Jan 25, 2008 By The Herald Standard 11 min read

Behind 24 points from Jordan Duke, Carmichaels was able to pull out a 49-36 road victory against Jefferson-Morgan in a Section 2-A girls basketball contest Thursday night. The win gives Carmichaels a section record of 7-1 and 11-9 overall. Jefferson-Morgan falls to 1-7 in the section and 3-18 overall.

Carmichaels has already clinched a playoff spot.

Carmichaels jumped out to a 17-11 lead after the first quarter, and held Jefferson-Morgan to just two points in the second to lead 26-13 going into the second half.

Along with her 24 points, Duke pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds.

Shayleigh Busti made five two-point field goals and was 1-2 from the foul line for 11 points.

Ashley Phillips was the only Lady Rocket in double figures with 11 on five two-point field goals and was 1-1 from the line.

Carmichaels won the third quarter 15-9, but lost the fourth 14-8 to the Lady Rockets who were only 2-13 from the foul line, while the Lady Mikes were 6-9.

Up next for Carmichaels will be Monday at home against Geibel-Catholic in a key section 2-A battle against the first place Lady Gators.

Jefferson-Morgan will be on the road Monday at Mapletown.

Kiski Area 70, Albert Gallatin 30 – The Lady Colonials could never get on track as they lost to the Lady Cavaliers in a Section 1-AAAA girls basketball contest.

Lindsey Nies had 10 points for Kiski, as she dropped in three 2-point field goals and went 4-4 from the foul line. Stephanie Yocca and Chelsy Consentino shared game high honors for points with 11 each.

The Lady Colonials (0-12, 2-18) were paced by 10 points from Kasey Ruble. Ruble hit three field goals, one 3-pointer, and was 3-5 from the line to collect her 10. Ashley Dupont was next in the scoring column for Albert Gallatin with seven points. She made the only other 3-pointer for the Lady Colonials.

Luren Butler connected on the only three of the game for Kiski (7-5, 11-10). She finished the game with eight points.

Next up for the Lady Colonials will be Saturday against Peters Township in a non-section contest, while Kiski will travel to Latrobe on Monday for a Section 1-AAAA battle.

Monessen 70, Frazier 24 -It was a tough day for Frazier as first place Monessen defeated the home team in a Section 3-A contest Thursday night.

Monessen was led by Christina Chukwuedo’s 33 points on 13 field goals and seven free throws. With her 33, Chukwuedo now has 1,000 points in her career.

The Lady Greyhounds had four 3-pointers in the game.

The Lady Commodores were led by Larissa Ellis who scored 14 of her teams 24 points. She connected on 7 field goals.

Frazier only shot one free throw all night as it totaled just 12 two-point baskets.

Up next for Frazier will be Charleroi on Tuesday in a non-section battle.

Monessen will host Trinity on Saturday in a non-section contest.

Geibel Catholic 62, West Greene 27 – The Lady Gators score nearly as many points in the second quarter (22) as the Lady Pioneers totaled in the game for an easy Section 2-A home victory.

With a playoff berth already in hand, Geibel Catholic moved one game closer to another title by improving to 8-0 in the section, 14-5 overall. West Greene slides to 1-7 in the section and 1-18 overall.

Geibel had 11 players score, led by Mia White’s 16 points. Nicole Ardabell was also in double figures for the Lady Gators with 13.

Chelsea Jones led the Lady Pioneers with eight points.

Geibel looks to wrap up the section title Monday on the road at Carmichaels.

Hempfield 52, Uniontown 45 – The Lady Raiders fell behind by seven points at the end of the first quarter, and then played the Lady Spartans even over the final 18 minutes in a key Section 1-AAAA road loss.

Uniontown, Hempfield and Latrobe are all tied with 8-4 section records. Kiski Area is a game behind at 7-5. The top four teams advance to the playoffs. The Lady Raiders slip to 11-8 overall while Hempfield improves to 15-5.

Mallory Sanner led Uniontown with 14 points. Cherese Hodge added 10.

Hempfield’s Maria Montini scored a game-high 26 points. Tara Catone finished with 12.

Mount Pleasant 60, Laurel Highlands 43 – The Lady Vikings clinched the Section 3-AAA crown while the Fillies’ playoff hopes took a bit of a hit in a road loss at Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant improves to 8-0 in the section with two games remaining and 14-5 overall. Laurel Highlands (7-12) is now tied with Franklin Regional in fourth place at 3-5, one game behind Southmoreland at 4-4.

