If willpower was all that was needed to win a basketball game, Rocky Grove would have taken the victory Friday night based on the passionate play of Landon Carter alone. The sophomore forward recorded a double-double at North Allegheny High School as the Orioles looked to rebound from a loss to Farrell in the District 10 championship game last week. Unfortunately for the Orioles, they struggled to tame The Neighborhood Academy Bulldogs, falling 63-40 in the opening round of the PIAA Class 1A state tournament. Rocky Grove started off strong, with Schiffer Anderson hitting the first shot of the night - a three-pointer. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter which ended with the Orioles ahead 13-12. In the second, the Bulldogs took control, outscoring the Orioles 20-6. Carter, who had seven defensive rebounds in the first half, downed two treys, Rocky Grove's only points of the quarter. The Orioles came out of the lockers ready to make a run of it, but unable to shut down Neighborhood's offensive attack. Both teams logged 14 points in the third, and the Bulldogs held a 46-32 lead going into the final stanza. Neighborhood outscored the Orioles 17-7 in the fourth quarter to seal the deal and win the game, which ended in nondramatic fashion with Jamison Hughes shooting two foul shots with .3 seconds to go. Scoring for Rocky Grove were Carter with 12 points and 12 rebounds, Noah Baughman and Josh Stevenson with seven apiece, Anderson with five, and Connor Ritchey with three. Aiden Focht, Steven Gibbons and Hughes each had two points. With the loss, the young Rocky Grove squad ended their season at 16-9. Good news for the Orioles - all but one starter will be eligible to return to next year's team and all three seniors (Stevenson, Gibbons, and Chippy Whitling) were able to play on Friday. |
0 Comments
The Franklin Flyers recently took third place at the Northwest Pennsylvania League Championships recently and this week are competing in the Western Districts at the SPIRE in Geneva Ohio.
They once again had stellar performances breaking records. Meet Records Danielle Erdley 1000 Free 11:35.04 Jordan Stumpf 1000 Free 10:57.05 Parker Smith 500 Free 5:41.01 Parker Smith 100 IM 1:04.67 Barrett Smith 200 Free 2:15.75 Barrett Smith 100 fly 1:13.13 League Records Jocelyn Jordan 500 Free 5:57.44 Danielle Erdley 1000 Free 11:35.04 Danielle Erdley 1650 Free 20:07.56 Barrett Smith 200 Free 2:15.75 Barrett Smith 100 fly 1:13.13 Barret Smith 100 back 1:13.40 Parker Smith 500 Free 5:41.01 Parker Smith 100 IM 1:04.67 Jordan Stumpf 1000 Free 10:57.05 "I(I want to) wish all swimmers the best of luck in their progression towards making states and nationals," Brian Smith, a proud parent said. Both Saegertown's Carter Beck and Cranberry's Dalton Wenner Pictured above in last weekend's regional finals) are still alive in the PIAA Class AA State Championships in Hershey.
Cranberry's 114-pounder Dalton Wenner won a grueling 1-0 decision over Conwell-Egan's Kevin Bagnell. It was a good win for the sophomore. Bagnell is a senior with 104 career wins and 33-9 record. He advances to the quarterfinals to face Chase Homan of Hamburg Friday morning bright and early. Homan, also a sophomore had a 38-3 record this year. They both have similar career stats with over 70 wins each. Saegertown's Beck dropped his first match, but stayed alive in the conci's still hoping to medal. Dalton's older brother Dane also earned his way into quarters with a 5-1 decision over Mid Valley's Sophomore Matthew Almedina at 139.Almedina had 33 wins on the season going into the match. Dane will have his work cut out for him facing Cameron Mingee of Littlestown. Mingee has 129 carrier victories an only lost twice this season. Despite his terrific record, the state tournament has not been his friend a the senior has yet to place on the big stage, Dane with 104 career wins of his own. A win for either of them puts them in the medal rounds Elijah Brosius and Aiden Thompson lost their opening two matches Friday.
