Strong third-period carries Falcons to victory
Connellsville had a dominating third period in earning a 6-2 victory over Central Valley on Tuesday at Brady’s Run Ice Arena in Beaver Falls.
The Falcons (3-0) had a 3-2 lead after the second period, but Sam Denny recorded an unassisted goal and Connor Basinger added two tallies for the victory in Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL) Division 2 play.
Denny’s goal came 37 seconds into the third period, while Basinger’s tallies came at 2:41 and 11:57 into the frame.
Alex Boone had the primary assist on Basinger’s first goal and the secondary assist on his second. Mason Mazak had the secondary assist on the sophomore’s first tally and Logan Jenkins had the primary helper on Connellsville’s sixth goal.
The Warriors (0-2) opened the scoring 4:08 into the game when Luca Iannessa scored an even-strength tally. Connor Svaranowic and Eli Conkle had the assists.
Jenkins and Hunter Hughes provided the assists on Denny’s first tally at 11:25 of the opening period.
Liam King set up his twin-brother Luke for a 2-1 lead for the visitors at 3:23 of the second period. The Kings assisted on Santo Crucio’s even-strength tally at 7:53 of the frame. Crucio’s goal was the game winner.
Central Valley cut the deficit to 3-2 at 11:08 of the second when Caleb McQuaid found the back of the net. Luke Morris had the lone assist.
The Warriors outshot the Falcons, 7-5, in the first period, but Connellsville had an 18-3 advantage in the second and a 10-5 edge in the third for a total of 33-15.
Only four penalties were called and neither team scored on the power play, as the Falcons were 0-1 and Central Valley was 0-3.
Connellsville’s Andrew Weir stopped 13 shots for the victory in goal.
The Warriors’ Jacob Cone made 27 saves.
CROSS CONTRY
BOYS: WEST GREENE 15, CARMICHAELS 40; WEST GREENE 27, MCGUFFEY 28; WEST GREENE 17, WASHINGTON 48; WEST GREENE 24, WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 31 — The Pioneers swept a five-team Division II, Section 2 meet on Tuesday at McGuffey High School in Claysville.
West Greene sophomore Joel Grimes won the race in 17:36. The Highlanders’ Moshe Dale was second and the Raiders’ Will Maxwell was third.
The Pioneers’ Kameron Hackney placed fourth and McGuffey’s Lev Young rounded out the top five.
Waynesburg’s Ian Marshall was sixth and the home team’s Nathan Katsevich was seventh.
West Greene’s Chaucer Von Scio and Landen Hill were eighth and 10th, while the Raiders’ Bradley Huffman was ninth.
McGuffey’s Jacob Sandy (11th) and Colin Shell (14th) finished in the top 15.
The Raiders’ Ethan Evans and AJ Belcastro were 12th and 13th.
The Pioneers’ William Rohrer came in 15th.
GIRLS: WEST GREENE 15, CARMICHAELS 43; WEST GREENE 15, MCGUFFEY 50; WEST GREENE 15, WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 50; WEST GREENE 15, WASHINGTON 50 — Freshman Maggi Courtwright won the overall race to lead the Pioneers to a Division II, Section 2 sweep.
Courtwright finished the 5K course around McGuffey High School in 23:32.
The Raiders’ Rylie Shultz was second and the Pioneers’ Kiera Collins finished third.
The Highlanders’ Brookleyn Dames was fourth and West Greene’s Norah Henderson placed fifth.
Waynesburg’s Nevaeh Yeager was sixth before the Pioneers’ Ella Courtwright and Kenzlee Hill came in seventh and eighth.
The Mikes’ Kaitlyn Kramer was ninth and the Raiders’ Havalah Griffeon closed out the top 10.
Carmichaels’ Rachel Popielarcheck was 11th, followed by Waynesburg’s Kiley Bledsoe and West Greene’s Danika Grim.
The Mikes’ Abby Stewart and Lillian Hardy finished 14th and 15th.