Sportsmanship 1 All-Star Games Held Saturday (03/30/14)

Some of the top senior basketball players from around District Nine had one last opportunity to showcase their skills, on Saturday, March 29th, at the 14th Annual Sportsmanship 1 Western Pennsylvania High School All-Star Basketball Games, at the Clarion Area High School Gymnasium. The proceeds from the event go to the Clarion County YMCA and Camp Coffman.

Girls Black Squad

Forty-plus players and coaches representing the Keystone Athletic Conference, Allegheny Mountain League, District-9 League, Northern Tier League and Mountain League took part in the event, attended by a crowd of several hundred.

The Girls Black Squad downed the White Squad 83-58, in the opener in which they led wire-to-wire. The Boys Blue Squad defeated the Red Squad 101-98 in the nightcap. The Boys Game came down to the wire as Keystone’s Adam Lencer, who had 17 points, hit a bucket to put the Blue Team up by one 99-98, as the clock was winding down and then a closing basket by Johnsonburg’s Calvin Grumley pushed the Blue over the Century mark.

The Girls Black Squad’s Emily Merryman, from Cranberry led all girls’ scorers, with 19 points and Taylor Newcome, from Punxsutawney led the White Squad with nine points. Karns City’s Tyler Kepple, playing for the Boys Red Squad, led all scorers, with 25 points. Grumley led the Blue Squad with nineteen.

Boys Blue Squad

All four players from Clarion Area contributed in the scoring. Kyla Miles scored 12 points and Grace Kroh had 4, for the Girls Black Squad. Antonio Troese had 14 points for the Boys Red Squad and Ellis Painter had 6 for the Blue Squad.

In fact it was a pretty good night for the KSAC as a whole. In addition to Merryman, Kepple, Lencer and the Clarion players mentioned above, the following KSAC players contributed in the scoring:  (Girls Black Squad) Lindsay Homan, Venango Catholic – 13 points; Lily Port, Clarion-Limestone – 7 points; Jenny Reed, North Clarion 5 points; (Girls White Squad) Abby Mellott, Clarion-Limestone – 8 points; Alissa Burns Clarion-Limestone – 6 points; (Boys Red Squad) Logan McFarland, West Forest – 10 points; Charles Rini, East Forest – 8 points; and Jeff Eaton, A-C Valley – 2 points.

Girls White Squad

In addition to the basketball games, a 32-shooting contest was held. The Boys Champion was Keagan Goodliff, of Oswayo Valley and Tyler Young, from Punxsutawney, was the runner-up. Ali Rinfrette, of Bradford, was the Girls, Champion and St. Marys’ Kiana Ho’ohuli was the runner-up.

Grumley was named Boys’ MVP and Merryman received the nod for the Girls. Receiving this year’s Sportsmanship Awards were: for the Boys, Kepple and for the Girls, Rinfretti.

Keystone Boys’ Coach Greg Heath, who who just finished his 30th year at season at the helm, was presented with the 2014 Western Pennsylvania Sportsperson of the Year Award.

Coaches for this year’s teams were: Girls Black Squad – Bob Hannon and assistant John Hannon from Bradford; Girls White Squad – Dave Kerschbaumer and assistant, Mike Hegedus from Karns City; Boys Blue Squad – Joe Ferguson and assistant Scott Fox from Clarion-Limestone; Boys white Squad – Jon Songer and assistant Mark Guido from Cameron County.

Boys Red Squad

Sports Media from around District Nine that worked to make this night a success were: Chris Rossetti from D9Sports.com, Rich Rhoades from the Jeffersonian Democrat, Leader-Vindicator and D9Sports.com, Andy Close from the Bradford Era and D9Sports.com and Justin Skiba from C-93.

Others who were also key to the success were: Clarion Athletic Director Larry Wiser, Clarion County YMCA Director Jesse Kelley and Greg Painter, as well as, other volunteers.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THIS YEAR’S PARTICIPANTS!!!!