The Lady Vikings outscored the visitors by 10 points in both the first and second quarter for a 33-13 halftime lead. The Fillies rallied back in the third quarter, 17-9, but Mount Pleasant put the finishing touches on the victory with an 18-13 fourth quarter.

Caitlin Wontroba led the Fillies with 13 while Maressa Guynn added 12.

Mount Pleasant’s Shelby Way scored a game-high 16 points. Abbey Way added 15.

Men’s basketball

Waynesburg 78, Franciscan University 59 – The Yellow Jackets defeated the Barons behind a 30-point effort from Tim Drakeley Wednesday night at Franciscan.

Drakeley made eight of the Waynesburg’s 11 3-pointers. He was 8-11 from behind the arc.

Jered Gamble, Josh Parisi, and Ryan Courneen all scored 10 points for the Yellow Jackets. Courneen came off the bench to get his 10. Parisi pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Gamble dished off six assists and had four steals.

Waynesburg scored 46 first half points, which turned out to be the third highest of the year for the Yellow Jackets.

The Barons were led by Matt Liedel’s 16 points. Robert Slattery finished the game with 15 points and nine rebounds.

With the win, Waynesburg ups its record to 7-9. Next up for the Yellow Jackets is a conference game on Saturday, January 26, when it host Thiel College at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.

California (Pa.) 69, Shippensburg 57 – Behind 15 points from Jesse Brooks, the Vulcans defeated the Red Raiders for its second consecutive PSAC-West victory, Wednesday night at Shippensburg.

Connellsville’s James Hairston joined Brooks in double figures with 14, while teammate Theron Colao added 13 for the Vulcans.

The Red Raiders went into halftime up 32-31, but the Vulcans (2-0, 11-4) responded in the second half with 38 points to the Red Raiders 25. With the score tied at 51 with 9:20 remaining, the Vulcans went on a 16-9 run to take the lead for good.

Justin Minter collected a double-double for the home team with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

California returns to action on Saturday as it travels to face Lock Haven.

Women’s basketball

California (Pa.) 100, Shippensburg 74 – For the first time since 2004, the Vulcans scored 100 points as they defeated Shippensburg in a PSAC-West battle Wednesday at Heiges Field House in Shippensburg.

The win was the career No. 200 for head coach Darcie Vincent, and runs California’s record to 2-0 in PSAC-West action and 15-2 overall.

Kayla Smith scored a team and game-high 25 points for the Vulcans, while Amber Dubyak put in 17 points and recorded a career-high 14 rebounds.

California shot 62.9% in the first half, with Shaquetta Mance hitting a 3-point shot from way behind the arc as time expired.

The Vulcans began the second half with a 15-4 run to extend their lead to 17.

The Vulcans return to action Saturday when they travel to Lock Haven.

Girls swimming

Laurel Highlands 115, Trinity 61 – Laurel Highlands won nine of the 12 events recorded to win a Section 5-AAA girls swimming match at the Lady Mustangs natatorium.

The win gives the Lady Mustangs a section record of 3-0 and 11-2 overall.

Angela Nepa finished second in the 100 freestyle to Trinity’s Angela Palumbo, but Nepa’s time of 55.36 seconds was good enough for a WPIAL qualifier. Palumbo won in 54.71 seconds to give her a WPIAL qualifier.

Nepa also qualified for the WPIALs with a time of 2:01.09 in winning the 200 freestyle.

“We had a lot of good times today,” Laurel Highlands coach Bill McCombie said. “A lot of girls broke their PR’s and swam well.”

Kelly Huston picked up a victory in the 500 freestyle (5:55.10). Huston picked up two more victories as she teamed up with Casey Dascenzo, Nepa, and Alyssa Welch to win the 200 freestyle (1:48.81) and the 400 freestyle (3:59.86).

The Lady Mustangs will host Charleroi on Monday in a non-section contest.

Belle Vernon 93, Thomas Jefferson 72 – Megan Russell and Courtnee Basista both won two individual events as the Lady Leopards won a Section 2-AA home meet over the Lady Jaguars.

Russell won the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke while Basista was victorious in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Mary Wardle (50 freestyle) and Sydney Rusak (100 freestyle) also won individual events.

The 200 medley relay team of Basista, Russell, Rusak and Emalee Tunney finished first, and the 200 freestyle relay quartet of Tunney, Russell, Ashley Bronakowski, and Wardle was victorious.

