ST. MARYS, Pa. – The Clearfield Area High School girls basketball team gave undefeated St. Marys by far its toughest test of the season in Saturday afternoon\’s District 9 League make-up game before bowing 48-44.
\”They\’re the premier team in District 9, and could have won very easily,\” Lady Bison coach Joey Castagnolo said. \”It was a good game, and I\’m proud of the kids.
\”They played well and they played hard. That\’s all I can ask.\”
Jayme Ryan scored 12 points and Sarah Kovalick added 10 for the Lady Bisons, who went into their league opener with a 1-1 record.
Sophomore standout Kayla Hoohuli pumped in 27 points, just below her 28.5 average, to pace the Lady Dutch, who scorched the nets at a 67-point pace in winning their first six games by an average of 28.5 points.
Ryan\’s six points sparked Clearfield to a 13-8 lead after one quarter, and the Lady Bisons were on top 27-21 at halftime.
However, they managed only two baskets, both by Kovalick, in 14 shots in the third period, and the Lady Dutch capitalized to go in front 35-31 with Hoohuli netting eight points.
\”That was the difference,\” Castagnolo said. \”We just couldn\’t score in that quarter.\”
Both teams had 13 points in the fourth period, with Gwenn Porter netting five for Clearfield and Hoohuli pumping in nine for St. Marys, now 2-0 in the league.
\”She\’s stronger and better than last year,\” Castagnolo praised Hoohuli, who was named 2008 D9Sports.com Rookie of the Year and a first-team all-star after amassing 549 points as a freshman.
In the prelim, the unbeaten Clearfield junior varsity rallied in the fourth quarter for its third win, 37-35. Lori Zalno led the way with 10 points.
The Lady Bisons return to their home court Tuesday to play Bradford in another D-9 League game. The Lady Owls lost 81-49 to St. Marys last Tuesday.
CLEARFIELD — 44
Annie Janocko 2 0-0 5, Sarah Kovalick 4 0-0 10, Madison Sopic 1 1-3 3, Jayme Ryan 5 1-2 12, Gwenn Porter 2 4-6 9, Amber Byerly 1 0-0 2, Angela Moore 0 0-2 2, Elizabeth Peters 1 1-2 3, Lori Zalno 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 17 7-15 44.
ST. MARYS — 48
Gina Pelgrin 2 0-0 4, Kayla Hoohuli 10 4-7 27, Tia Cunningham 1 3-4 5, Leanne Levenduski 0 0-0 0, Emily Hathorn 2 3-8 7, Amanda Simbeck 0 2-2 2, Megan Herbstritt 1 0-0 3. TOTALS: 16 12-21 48.
Three-Point Field Goals – Clearfield 5 (Janocko 1, Kovalick 2, Ryan 1, Porter 1); St. Marys 4 (Hoohuli 3, Herbstritt 1).
Score by Quarters
Clearfield 13 14 4 13 — 44
St. Marys 8 13 14 13 — 48