HYDE, Pa. (D9Sports) – Using a strong defensive effort, top-seeded and defending champion Elk County Catholic held fifth-seeded A-C Valley to six points in the second half and cruised to 46-16 victory in the District 9 Class 1A boys’ semifinals at Clearfield High School Wednesday night.
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Will Uberti played a huge part in the Crusaders defense, as he was tasked with covering A-C Valley’s leading scorer Levi Orton (23.1 PPG). Orton managed three points in the game with only one field goal and a free-throw.
“We planned our whole game plan around him defensively,” Uberti said on covering Orton. “I was told to front him and we’d had help behind so my teammates did a great job of helping behind on him.”
Relisten to the game:
“Levi is an outstanding player,” ECC head coach Aaron Straub said. “We did a really nice job defensively on him. I thought Will Uberti and Isaac Wortman both did a really great job on covering him.”
Offensively, Regis Wortman led the way for the Crusaders with 15 points including a 3-pointer.
“Regis is a really important player for us,” Straub said. “He’s one of the best players in the district. He does so many things that go unnoticed. He runs the floor well and really an unsung type of guy.”
ECC and A-C Valley exchanged scoring chances early in the first quarter before the Crusaders ended the first on a 9-0 run to break the 4-4 tie.
Eddie Stravenus scored four of his six points in the first half for the Falcons, but it wasn’t enough as the Crusaders outscored them, 12-6, thanks to five points from Wortman and two apiece from Leo Gregory, Carter Lindemuth and Mark Kraus.
A 25-10 halftime lead turned into a 35-12 lead at the end of three as the Crusaders defense allowed only one field goal from Broc Weigle.
Orton was able to salvage a free-throw in the fourth quarter for the Falcons but the Crusaders responded with an 11-0 run behind five points from Charlie Breindel.
Weigle hit a three-pointer with a minute left to close out the scoring for the Falcons.
Kraus finished the game seven points, including a 3-pointer for the Crusaders while Gregory, Isaac Wortman and Linemuth each netted four apiece.
“We’ve preached team all year,” Uberti said. “All of our players can come in and play and that’s really how we wear down each team.”
ECC will face sixth-seeded Cameron County (who defeated third-seeded Clarion-Limestone, 47-46 in the Class 1A semifinals) in the District 9 Class 1A Championship game.
“It feels great,” Uberti said. “We’ll have a great opportunity to get the job done.”
CAMERON COUNTY 47, CLARION-LIMESTONE 46
Score by Quarter
Cameron County 9 9 16 13 – 47
Clarion-Limestone 14 9 14 9 – 46
Cameron County – 47
D. Brown 2 4-6 20, Guisto 0 0-0 0, Swartz 0 0-0 3, Beldin 2 3-6 10, Good 0 0-0 0, H. Brown 6 2-2 14. Totals 10 9-14 47.
Clarion-Limestone – 46
Deas 3 0-0 15, Knepp 1 1-2 13, Hesdon 3 0-0 6, Goheen 1 0-0 2, Callen 6 4-4 16, Park 0 0-0 0, Rankin 1 0-0 2, Huwar 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 5-6 46.
Three-pointers:Cameron County 6 (D. Brown 4, Swartz 1, Beldin 1), Clarion-Limestone 3 (Deas 3).
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 46, A-C VALLEY 16
Score by Quarters
ECC 13 12 10 11 – 46
A-C Valley 4 6 2 4 – 16
ECC – 46
I. Wortman 2 0-0 4, Wolfe 0 0-0 0, Lindemuth 2 0-0 4, DePrator 0 0-0 0, Jansen 1 0-0 2, Hoffman 0 2-2 2, R. Wortman 6 0-0 15, McAllister 1 1-2 3, Gregory 1 2-2 4, Kraus 2 0-0 7, Incrominias 0 0-0 0, Breindel 1 0-0 5. Totals 16 5-6 46.
A-C Valley – 16
Orton 1 1-2 3, Stevanus 3 0-2 6, Penny 0 0-0 0, Weigle 1 0-0 5, Dehart 0 0-0 0, Merwin 0 0-0 0, Carr 1 0-0 2. Totals 6 1-4 16.
Three-pointers: ECC 3 (R. Wortman 1, Kraus 1, Breindel 1), A-C Valley 1 (Weigle 1)
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