Local roundup
Clites scores 37 as Mapletown upsets Carmichaels Joe Clites scored 37 points, including five three-pointers, to lead Mapletown to a 69-60 upset win over Carmichaels Friday night in a Section 2-A boys basketball game at Carmichaels.
The win lifts Mapletown to 1-1 in section games, while Carmichaels fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in section games.
The Maples built a nine-point halftime lead and the teams played even in the second half. Bobby Hathaway paced Carmichaels with 22 points, while Jamie Kowalczyk added 12 and Jono Menhart 10.
Connellsville 62, Butler 55 – Connellsville jumped out to an early 20-5 first quarter lead and never looked back as it remained undefeated at 8-0 with a non-section win over visiting Butler (2-6).
The Falcons were coming off a section win over Canon-McMillan on Friday (see story on C8).
Junior James Hairston continues to inch closer to the 1,000-point plateau as he led all scorers with 23 points, including 8-of-10 from the foul line and one 3-pointer. Hairston needs just 49 points.
Teammates Chad Burton scored 13 points and Shane Kovach added 10.
Tyrell Sales and Bob Freshwater scored in double digits for Butler with 22 and 17 points. Freshwater fired in three 3-pointers.
The Falcons square off against Laurel Highlands in a key section 2-AAAA game on Tuesday.
Geibel Catholic 78, Avella 50 – Rob Ramsey poured in 24 points and Kellen Holmes added 11 as the Gators improved to 4-2 by winning their Section 2-A opener on the road.
Geibel Catholic opened a 52-29 halftime lead and never looked back in dropping Avella to 0-2 in section games. Pat Birdsall scored 18, Fred Simons 15 and Mikel Kettler 10 for Avella.
The Gators travel to West Greene Tuesday.
California 86, Jefferson-Morgan 77 – The Trojans placed four players in double figures in this Section 2-A win over the Rockets.
Ryan Robinson set the pace with 24 points, including three three-pointers, while Rick Cope added 18, Shane Tomkovitch 16 and Dan DeMoss 11. California improved to 4-2 overall, 2-0 in section games, while the Rockets fell to 1-1 in section games and 2-4 overall, despite 30 points from Vince Kraft. Junior Matt Ferencak added 23 points, including five three-pointers.
Girls basketball
Connellsville 52, Penn Trafford 40 – Christine Salandra led Connellsville with 18 points, including 4-of-6 from the foul line as they defeated Penn Trafford in non-section action.
Junior Dawn Claycomb was the only other Lady Falcon in double digits with 10 points.
Kristen Kudrick was high scorer for Penn Trafford with 12 points, while Autumn Hines added 10.
Connellsville will visit Laurel Highlands on Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Wrestling
Albert Gallatin 58, Elizabeth-Forward 10 – Albert Gallatin got four pins and four forfeit wins en route to a 58-10 win over Elizabeth-Forward in Section 2-AAA wrestling Friday night. The win improved the Colonials to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in section matches.
Mark Brown got the ball rolling for AG with a one-minute, 33-second pin of E-F’s Tim Winn at 130 pounds. Also getting pins for AG were Jason Williams (135), Brandon Radicic (140) and John Ptak (171).
Albert Gallatin defeated Uniontown Thursday night, with nine wrestlers getting pins. They were Ryan Martelli (Hwt.), John Bittinger (103), Justin Williams (125), Mark Brown (130), Jerod Chapman (135), Jason Williams (140), Brandon Radecic (145), Bob Hollowood (152) and Charlie Belch (160). Getting pins for Uniontown were Dan Newlon (189) and Brandon Darnell (215).
Southmoreland 54, Steel Valley 24 – Southmoreland totaled six pins and two forfeits as they rolled to an easy victory over Steel Valley.
Justin Klepsky kicked things off for Southmoreland with a 2:21 pin over Mike Bristol at 103 pounds. Justin Mitrisin (125), Alfy Areiro (130), Dan Fosbrink (145), Shane Datz (189) and Stephen Zubach (275) also picked up pins for Southmoreland.
Women’s basketball
Pitt Greensburg 68, Waynesburg 57 – The Pitt at Greensburg Bobcats won their 8th straight victory at home, dating back to Jan. 28, 2002 with the win over Waynesburg (5-3).
Jess Porter had the hot hand for Pitt Greensburg (4-3) with 16 points, including one 3-pointer and one steal.
Teammates Erin Arnold and Tish Hines also scored in double figures with 12 and 11 points.
Freshman Candice Eyerman was high scorer for Waynesburg with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, two rebounds and one steal. Trista Murphy added 10 points and four rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets will participate in the Villa Julie Tournament on Jan. 3-4.
Men’s basketball
California 97, Ohio Valley College 54 – Ryan Stefanski became the 30th player in Vulcan history to record his 1,000th career point, and the second of this season (Ishmieal Kamara, this past Tuesday) as the Vulcans defeated Ohio Valley.
California University of Pa. improve to 7-3, while the Scots drop to 1-5.
Stefanski led California with 21 points, all three pointers. A total of six Vulcans scored in double-figures. Micheal Johnson added 17 points and eight rebounds, Boris Elisabeth-Mesnager and Julien Busseuil added 12, Sharif Brown netted 11 and Kevin Handy scored 10 points off the bench.
California will be off until next weekend when both the men and women will host Mansfield University on Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m.
LaRoche 84, Waynesburg College 83 – Waynesburg Central graduate Aaron Ankrom scored his 1,000th career point for Waynesburg, but LaRoche edged past the Yellow Jackets at Marisa Fieldhouse.
Ankrom shot 12-of-20 from the field, including two 3-pointers, seven rebounds and one blocked shot.
Uniontown graduate Ray Robinson scored a game-high 28 points on 9-of-23 from the field, two 3-point goals and 8-of-9 from the foul line in 40 minutes of play. Mike King added 17 points.
Mark Demonaco led LaRoche with 23 points, Dom Joseph scored 17 and Jason Dolak and Brandon Kelly added 13 and 10 points.
Waynesburg had an opportunity to win in the final seconds when Robinson missed a 3-pointer to give LaRoche the win.
The Yellow Jackets will visit Pitt at Greensburg on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.