Speed Week

Things are heating up for Heritage Conference teams, Indiana and IUP

Conemaugh Valley can look at it either way.

The Blue Jays either got a slow start against Northern Cambria, or they got a head start on what’s coming up this week in the Heritage Conference East.

Northern Cambria pushed Conemaugh Valley to the limit through three quarters and held a one-point edge, but the Bluejays outscored the Colts 24-10 in the fourth quarter of a 63-50 victory Monday night and improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference.

Conemaugh Valley followed a slow start with a fast finish and set up its next two games against unbeaten East teams: at Conemaugh Township (8-0, 4-0) on Tuesday and at United (4-0, 3-0) on Thursday. Northern Cambria gets a shot at another upset in a home game against United on Tuesday.

The Conemaugh Valley matchup at Northern Cambria was one of only a few games that survived the weekend snowstorm and bitter cold that followed and canceled school in most of Indiana County on Monday.

But things are going to heat up as soon as Tuesday evening with the big matchup in the East and several important games on the boys’ and girls’ side.

In the West, River Valley (3-1) is playing with the early lead. The Panthers play at Homer-Center (1-2) on Tuesday and play host to Purchase Line (0-3) on Thursday.

On the girls’ side, there are a handful of games in the Heritage West that could lead to one or two teams breaking away from the pack. Or parity could reign.

On Wednesday, the focus is on Marion Center (4-0) at Penns Manor (4-0), but West Shamokin (3-1) at Homer-Center (3-1) is a big one, too, and so is River Valley (3-2) at Purchase Line (2-2).

On Friday, Homer-Center visits River Valley, and Marion Center travels to West Shamokin.

In the WPIAL, Indiana is looking to keep its early season runs going. The Indians play a doubleheader at Kiski Area on Tuesday, with the girls tipping off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the boys at 7.

The Indiana boys have won four straight games after an 0-2 start, and the girls are 6-0. Both are coming off home wins in their Class 5A section openers. The Kiski Area girls are 4-1 and the boys are 1-3.

IUP, meanwhile, provides a Tuesday afternoon fix with two games at the KCAC. The Crimson Hawks welcome Mansfield for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference doubleheader. The women tip of at 3 p.m. followed by the men at 5.

The IUP women are 6-0 and ranked 11th in the country after entering the season as a team to watch. Mansfield is 2-6.

The IUP men are 5-1 with three straight wins. Mansfield is 1-6.

IUP continues conference play over the weekend, visiting Bloomsburg on Saturday and East Stroudsburg on Sunday in the final games before the holiday break.

In between, the women play the second of four games in six days when D’Youville visits on Thursday.

MONDAY’S GAMES
CONEMAUGH VALLEY 63, NORTHERN CAMBRIA 50: Upset-minded Northern Cambria couldn’t hang with Conemaugh Valley in the fourth quarter of a Heritage Conference East game.

Northern Cambria led the unbeaten Bluejays 14-9 after the first quarter, trailed 24-23 at halftime and took a 40-39 lead in the final period.

Conemaugh Valley found its stride in the fourth quarter and outscored the Colts 24-10.

Lance Masser, a 6-foot-5 junior, did major damage with 27 points. Jaylen Henry, a senior guard, added 13.

Northern Cambria’s Malik Fox countered with 24 points, but no other Colts reached double figures.

The Colts outshot Conemaugh Valley 8-6 on 3-point field goals attempts. The Blue Jays converted 11 of 14 at the free throw line, and Northern Cambria made 6 of 10.

Conemaugh Valley (6-0)
Henry 4 2-3 13, Dietz 3 2-2 9, Palmer 2 0-0 4, Masser 10 7-7 27, Kochut 1 0-2 2, Welmer 3 0-0 8, Totals 23 11-14 63
Northern Cambria (2-3)
Cavallo 2 0-0 6, Fox 8 5-8 24, Blickenderfer 3 0-0 7, Farrell 2 1-2 6, Bodek 0 0-0 0, Buterbaugh 0 0-0 0, Shutty 2 2-2 7, Totals 17 6-10 50
Conemaugh Valley 9 15 15 24 — 63
Northern Cambria 14 9 17 10 — 50
3-point field goals: Conemaugh Valley 6 (Henry 3, Welmer 2, Dietz). Northern Cambria 8 (Fox 4, Cavallo 2, Shutty, Farrell).

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
JOHNSTOWN 55, RIVER VALLEY 38: Senior center NaLonai Tisinger poured in 31 points to carry Johnstown past River Valley for its fourth win without a loss in a non-conference game.

Johnstown led 19-8 after the first quarter and 37-16 at halftime. River Valley pulled within 13 while holding Johnstown to two points in third quarter but couldn’t complete the comeback in the fourth.

Kenady Kitner led River Valley with 13 points and Kennedy Cole chipped in 11.

River Valley plays at Purchase Line on Wednesday.

