PHILIPSBURG — After falling behind early, the Clearfield Area High School girls basketball team never could quite catch Philipsburg-Osceola despite posting its season-high point total Wednesday night.
The Lady Bison kept the Mountain League game close the whole way, but the Lady Mounties buried 11 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter to claim a 60-57 win.
“It was a really well-played high school girls game,” Clearfield coach Joey Castagnolo said. “P-O played with a lot of emotion. That had to be the best game they’ve played.
“We got within one point in the fourth quarter, but then we had to start fouling and they didn’t miss. It’s hard to catch up when the other team makes almost every foul shot.”
The game was decided at the charity stripe.
The Lady Mounties, led by Abby Showers’ 12-for-12 performance, made 17 of 19 attempts to offset the Lady Bison’s 23-20 advantage in field goals. Clearfield was 8-for-16 at the foul line.
Showers canned all eight of her free throws in the final period to take game honors with 21 points. Haylee Hayward was close behind with 17 points and Katie Meersand added 10 as the Lady Mounties (3-10) ended a three-game losing streak with their first ML victory.
Clearfield (2-10) also had three starters hit for double figures in topping its previous high of 47 points against North Clarion at the Brookville Tip-Off Tournament.
Brianna Spencer was on target three times from behind the arc to pace the Lady Bison with 15 points. Emily Ryan and Emily Aveni, who matched her career high, checked in with 12 points apiece.
The sixth loss in seven ML outings extended the Lady Bison’s slide to six games.
Starting forward Mary Ishman suffered a broken finger in the second period and will miss the rest of her junior season, according to Castagnolo.
Coach Jerry Stewart’s Lady Bison jayvees triumphed 24-17.
Clearfield steps out of the league Friday night to visit St. Marys.
CLEARFIELD — 57
Emily Ryan 5 2-5 12, Emily Aveni 6 0-0 12, Maggie Sopic 3 1-2 7, Mary Ishman 2 0-0 4, Brianna Spencer 4 4-6 15, Sarah Aycock 2 1-3 5, Margo Castagnolo 0 0-0 0, Tessa Waring 0 0-0 0, Sarah Lash 0 0-0 0, Rachel Glenny 0 0-0 0, Victoria Ireland 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 23 8-16 57.
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA — 60
Cheyanne Cowfer 0 0-0 0, Haylee Hayward 7 2-3 17, Abby Showers 4 12-12 21, Alyssa Myers 3 2-3 8, Katie Meersand 4 1-1 10, Cheyenne Bone 0 0-0 0, Maggie Peck 1 0-0 2, Paige Boast 1 0-0 2, Emily Miller 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 20 17-19 60.
Three-Point Field Goals – Clearfield 3 (Spencer 3); Philipsburg-Osceola 3 (Hayward, Showers, Meersand).
Score by Quarters
Clearfield 14 14 9 20 – 57
Philipsburg-Osceola 21 11 11 17 – 60
Lady Bison Scoreboard:
Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
@ Brookville Tip-Off Tourney | |||
12/06 | vs. Brookville | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
12/07 | vs. Brookville | 18 – 45 | 0 – 1 |
12/07 | vs. North Clarion | 47 – 38 | 1 – 1 |
12/11 | CENTRAL | 35 – 54 | 1 – 2 |
12/13 | HUNTINGDON | 23 – 39 | 1 – 3 |
12/16 | @ Punxsutawney | 24 – 66 | 1 – 4 |
12/17 | @ Bald Eagle Area | 39 – 32 | 2 – 4 |
12/20 | BELLEFONTE | 25 – 27 | 2 – 5 |
12/27 | @ Curwensville | 46 – 50 ot | 2 – 6 |
01/03 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | 39 – 63 | 2 – 7 |
01/08 | @ Tyrone | 41 – 60 | 2 – 8 |
01/10 | PENNS VALLEY | 33 – 42 | 2 – 9 |
01/15 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | 57 – 60 | 2 – 10 |
01/17 | @ St. Marys | ||
01/21 | @ Central | ||
01/23 | CENTRAL MOUNTAIN | ||
01/24 | @ Huntingdon | ||
01/28 | BALD EAGLE AREA | ||
01/31 | @ Bellefonte | ||
02/04 | TYRONE | ||
02/07 | @ Penns Valley | ||
02/10 | CURWENSVILLE | ||
02/11 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA |