UPDATE: The Penns Manor/Marion Center girls basketball game tonight, scheduled for Renda Digital TV, is postponed. No reschedule date has been announced.
High schools have had a difficult time getting their games in due to harsh winter weather this week, but there were some key games played last night in the Heritage Conference and WPIAL. With the weather possibly affecting next week’s Heritage Conference semifinals, teams are racing to decide the regular season final standings.
In the boys Heritage West, River Valley has clinched first place, with Marion Center and Homer-Center contending for second. In the East, United has clinched first place, with Conemaugh Township now holding an edge over Conemaugh Valley for second.
In the girls Heritage West, Penns Manor and Marion Center have clinched the top two spots but are battling to decide who finishes first. In the East, United has clinched first, with Portage holding the edge for second over Cambria Heights.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Homer-Center’s Nash Budner scored 25 points and the Wildcats downed West Shamokin 59-43. Alex Talmadge scored 14 points and Aiden Oesterling 12 for the Wolves.
Undefeated United rolled Conemaugh Valley, 82-52 Carter Payne scored 25 points, Ryan Felix 20, and Connor Darr and Brody Burkett each had 10 for the Lions. Lance Masser scored 15 points and George Weimer 10 for the Blue Jays, who now trail Conemaugh Township by a game for second place in the Heritage East.
Four Conemaugh Township players scored in double figures as the Indians blasted Portage, 74-40. Colin Dinyar netted 20 points, Erik McClemens 18, Stephan Stango 16, and Jacob Bartis 10 for CT. Tyson Burkett led Portage with 11.
Northern Cambria had fifteen three-pointers and Cambria Heights none as the Colts zipped by the Highlanders 61-36. Luke Blickenderfer scored 20, with four threes. Parker Shutty had five threes and finished with 15 points. Malik Fox and Danny Farrell each scored 10. For Cambria Heights, Levi Kline had 15 points and Noah Clawson 10.
In the tight WPIAL 4A Section 5, Indiana fell to 5-4 (11-6 overall) while Hampton improved to 5-5 with a 54-48 win over the Indians. Aaron Webb led Indiana with 27 points and Darius Webb added 10.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
In a matchup of the two teams contending for the top spot in the Heritage East, United’s Kenedi Fiocheta scored 17 points and Ella Worthington 15 as the Lions beat portage, 51-36. Kendall Bednarski scored 12 to lead the Mustangs. With the win, United clinches first place and will host a semifinal game against either Marion Center or Penns Manor next week.
Penns Manor took down Purchase Line 42-33 behind 12 points from Josie Matko and 11 from Katie Bertolino. Riley Mahaffey scored 12 for the Red Dragons. The Comets visit Marion Center tonight, with both teams still having a chance at first place in the Heritage West.
WRESTLING
Indiana defeated West Shamokin 59-15 in the Indians’ last home match of the season. On the mat, winners by fall for Indiana were Lucas Armstrong, Lewis Sears, Charles Spells, Sean Parks, Rowan Grantz, Dom Donatelli, and Jackson Higgins. Hunter Williams won his match by technical fall. For the Wolves, winners were Kash Julius and Rocko Buffone by fall, and Tucker Walker by decision.
