Dec 8, 2004 By Rob Burchianti 4 min read

No one can say Uniontown or Laurel Highlands play an easy non-section schedule. Both teams had already made positive early-season statements before the Red Raiders held off the Mustangs, 72-65, in the 83rd meeting between the cross-town rivals at Laurel Highlands’ Harold “Horse” Taylor Memorial Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

Eric Johnson scored 23 points, Kishaun Cook converted a key three-point play down the stretch and Adam Franzach hit six consecutive free throws in the final 44 seconds as Uniontown took a 50-33 lead in the all-time series.

Both teams have been battled test already in just three games.

Uniontown opened with a victory over defending WPIAL Quad-A champion Chartiers Valley before dropping a tough overtime decision to the host team in the Keystone Oaks Tournament.

Laurel Highlands began its season with a win over the WPIAL’s other Quad-A finalist last year – Connellsville – before suffering a one-point loss to another nearby rival coming off a Quad-A playoff appearance in Albert Gallatin.

After all that, the two teams clashed in one of the WPIAL’s most heated rivalries.

“I think it has to be good experience for us,” said first-year Mustangs coach Rick Hauger, whose team cut a 17-point deficit to one before succumbing. “These kids didn’t play any varsity basketball last year, so this experience can only help them. If they can stay within their capabilities and mesh together, they have a chance.

“As for tonight, this was a good, clean, physical game of basketball.”

Freshman Kaleb Ramsey led Laurel Highlands with 14 points, including seven in the final quarter. Dan Hudock came off the bench to score 13 for the Mustangs, Mark Gaydos followed with 12 and Gregg Forse had 11.

The Red Raiders also lost several key players from last year, but still showed the same explosiveness that has become common for one of the WPIAL’s most storied programs.

That was particularly evident when Uniontown found itself down 21-11 in the first period. The Red Raiders then kicked into gear and less than two minutes later the game was tied at 22-22 after an 11-1 run on five points from Steve Kezmarsky, including a 3-pointer, and six from Johnson.

“That shows you what this team is capable of doing,” Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said. “This team may be inexperienced, but one thing stood out to me about them after the game. They weren’t jumping up and down afterwards. They expect to win and their expectations are very high this year.”

The Mustangs led 24-22 after one period, and there were three ties and three lead changes early in the second period.

The Red Raiders took the lead for good when Albert Lee scored off a rebound to make it 30-29 and start a 17-4 run to close the half up 45-33.

“We got off to a good start, then we began to play the type of game Uniontown wanted to play, and that certainly was not the style we preferred,” Hauger said.

Johnson scored off a rebound to give Uniontown its biggest lead, 55-38, midway through the third period before Laurel Highlands mounted its comeback.

The Mustangs pulled within 60-48 after three periods, then used a 10-point run in the fourth quarter, despite going up against a Uniontown delay tactic, to pull within one at 63-62 with 1:52 left. A Forse 3-pointer and five points by Ramsey, including the final two, keyed the spurt.

“Kaleb is an outstanding athlete,” Hauger said. “As he grows and understands the game a little better and his role, he’s going to keep getting better. He put himself in position to maximize those talents. That’s what we want to try to do for everybody.”

Uniontown then lost the ball out of bounds, giving LH a chance to take the lead, but Zack Sawka came up with a clutch steal underneath the basket, and Cook was fouled while hitting a driving bucket and made the free throw to put the Red Raiders up 66-62.

“Kishaun was aggressive and did a great job there, and he went to the line and finished it off,” Kezmarsky said.

Franzach swished six straight free throws to seal the deal.

“I give Laurel Highlands a lot of credit,” Kezmarsky said. “We had them on the ropes and they kept battling and made us work for it.”

Franzach wound up with 12 points and Sawka had 10 for Uniontown.

“We have to prove we can win these close games,” Kezmarsky said. “We have to protect the ball at the end of the game and we’re going to keep working on that.”