Junior High Boys Basketball Teams Post Three Recent Sweeps (03/01/16)
The Clarion Area Junior High Basketball Teams posted sweeps over North Clarion and Forest Area last week and over Karns City yesterday (Monday, February 29th) B-Team Coach Jason Craig shares the following summaries of the games.
CLARION VERSUS NORTH CLARION
The Jr. High Boys basketball teams traveled to North Clarion on Thursday, (February 25th) to take on the Wolves.
The A-Team got off to a slow start as each team struggled to put the ball in the hoop. Clay McElravy made two free throws for Clarion as they lost the quarter 4 – 2. Nick Frederick got the hot hand in the second with 7 points, including a 3-pointer. Nate Datko went 4 for 4 from the line in the quarter and Skylar Rhoades added a basket. The Bobcats won the quarter 12 – 6 and would lead 14 – 10 at the half.
The Wolves would battle back in the third and win the quarter 10 – 7. Gavin Brinkley, McElravy, and Frederick each had baskets for the Bobcats while Rhoades added a free throw. Clarion held a slim 21 – 20 lead with one quarter to play.
The 4th quarter saw several lead changes, and in the end the Wolves would come away with a 2-point win. Josh Craig had 3 points in the quarter, Rhoades added 2 and Frederick 1. However, the Wolves would outscore Clarion 9 – 6 to win the game 29 – 27.
Clarion scorers: Frederick (9), Rhoades (5), McElravy and Datko (4), Craig (3) and Brinkley (2)
North Clarion scorers: Hargenrader (10), Higgins (9), Walters and Gatesman (4), Guth (2)
The B-Team started much like the A-Team did….struggling to score. We missed a lot of shots in the first quarter, but did not get discouraged. We were getting good shots, they just weren’t going in. Ben Murtha was able to score 4 for Clarion and Tyler Schmader added 3 as the Bobcats lead 7 – 6 after one period.
The ball started going in during the second quarter as the Bobcats erupted for 16 points while only surrendering 2. Schmader dropped 8 points while Hunter Craddock and Lucas Baker added 2 each. Beau Verdill made a free throw and the run was capped off with an Ethan Burford shot from beyond the arc. Clarion would head to the half with a 23 – 8 lead.
Five different Bobcats would score in the third and Clarion would win the quarter 10 – 4. Mitch Geiger, Murtha, Schmader, Baker and Verdill all had 2 points in the frame.
Neither team would score in the fourth and Clarion came away with another win, 33 – 12. The win moves the B-Team to 11 – 0 on the season with 3 games remaining on their quest for an undefeated season.
Clarion scorers: Schmader (13), Murtha (6), Baker (4), Burford and Verdill (3), Geiger and Craddock (2)
North Clarion scorers: Lenar (4), Kalten, Grubbs, Wolbert and Dailey (2)
CLARION VERSUS FOREST AREA
The Clarion Jr. High boys basketball team picked up two wins as they hosted the Forest Area Fires on Friday (February 26th).
The B-Team started things off a little slow, winning the first quarter 8 – 4. Beau Verdill scored 4 in the frame while Donnie Cunningham and Tyler Schmader each had 2.
The second and third quarters saw the Bobcat offense and defense step it up. Clarion scored 14 points in the second and 12 in the third while not giving up a single point. Ben Murtha and Schmader each had 6 points in quarters. Mitch Geiger and Cal German each had 4 while Hunter Craddock, Lucas Baker and Cunningham all chipped in with 2 points. The Bobcats headed to the final quarter leading 34 – 4.
The Forest Fires would win the 4th quarter 6 – 4 to set the final at 38 – 11. Murtha and Baker each scored in the quarter.
Scoring for Clarion were: Murtha and Schmader (8), Geiger, German, Baker, Verdill, Cunningham (4), Craddock (2)
Scoring for Forest were: McFarland and Morrow (4), Saxton (2)
The win moves the B-Team to 12 – 0 on the season with just 2 games remaining.
Score by quarters:
First: Clarion 8 – Forest Area 4
Second: Clarion 22 – Forest Area 4
Third: Clarion 34 – Forest Area 4
Final: Clarion 38 – Forest Area 10
The A-Team would follow the lead of the B-Team and roll to a 54 – 16 win to improve their record to 9 – 3. Every player on the A-Team would score in this game. The first quarter saw Tijon Faulk-Taylor score 4 points while Jacob Burns, Clay McElravy and Josh Craig all chip in with 2 points. Clarion held a 10 – 5 lead after the first.
The Bobcats had an offensive explosion in the second quarter, outscoring the Fires 21 – 2 to go into the half leading 31 – 7. Fan favorite, Donald Dunkle lit up the nets for 5 points, including a deep 3-pointer. Gavin Brinkley and Burns each had 4 points while Faulk-Taylor, Craig, Nick Frederick and Nate Datko each had 2 points.
