portage made 10 3-point field goals in the first half and rolled past Conemaugh Township in a Heritage East game.

Kendall Bednarski and Jada Irvin buried three 3s, Skyler Krestar made two and Mya Burda and Britton Myher made one each to account for 30 of the Mustangs’ 44 points in the first half.

Bednarski finished with a game-high 17 points. Irvin added nine and Krestar chipped in eight.

Mayce Kordell scored 11 points for Conemaugh Township.

At 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference, Portage is building a sizeable lead in the East. The Mustangs play host to Cambria Heights on Friday with a chance to create more space between the rest of the division.

Portage won the junior varsity game, 27-17, and Burda had 11 points.

Conemaugh Township plays host to Conemaugh Valley on Friday.

Portage (5-2)
C.Burkett 1 1-4 3, Myher 2 0-0 5, Bagby 1 0-0 2, Bednarski 5 4-4 17, B.Burkett 1 1-2 3, Irvin 3 0-0 9, Stancovich 1 0-0 2, Krestar 3 0-0 8, Burda 1 1-2 4, Smith 0 0-0 0, A.Burkett 0 0-0 0, Harsh 0 0-0 0, Noel 0 0-0 0, Myers 0 0-0 0, Sossong 0 0-0 0, Boast 0 0-0 0, Offman 0 0-0 0, Stager 0 0-0 0, Totals 18 7-12 53
Conemaugh Township (2-7)
McCann 1 0-0 2, M.Kordell 4 2-2 11, Black 2 0-0 4, Seibert 1 0-0 2, Moser 0 0-0 0, Hagen 1 0-0 2, Lasure 2 2-4 6, Hunsberger 0 0-0 0, L.Kordell 0 0-0 0, Riley 0 0-0 0, Bihun 0 0-0 0, Totals 11 5-8 28
Portage 22 20 7 4 — 53
Conemaugh Township 11 6 6 5 — 28
3-point field goals: Portage 10 (Bednarski 3, Irvin 3, Krestar 2, Burda, Myher), Conemaugh Township 1 (M.Kordell)
JV score: Portage 27-17.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ BASKETBALL
MARION CENTER 72, PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA 42: Marion Center won its third straight game, following two Heritage West wins with a non-conference victory at Philipsburg-Osceola.

Kamden Rozier poured in 21 points and Alec Brudnock fired in 20 to lead Marion Center. Hayden Fox added 10 points.

Marion Center clicked on offense in the first three quarters, building a 26-point lead, 61-35, going into the fourth.

Marion Center returns to Heritage West play on Thursday at Penns Manor.

Marion Center (5-3)
Fox 5 0-0 11, Brudnock 7 4-6 20, Mattis 2 0-0 4, Rozier 8 3-3 21, Pack 2 1-2 6, Bish 2 0-0 4, Sharer 0 0-0 0, Ryer 0 0-0 0, Roach 1 2-4 4, Pruner 0 0-0 0, Sacco 1 0-6 2, Totals 28 10-19 72
Philipsburg-Osceola (2-4)
Meyers 1 0-0 3, Klinger 1 2-2 5, DeSimone 7 5-9 21, McClenahan 1 0-0 2, Kendziora 2 0-0 4, Mason 0 0-2 0, Courturay 0 1-2 1, Beish 3 0-0 6, Totals 15 8-15 42
Marion Center 20 19 22 11 — 72
Philipsburg-Osceola 14 7 14 7 — 42
3-point field goals: Marion Center 6 (Brudnock 2, Rozier 2, Pack, Fox), Philipsburg-Osceola 4 (DeSimone 2, Meyers, Klinger).

APOLLO-RIDGE 59, ST. JOSEPH 25: Apollo-Ridge sank nine 3-point field goals and cruised past St. Joseph for its third straight win in a WPIAL non-section game.

Five Vikings hit 3s. Alex Clawson made three and finished with 11 points, and Brayden Myers made two and scored 10 points. Logen Schrock also buried two for six points, and Nathan Fryer and Breydon Orvosh each converted one.

Apollo-Ridge plays host to Steel Valley on Friday in its WPIAL Class 3A Section 3 opener.

Apollo-Ridge (5-2)
Clawson 3 2-2 11, Snyder 0 0-0 0, Fryer 2 0-0 5, B.Myers 4 0-0 10, A.Myers 3 0-0 6, Schrock 2 0-0 6, Mull 0 0- 00, Master 0 0- 00, Harper 0 0-0 0, Orvosh 2 2-2 7, Grguric 3 0-0 6, Beatty 3 0-1 6, Stewart 0 0-0 0, Orkwis 0 0-0 0, Deyarmin 1 0-0 2, Totals 23 4-5 59
St. Joseph (2-5)
Tometsko 5 1-2 11, Marino 0 0-1 0, Lecker 1 0-0 2, Jeggetts 2 1-2 5, Zampogna 2 0-0 4, Totals 11 3-6 25
Apollo-Ridge 12 21 18 8 — 59
St. Joseph 10 3 6 6 — 25
3-point field goals: Apollo-Ridge 9 (Clawson 3, Myers 2, Schrock 2, Fryer, Orvosh), St. Joseph 0.