River Valley (3-3)
Collinet 0 0-0 0, Torres 0 1-2 1, Dunlap 0 1-2 1, Lamantia 2 0-0 5, Twinchek 3 1-2 7, Kitner 5 1-2 13, Cole 4 4-6 11, Totals 14 7-14 38
Johnstown (4-0)
Zayona Thomas 2 0-2 5, Tisinger 15 1-2 31, Reed 1 2-2 4, White 1 0-0 2, Hardison 1 3-4 5, Jeffers 2 0-0 4, Cupner 1 0-0 3, Rozier 0 1-2 1, Totals 23 7-12 55
River Valley 8 8 10 12 — 39
Johnstown 19 18 2 16 — 55
3-point field goals: River Valley 3 (Kitner 2, Lamantia), Johnstown 2 (Thomas, Cupner).

PORTAGE 71, NORTHERN CAMBRIA 7: Kendall Bednarski scored 23 points and 14 other Portage players scored in a romp over Northern Cambria in a Heritage Conference East game.

Alyssa Yahner and Abi Dumm scored Northern Cambria’s points.

Portage led 23-0 after the first quarter and shut out the Colts again in the third.

Northern Cambria plays host to Cambria Heights on Wednesday. Portage plays at Conemaugh Township on Thursday.

Northern Cambria (0-5)
Yahner 1 0-0 3, Farabaugh 0 0-0 0, Venesky 0 0-0 0, Dumm 2 0-0 4, Bradford 0 0-0 0, Baker 0 0-0 0, Totals 3 0-0 7
Portage (4-2)
C.Burkett 0 2-2 2, Myher 4 0-0 8, Bagby 1 0-0 2, Bednarski 10 2-4 23, B.Burkett 2 0-0 4, Irvin 1 0-0 2, Stancovich 1 0-0 2, Krestar 2 0-0 5, Burda 1 4-5 7, Smith 1 0-0 2, A.Burkett 1 0-0 2, Harsh 1 2-2 4, Noel 1 0-0 3, Myers 1 0-0 2, Sossong 2 0-2 4, Boast 0 0-0 0, Offman 0 0-0 0, Stager 0 0-0 0, Totals 29 10-15 71
Northern Cambria 0 3 0 4 — 7
Portage 23 16 17 15 — 71
3-point field goals: Northern Cambria 1 (Yahner), Portage 3 (Bednarski, Krestar, Noel).

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

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING: Three Indiana wrestlers compiled 3-0 records at the Hampton Dawg Duals at Hampton High School on Saturday.

Indiana’s Dominic Fanella, Jackson Higgins and Nate Turner each went 3-0.

Fanella, a senior at 172 pounds, scored three pins, beating Owen Sarsfield of Latrobe, Max Rings of Mars and Shane Turner of Thomas Jefferson.

Higgins, a junior at 215, also secured three pins, beating Nico Dominick of Latrobe, Phoenix Ross of Mars and Bryce Little of Thomas Jefferson.

Turner, a freshman, won two major decisions and one decision in two weight classes. He scored a 15-2 major decision over Logan Peagler of Latrobe at 139, a 14-4 major decision over Dominic Costa of Thomas Jefferson at 139 and 4-2 decision over Samuel Passarelli of Mars at 145.

Indiana’s other winners vs. Latrobe were freshman Lewis Sears by pin at 114 and junior Sean Parks by technical fall at 133. Sears also scored a pin against Thomas Jefferson.

Indiana’s other winners vs. Mars were junior Rowan Grantz by pin at 152, senior Jacob Snyder by pin at 189 and freshman Bowen Blystone by technical fall at 127.

Indiana lost to Latrobe, 46-27, and Thomas Jefferson, 48-22, and topped Mars, 38-35. Latrobe and Thomas Jefferson each finished 4-1 and Mars finished 2-3.

Indiana’s home opener is Wednesday against Hampton.

JUNIOR HIGH WRESTLING: Seven Derry wrestlers topped their weight class at the United junior high tournament on Saturday.

Following are the results from the finals:
80 — Charlie Krug (Cambria Heights) pinned Ethyn Claar (Conemaugh Township, 3:54
87 — Hayden Horwat (Derry) pinned Caleb Johnston (Derry), 4:02
94 — Owen Swindell (Claysburg-Kimmel) pinned Mason Perla (Derry), 1:58
101 — Jaxon Anthony (River Valley) maj. dec. Coriana Wightman (Derry), 14-6
108 — Carter Reott (Derry) dec. Reed Ballash (Derry), 13-6
115 — Slade Horwat (Derry) pinned Maurer (Conemaugh Township), 0:44
122 — Maxton Mazzoni (Derry) pinned Hines Kromel (Derry), 0:07
130 — Wade Huss (Derry) tech. fall Brodie Burket (Claysburg-Kimmel), 1:54
138 — Easton Berg (Conemaugh Township) pinned Owen Thomas (Cambria Heights), 0:47
145 — Cael Brown (Derry) tech. fall Noah Beacom (United), 2:29
155 — Erich Steffens (Ligonier Valley) dec. Rowan Woods (Indiana), 3-2
170 — Roman Eckenrode (Cambria Heights) dec. Kingston Oakes (Meyersdale), 8-7
190 — Travis Tucholski (Derry) dec. Colt Ward (United), 6-5
210 — Josh Reagan (Richland) pinned Wyatt Barr (Cambria Heights), 2:04
250 — Carter Augustine (Indiana) pinned Fred Buck (Cambria Heights), 0:36