Lady Elkers-Coudersport rematch tonight
A signature win over a 15-5 Coudersport would be a nice boost for the 12-9 Lady Elkers heading into next week's District 9 Class A playoffs. Tonight's game is at St Marys High School due to damage to the RAHS gym floor.
The Lady Falcons, who won the first meeting 28-25 on Dec. 16 in Coudersport, are in a battle with 17-4 Moniteau for a two-seed in the district's Class 2A playoffs. Redbank sits atop the leaderboard at 20-1 – their lone loss was to WPIAL 3A Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Coraopolis. The Lady Falcons have a game with winless Galeton remaining and Moniteau with 3A 13-7 Karns City.
"I think it's a huge game for us," said Lady Elkers head coach Jay Schreiber. "We lost to them earlier; we know their record and where they stand, and I think we are a lot better than we were when we played them the first time, but we have to go out and prove it."
Ridgway, 39-21 winners over Brockway in St. Marys on Friday, is among four teams at least six losses back of Otto-Eldred (19-2), Elk County Catholic (183), North Clarion (183), and Port Allegany (18-3). In the bunch with the Lady Elkers
is Northern Potter (12-9), DuBois Central Catholic (11-10), and Oswayo Valley (11-11). No other Class A teams are above .500. Wednesday's games are the last to count towards district seeding, which is selected by committee. The deadline for submission to play is Thursday at noon.
A victory tonight would be the first over a team with a .500 or better record. Head coach Jay Schreiber feels that while it's not a make-or-break situation, a win would boost his girls in preparation for the postseason.
"Number one, we would beat a good team that beat us the first time, and it would be a big win right before the playoffs. So, both those things would be huge moving forward."
For the third time since 2019, Ridgway is appearing in the district playoffs. Last year they finished fourth and advanced to the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 1989, the team's last district championship.
"I think we're peaking at the right time with the second season beginning in a week," said the Lady Elkers coach, who feels the team's only bad loss was 42-11 in St. Marys on Jan. 24. "So, it's a fresh start for everybody, and I'm looking forward to it, but we know we're going to have to beat very good teams for us to be where we want."
Schreiber, in his second year as the head coach, was an assistant starting in 2019-2020 under John Bernardi, who left to coach the Bradford Owls following the COVIDshortened 2021 season. He's happy his team is viewed as a threat by others across the district.
"When we first started, Lindsay Steis, Cristina Fullem, and Gabby Rohr were some of the players that got things set in the right direction, and then every group since has kept that focus and tried to make it more. So, I don't think it's a surprise to see Ridgway consistently in the playoffs anymore. Now it's just taking the next step and keeping things going."
The Lady Elkers coach is pleased with how his team has handled not having its home court available.
"I'm amazed and give the girls a lot of credit for being able to get off a bus and being focused for practice," said Schreiber, who sees a bright spot. "I think it's going to help us if we can get on a roll in the playoffs where there are long bus rides and places that are [unfamiliar]."
Having finished third in the AML South, the Lady Elkers will have a week off before the postseason.
District 9 Records (through Feb. 11) • Class A - .500 or better: Otto-Eldred 19-2-.905, Elk County Catholic 18-3-857, North Clarion 18-3.857, Port Allegany