HERITAGE CONFERENCE STANDINGS
BOYS
EAST
Conemaugh Township 5-0
United 4-0
Conemaugh Valley 4-1
Portage 3-1
Northern Cambria 1-4
Cambria Heights 1-4
WEST
River Valley 4-1
Marion Center 3-2
Homer-Center 1-3
Penns Manor 1-3
Purchase Line 0-4
West Shamokin 0-4
GIRLS
EAST
Portage 4-1
Cambria Heights 4-3
United 2-3
Conemaugh Township 1-5
Conemaugh Valley 0-5
Northern Cambria 0-6
WEST
Penns Manor 5-0
Marion Center 4-1
West Shamokin 4-1
Homer-Center 3-2
River Valley 4-2
Purchase Line 2-3

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
BOYS
Northern Cambria at Cambria Heights
Conemaugh Township at Portage
Conemaugh Valley at United
Homer-Center at West Shamokin
Marion Center at Penns Manor
Purchase Line at River Valley
Derry at Belle Vernon
GIRLS
Portage at Conemaugh Township
Winchester Thurston at Apollo-Ridge
Derry at Burrell
Ligonier Valley at Steel Valley

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
MARION CENTER 35, RIVER VALLEY 31: Marion Center went to the final bout to pull out a victory over River Valley in a matchup of Heritage Conference teams.

Colten Blazavich scored a technical fall at 121 pounds to lift Marion Center. The match began with the bout at 127 pounds.

River Valley’s Brady Koffman scored a pin at 189 and Zeke Doak followed suit at 215 to put their team in the lead at 26-22.

Marion Center’s Carter Knox followed with a decision in the heavyweight match to pull the Stingers within one at 26-25, but River Valley’s Levi Anthony scored a technical fall at 107 to put the Panthers up six.

Chris Ruffner’s decision at 114 brought the Stingers within three at 31-28 before Blazavich provided the finishing touch.

Marion Center’s other winners were Tyler Phillips by major decision at 145 and Michael Fabbri by fall at 152.

River Valley’s other winners were Landon Bacik by technical fall at 133, Oskar Olsen by pin at 160 at Tanner Flick by decision at 172.

Marion Center competes in the Redbank Valley Duals on Saturday, and River Valley participates in the Panther Holiday Classic at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson on Friday and Saturday.

107: Levi Anthony (RV) tech. fall Ryder Blews, 17-1
114: Chris Ruffner (MC) dec. Nico Tomasiello, 18-10
121: Colten Blazavich (MC) tech. fall Kyra Watt
127: Landon Spencer (MC) forfeit
133: Landon Bacik (RV) tech. fall Noah Hipple, 18-3
139: Griffin Tinsman (MC) forfeit
145: Tyler Phillips (MC) maj. dec. Wyatt Taubler, 15-3
152: Michael Fabbri (MC) pinned Nate Daugherty, 3:24
160: Oskar Olsen (RV) pinned Seth Jewart, 1:12
172: Tanner Flick (RV) dec. Noah Filipovich, 3-2
189: Brady Koffman (RV) pinned Anthony Evans, 1:10
215: Zeke Doak (RV) pinned Camden Anderson, 0:26
285: Carter Knox (MC) dec. Michael Wano, 15-9

WEST SHAMOKIN 39, UNITED 21: United won four of the six contested weight classes but gave away five forfeits in a loss to West Shamokin at home on Wednesday.

United’s Josef Garshnick pinned EJ Powers in the first period at 145 pounds and improved to 10-0 on the season. His was the only match in the first eight weight classes.

Max McConville, a senior at 215, wrestled and won his third match of the season, pinning Elijah Harkleroad in the first period.

West Shamokin sophomore Tucker Walker scored a 9-2 decision over Jacob McConville at 189, and senior Rocco Buffone pinned Michael Volk in the first period of the heavyweight match.

West Shamokin competes at the Bo Wood Tournament at Indiana on Saturday.

United wrestles in the Southmoreland Holiday Classic on Dec. 29-30.

107: Matthew Shaffer (WS) forfeit
114: Double forfeit
121: Double forfeit
127: Kolton McKain (WS) forfeit
133: Stephens Wyatt (WS) forfeit
139: Bearin Powers (WS) forfeit
145: Josef Garshnick (U) pinned EJ Powers, 0:18
152: Kash Julius (WS) forfeit
160: Connor Riffer (U) pinned Ryan Booher, 0:51
172: Aiden Overly (U) dec. Judah Harkleroad, 13-7
189: Tucker Walker (WS) dec. Jacob McConville, 9-2
215: Max McConville (U) pinned Elijah Harkleroad, 0:32
285: Rocco Buffone (WS) pinned Michael Volk, 0:38