Uniontown 90, Ringgold 72 – The Lady Raiders finished first in all but the 100 butterfly, defeating the Lady Rams for a Section 5-AAA home victory. Uniontown improves to 3-0 in the section and 8-2 overall.

Holly Nedley (200 freestyle, 2:04.68; 100 freestyle, :57.71), Jess Dzara (200 IM, 2:33.0; 500 freestyle; 5:57.97), Katie Patek (50 freestyle, :26.33), Abby Altman (100 backstroke, 1:07.99) and Lindsay Jesko (100 breaststroke, 1:21.89) all finished first in individual events.

Josie Squib finished first in the diving for Uniontown with 170.05 points.

Uniontown swept the relays, with Altman, Dzara, Rebecca Smith, and Patek winning the 200 medley relay in 2:01.70, Dzara, Altman, Breanne Geller and Nedley winning the 200 freestyle relay in 1:51.81, and the foursome of Corrine Engle, Smith, Patek and Nedley winning the 400 freestyle relay in 4:09.34.

Boys swimming

Trinity 87, Laurel Highlands 79 – Trinity won the eight of the 12 recorded events to defeat the Laurel Highlands boys in Section 5-AAA swimming action Thursday night at the Mustangs natatorium.

The two Crooks, Randy and Kevin, won five of the Hillers eight events. Individually, Randy won the 100 breaststroke (1:09.93), while Kevin won the 100 backstroke (1:05.85) and 200 IM (2:19.17). They teamed up with Morgan Hall and Matt Dunst to win the 200-medley relay in 1:56.79.

Trinity won the 200 freestyle relay as Randy Crooks, Hall, Dunst, and Eric Belski won in 1:42.46.

Laurel Highlands (2-1, 5-8) received two victories from Chris Kostelnik in the 100 butterfly (1:03.91) and Zach Collins in the 100 freestyle (:56.19).

The Mustangs won the 400 freestyle relay as Collins and Kostelnik joined Kevin Bane and Joey Saylor with a winning time of 3:56.03. Saylor won the diving competition with a score of 163.45.

“We are fighting a bit with numbers,” Laurel Highlands coach Bill McCombie said.

Laurel Highlands will host Charleroi on Monday in a non-section contest.

Belle Vernon 81, Thomas Jefferson 65 – The Leopards won six individual events and two of the three relays for a Section 5-AA victory over the visiting Jaguars.

The 200 medley relay foursome of Cory Wyke, Adam Hamill, Aaron Mikula and Jay Lewis finished first, as did the 200 freestyle relay team of Andre Maldonado, Lewis, Wardle and Brendan Lacey.

Lacey (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle) and Zachary Wardle (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) both won two individual events with Maldonado (200 IM) and Mikula (100 butterfly) also finishing first.

Uniontown 93, Ringgold 82 – The Red Raiders didn’t sweep the top finishes, but won enough for a Section 5-AAA victory over the Rams. Uniontown improves to 2-1 in the section and 4-6 overall.

Red Raiders won two of the three relays, including Allen Zieglar, Wayne Workman, Brodie Kelley, and Keanu Glison taking first in the 200 medley relay in 2:00.75, and the quartet of Dillon Gearing, Cameron McConkey, Kelley and Glisan winning the 200 freestyle relay in 1:47.11.

Glisan (50 freestyle, :23.89), Kelley (100 freestyle, :56.87), and Workman (100 breaststroke) all won individual events. Zieglar won the diving with 161.80 points.

High school wrestling

Uniontown 36, Meyersdale 28 – Uniontown used four forfeits and two falls to defeat Meyersdale Thursday night in a non-section contest at A.J. Everhart Memorial Gymnasium for its first victory of the season.

The night started off well for the home teams with Uniontown’s Derek Brangard (135) pinning Glen Hetz in 1:28.

After a Meyersdale decision and two no contests, Uniontown put together 12 straight points with a Tyler Holt (160) forfeit and a pin by Levi Merschat (171) at 4:49.

Meyersdale went on a 13-0 run with a major decision, a decision, and a fall at 285, but the Red Raiders picked up three straight forfeits with Ken Seliga (103), Brittney Kulenovic (112), and Courtney Merschat (119) getting wins.

Mark Lyons won by fall at 125 for Meyersdale, and Shawn McKenzie (130) picked up a forfeit for Meyersdale in the last bout of the evening.

The win boosts the Red Raiders record to 1-10 on the season overall.