Dunkle would add two more points in the third quarter with a long 2-pointer (his toe was on the line) and Clarion would win the frame 9 – 8. Faulk-Taylor added 4 more points and Burns netted 3 more for the Bobcats.
Clarion didn’t let up in the final frame, outscoring the Fires 14 – 1 to set the final at 54 – 16. Greg Kalinowski lead the way with 4 in the quarter. Burns, McElravy, Craig and Datko each added a basket while Isaac Kim and Brinkley each had a free throw.
Scoring for Clarion: Burns (11), Faulk-Taylor (10), Dunkle (7), Craig (6), Brinkley (5),Kalinowski, McElravy and Datko (4), Frederick (2) and Kim (1)
Scoring for Forest: Burke (7), Meals, Quinn, Sowinski and Schwab (2), Scharba (1)
Score by quarters:
First: Clarion 10 – Forest Area 5
Second: Clarion 31 – Forest Area 7
Third: Clarion 40 – Forest Area 15
Final: Clarion 54 – Forest Area 16
CLARION VERSUS KARNS CITY
On Monday (February 29th), the Jr. High boys basketball team hosted the Karns City Gremlins and came away with two more victories.
The B-Team started their game off and were very sluggish as the Gremlins controlled the first quarter of the game. Karns City ran off the first nine points of the game and put us on our heels. After a timeout, the Bobcats ripped off the next 19 points to take control back. Hunter Craddock got some much needed points with 2 baskets in the first and Cal German added another. The Gremlins held a 9 – 6 advantage after one.
Clarion was just getting started. We took control of the game in the second period outscoring the Gremlins 13 – 0 to go into the half with a 19 – 9 lead. Tyler Schmader and Donnie Cunningham each had 4 points in the quarter. Ethan Burford chipped in with an old-fashioned three point play while Mitch Geiger hit a jumper.
Clarion kept it going in the third with baskets from Hunter Craddock and Matt Terwilliger. Cal German hit a big three-pointer and Ben Murtha went 2 for 2 from the foul line. Clarion was up 28 – 13 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter went the same as the third. Lucas Baker, Geiger and Murtha each had baskets for the Bobcats. Matt Terwilliger got the crowd going with his second basket of the day, a long jumper from the corner. Cunningham added a free throw to set the final at 37 – 17.
Karns City started the game with the first 9 points. Since that point, Clarion outscored the Gremlins 37 – 8. We showed a lot of character at the beginning. KC was taking it to us and seemed unstoppable. The team got together and started playing the way I know they are capable of.
Clarion scorers: Craddock (6), German and Cunningham (5), Geiger,Murtha, Schmader and Terwilliger (4), Burford (3) and Baker (2)
Karns City scorers: Cowoski and Scherer (5), Beighley (3), Sirich (2) and Friel (1)
The B-Team is now one win away from completing an undefeated season. Their final opponent is their backyard rival Clarion-Limestone.
Score by quarters:
First: Karns City 9 – Clarion 6
Second: Clarion 19 – Karns City 9
Third: Clarion 28 – Karns City 14
Final: Clarion 37 – Karns City 16
The A-Team took a page from the B-Team’s book as they too got off to a slow start. Each team would score three points in the quarter. Gavin Brinkley had a basket and Nick Frederick added a free throw for the Bobcats.
Clarion finally got into a rhythm, outscoring the Gremlins 16 – 5 in the second to take a 19 – 8 lead to halftime. Josh Craig had 9 points in the quarter while Brinkley added 4, Tijon Faulk-Taylor had 3 and Jake Burns chipped in with 2.
Faulk-Taylor kept the hot hand in the third, scoring 4 of Clarion’s 12 points. Skylar Rhoades, Burns, Brinkley and Clay McElravy each added 2 points in the quarter.
Faulk-Taylor was still lighting up the nets in the fourth with 8 more points. Nate Datko added two points as the Bobcats won the period 10 – 0 and more importantly the game 43 – 12.
Scorers for Clarion: Faulk-Taylor (15), Craig (9), Brinkley (8), Burns (4), Rhoades, McElravy and Datko (2), Frederick (1)
Scorers for Karns City: Waltman (4), Kamenski (3), McElroy and Kelsea (2) Rowe (1)
Score by quarters:
First: Clarion 3 – Karns City 3
Second: Clarion 19 – Karns City 8
Third: Clarion 31 – Karns City 12
Final: Clarion 43 – Karns City 12
(Thanks to Coach Craig for this article and to Nate McClaine for the scores by quarter for the Forest Area and Karns City Games. Great work, Cats!!!!)