Junior High Boys B-Team Downs Clarion-Limestone (02/15/15)

(By Coach Jason Craig)

Clarion’s Jr. High boys B-Team hosted C-L on Thursday, February 12th, and came away with a 27 – 18 win. The game was a real battle from start to finish and a fun game to be part of.

Clarion got off to a fast start by using the hot hand of Nick Frederick. Frederick scored 7 of the Bobcats 9 points in the frame, including a 3-pointer. Tyler Schmader had the other basket as Clarion went up 9 – 3 after one quarter of play. Curvin Goheen made two free-throws and Ayden Wiles made one free throw for C-L.

The Lions started the comeback in the second, winning the quarter 7 – 6. However, Clarion would go into the half with a 15 – 10 advantage. Josh Craig, Lake Staub and Frederick each had baskets for the Bobcats. Cole Grenci had 4 points for C-L and Deion Deas buried a 3-pointer for the Lions.

C-L continued fighting in the third to tighten the score to 20 – 18 heading into the fourth quarter. Clay McElravy had 4 points and Frederick added another point for the Bobcats. Wiles had 4 more points for C-L while Deas and Goheen added two more each.

The Bobcats really tightened up the defense in the fourth quarter and outscored the Lions 7 – 0 in the frame to set the score at 27 – 18 in favor of Clarion. Frederick added 2 more points for Clarion while Greg Kalinowski added 2 and Mitch Geiger connected on a HUGE 3-pointer late in the game that really sealed the game for Clarion.

Frederick had a big night for Clarion, scoring a game high 12 points. McElravy followed with 4 and Geiger added 3. Craig, Kalinowski, Schmader and Staub rounded out the scoring with 2 apiece.

Deas and Wiles bucketed 5 each for the Lions while Goheen and Grenci each had 4.

While scoring is a big part of the game, our team is much more than that. I can’t say enough about our defense and hustle, especially the play of Nate Datko. He was able to put a lot of pressure on the ball and made it hard for C-L to get into their offense. Josh Craig, Datko, Ben Murtha and Geiger were able to protect the ball and handle the pressure that C-L put on them. Schmader, Kalinowski, McElravy and Frederick came up huge on the boards today, limiting the Lions to 1 shot on many of their possessions.

The win moves the Bobcats to 7 – 0 on the season and will be back in action on Wednesday, February, 18th, as they play host to North Clarion.

(Thanks to Coach Craig for this article.)