Clarion Hosts Union In Boys/Girls Basketball Double-header (01/22/17)
The Clarion Bobcats and Lady Cats hosted the Knights and Damsels of Union, in an Inauguration Day Boys/Girls double-header on Friday (January 20th).
Clarion Pep Band
It was a playoff type atmosphere, with a packed house, the Clarion Area Pep Band playing and both student sections very vocal in support of their teams. Some members of the Clarion student section wore pajamas, while some members of the Union student section showed their support for our new president with Donald Trump, t-shirts, and various patriotic apparel.
The Clarion Singers did a superb job, singing the National Anthem.
The two schools split the games, with the Bobcats winning the boys’ game, 75-39 and then Damsels taking the girls’ game,48-43.
Some Union students showing their support for our new president
Boys’ Game
The Bobcats hit twelve 3-pointers in the game (accounting for 36 points, nearly half the teams total), but also had a good inside game and a fine defensive showing. The game was tied at 8-all, in the first period, before the Cats went on a 13-6 run to finish the period with a 21-14 lead. the Cats had three treys during the run, which was capped by a two point field goal, at the buzzer by Austin Hummell.
The Cats’ ran their lead to 42-20 at the half. The second period was capped by a three by Reed Anthony, as time was running out.
Halftime featured the Sixth Grade Foul Shooting Finals. We are running a separate story on that event.
Just like the preceding periods the third period saw the Bobcats put up another twenty-one points, multiple treys and again featured a buzzer beater, this time by Ty Burford moving the score to 63-29, going to the final stanza.
Ceventh Lynch-Skunda driving to the hoop
Ceventh Lynch-Skunda hit six of his game high fifteen points in the fourth, as the Bobcats outscored the Knights 12-10. Clarion’s final two buckets of the game were three-pointers by Archer Mills and Jacob Selker.
Spencer Miller had 13 points and Reed Anthony had 11, with both connecting on three treys. Ty Burford and Cameron Craig each had eight points. Craig had two three-pointers.
The Knights were led by Lucas Bowser, who had thirteen points.
When asked when Clarion last beat Union, Coach Jess Quinn said, “I really can’t remember the last time we beat them. Definitely the last time we beat them without Cole Morris (graduated Union star). That’s something special.”
Coach Quinn had high praise for his team, saying, “Truly it is probably one of the most complete games, even going back to when I was the JV coach and we won the District with coach (Rob) Leone at the helm. That is probably one of the most complete games I’ve ever been part of.
Clarion Student Section
‘The boys hustled. They played with intensity. Their defense was incredible and they protected the ball. We had nine turnovers, in the whole game. Three of them were at the end of the game. So truly, with our starters, we had six turnovers. You don’t turn the ball over, you’re going to win the game.”
The Clarion Boys’ Junior Varsity won 43-22. The Cats led 13-4 after one, 26-11 at the half and 36-16 after three.
Archer Mills led the way with nine points. TiJon Faulk-Taylor had 7 points and Jacob Selker, Drew Wrhen and Nick Frederick each had four.
Girls’ Game
This was an exciting game throughout. The Lady Cats led most of the first quarter before the Damsels came back to take an 11-10 lead heading to the second. Union had a 16-7 second quarter edge, to take a 27-17 lead into halftime.
A 13-8 Lady Cats’ edge, in the third, had Clarion to within five at 35-30 going into the final stanza.
Alexis Constantino with a short jumper
Clarion pulled to within one point twice in the fourth, at 35-34 and 40-39. Alexis Constantino scored 9 of her twenty-two points in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough as Union won 48-43.
Union’s Lexi Shick led all scorers with twenty-seven points.
The Lady Cats will host Karns City on Tuesday (January 24th) and the Bobcats will travel to Karns City on Wednesday (January 25th).