BOYS BASKETBALL
It took two overtimes to do it, but River Valley opened its Heritage Conference schedule with a 60-55 win over Northern Cambria. The Colts erased a ten-point deficit to take a ten-point lead in the second half but the Panthers climbed out of the hole to tie it at 47 with 15.7 second left. It was 52-52 after the first overtime, and with 47.7 seconds left in the second OT, Max Persichetti hit a jumper to give River Valley the lead for good, 56-55.
United roared out to a 27-4 lead after one quarter and took down West Shamokin, 72-43. For the Lions, Carter Payne hit four three-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 21. Ryan Felix scored 13 points and Bridy Burket scored 11. Alex Talmadge was the only Wolves player in double figures, with 19.
Marion Center beat Cambria Heights, 65-44, led by Kamdin Rozier’s 26 points. Hayden Fox added 12 for the Stingers.
Conemaugh Township outscored Homer-Center 18-3 in the first quarter and cruised to a 67-31 win in the season opener for both teams. For the Indians, Colin Dinyar led the way with 21 points. Stephen Stango scored 17 and Erik McClemons had 16. The Wildcats were led by Joey Kosmack with 11.
Portage beat Penns Manor, 78-45. No details were provided by either team.
SWIMMING
At IUP’s Jack Pidgeon Natatorium, Homer-Center’s girls fell to Ligonier Valley, 96-50 and the Wildcats’ boys won by forfeit when LV was unable to put a team in the pool.
STORY BELOW PROVIDED BY HOMER-CENTER SWIM:
The Homer-Center Wildcats dove into their dual meet season Thursday night at the Jack Pidgeon Natatorium on the campus of IUP, squaring off against the Ligonier Valley Rams in an early-season showdown.
Ligonier’s girls’ lineup proved too deep on the scoreboard, handing Homer-Center a 96–50 loss, but the Wildcats still walked away with a night full of wins, time drops, and first-ever races that set the tone for an exciting season ahead.
On the boys’ side, the Wildcats earned the team victory after learning that Ligonier was unable to field a boys’ team this year. While there was no head-to-head scoring in the pool, the Homer-Center boys treated the night like a dress rehearsal for championship season, stacking up first-place finishes and relay wins.
Individually, we achieve multiple first-place finishes. First-place finishes include Morgan Nagy in the 200 freestyle, Maria Frazer in the 100 backstroke, Blake Lucas in the 200 and 500 freestyle, Brady Frazer in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke, Nathaniel Bilo in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and Trevor Cameron in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. The boys’ relay team of Lucas, Frazer, Cameron, and Bilo won the 200 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Chase Shoup, Lincoln Schaldenbrand, Peyton Strong, and Carter Henry won the 200 freestyle relay.
First-place finishes aren’t the only way to measure the success of a meet. We had four swimmers compete in their very first swim meet. These swimmers, including Wedu Chilume, Shoup, Shadebrand, and Strong, had their first competition and established times to improve upon. Joshalyn Patterson, Maria Frazer, Natalia Thomas, Trevor Cameron, and Nathaniel Bilo all had time drops at the meet.
The numbers tell part of the story, but Thursday night was about something bigger: first races, faster times, louder cheers, and a Homer-Center team that looks ready to make some waves this winter.