With 1:45 seconds on the clock, Franklin is down five, Damon Curry sent up a three. The ball rattled with half of the ball in the cylinder before it popped back out. That was Franklin's night. The Girard Yellow Jackets came to play. Their in your face defense and super fast hands stymied the Knights, especially at the end of the second quarter, when the Yellow Jackets went on a 17-point unanswered run into the second half. The Knights never saw the lead again they fell 60-50 in the District 10 for the first time in four years. The loss may have stung, but Franklin at 20-5 on the season is still a very good team and previous losses are meaningless now as they begin their run toward's Hershey beginning with a home game at 1 p.m. this Saturday against the 20-5 Neshannock Lancers. Girard is a top tier team with very tough defense in a game the officials decided to let the teams play. The Knights managed to battle out to a nine point lead early in the second quarter. But with just under four minutes in the half the rug was pulled out from under them and they didn't score again until a minute had passed in the third quarter after finding themselves 10 points down. They clawed back to within one, but a three-pointer by Zach Kelley put an end to that the comeback. The Yellowjackets kept the Knights at arms distance building back up the lead after Curry's in and out miss. The Knights may not have accomplished their goal of a four-peat District 10 championship, but their quest for state gold is within their sights. A little twist of fate last week, one aggressive play called a foul, Curry baskets going all the way in or any numnber of the little things that made this nigh Girard's and not Franklin's and it could've been different. Both teams deserve to win and who knows, they could meet again in the state semis if they both have good runs Support the Barrow-Civic Theatre this month.
Below are photos from this season swim meets in Franklin, Titusville and Oil City Swimmers from the three schools are headed to The Spire in Ohio to compete in the District 10 Cham[ionships this weekend. Good luck. Several are looking to have quality swims to make it to the state tournament next week.
Special thank you to Copley Notary for their support of Eight & 322 and Rocky Grove girls basketball this year. great things are happening in the future of Oriole athletics..
Rocky Grove's Landen Carter drove the lane in the early seconds of the second half to tie up the game with Cochranton who took a two point lead into the half. He was fouled. The Orioles took the lead after Carter's "and one" free throw and never gave it up again. Seconds later, almost to show that all the kinks the Orioles had in the first half were worked out, Carter snagged a tough rebound and took it coast-to-coast for another bucket. Then Schiffer Anderson got a bucket and a foul to increase the lead. Josh Stevenson got a terrific steal and fed Carter, who again took it the length of the court for a layup. Anderson got red hot, scoring another bucket then another and another. The Orioles were cooking with gas, outscoring the Cardinals 21 to six in the third frame. It took the Cardinals nearly five minutes to score their first basket of the second half. Rocky Grove's defense tightened, holding Cochranton's Walker Carroll to just three in the third. To put that in perspective, Carroll had 32 points on the night, 15 in the fourth quarter as the red birds tried to come back. Despite Cochranton's last-minute efforts to slow the clock by sending the Orioles to the foul line over and over, Rocky Grove hung on to win 60-51 Tuesday night in Oil City. Anderson led the Orioles with 24 points, including five from beyond the arc. Carter pumped in 13 and Noah Baughman added 11. Aiden Focht had a good night with seven while Jamison Hughes and Connor Ritchey combined for five. Rocky Grove will have a tough foe on Friday when they take on Farrell at a site and time to be determined. Farrell crushed the Orioles twice this season already. Regardless of the outcome, both teams will advance in the 1A division of the PIAA State Tournament beginning a week from Friday. The Rocky Grove girls will be in action tonight (February 28) at 7:30 p.m. at Sharon High School as they take on the Jamestown Muskies.
Below are more photos from Franklin's win Tuesday night in Oil City.
|
Sponsors Working with our friends at the Your Daily Local
Special thanks to Phennigwerth family for their support.
Archives
April 2024
For a very comprehensive look ate Venango Sports visit our friend's website: yardsandpoints.com is a website dedicated the long history of the Oil City and Franklin football rivalry by former sports editor Penny Weichel. It is an amazing labor of love and valuable resource for history. It is our go-to here at 8and322.com. Categories |