Ridgway girls open playoffs tonight
The Lady Elkers begin their journey towards their first District 9 championship since 1989 when they travel to North Clarion to face the She-Wolves in district Class A quarterfinal action tonight (7 p.m.).
Six-seed Ridgway is 13-9 and has won five of the last six. Three-seed North Clarion is 19-4. The She-Wolves have lost three of their previous four. They opened the campaign with 14 wins before three-straight defeats. They then won four before dropping two and splitting their last two.
Tonight's winner will move on to play the victor of the contest between two-seed Elk County Catholic (21-3) and seven-seed Clarion (10-12) being played at ECC tonight, in the semifinals. The other quarters have eight-seed Northern Potter (14-9) at one-seed Otto-Eldred (20-2) and fiveseed Port Allegany (18-3) at four-seed DuBois Central Catholic (12-10). As last season, five of the eight district competing teams will advance to the PIAA championship.
In last year's consolation game, North Clarion was a 43-40 home winner over the Lady Elkers. Both teams advanced to the PIAA tournament. It was Ridgway's first appearance since winning the D9 2A title in 1989.
It's the first action for the Lady Elkers since winning their seasonfinale 45-34 over Class 2A Coudersport at St. Marys on Feb. 13. The She-Wolves were beaten by 2A Moniteau, 45-37 in the KSAC semifinals on Feb. 17.
North Clarion enters the postseason minus junior guard Lily Homan who transferred from Venango Catholic. She was the district's leading scorer last season and averages 12 points a game, but she is ineligible for the playoffs due to PIAA transfer guidelines.
Ridgway head coach Jay Schreiber talked about the She-Wolves.
"They're very quick with guards that can handle the ball and shoot. And they have a 6'3" girl (senior Lauren Lutz) that can finish inside. However, I don't believe they've gone against a defensive team like ours. I feel we've been playing good team defense and think that's something they're not used to seeing."
Other key players are seniors Madison (guard/ forward) and Emma (guard) McFarland, senior Maria Bauer (guard/ forward), and sophomore Ainsley Hartle (guard).
Junior Jenna Kasmierski, the leading AML All-Star votegetter for the girls, is ranked in the top five in district scoring, averaging 17 points per game. The bulk of the rest of the offense comes from Kasmierksi's classmates, Gabby Amacher and Kristen Ellenberger. Sophomores Sophia Copello and Emma Vargas join the trio in the starting lineup. Sophomore Grace Bon and freshman Addie Kuleck have seen the most time off the bench. Freshman Sara Zameroski had seen varsity action, but unfortunately, she's out because of an injury. Junior Bridgett Breindel and freshman Maddy MacAfee round out the roster. The team also lost sophomore Meghan Tettis to injury earlier in the season.
The Ridgway coach feels that last year's playoff run, which saw them beat DCC in the opener before falling to ECC in the semis, makes his team more comfortable this year.
"The three juniors have a lot of experience, and Sophia, Emma, and Grace, might not have been on the center stage like they are now, but I think they have enough experience and time on the court that they know what's at stake."
Before their last district crown in 1989, the Lady Elkers were Class A champs in 1984 and 1979 and finished as runners-up in 1980.
Being on the road is nothing new to the Ridgway girls, who have been without their RAHS gym since a water leak from an overhead duct water damaged the floor. However, Schreiber feels it, and being an underdog may play to his team's advantage.
"I don't mind it at all. The gym thing is kind of a blessing in disguise. We've been getting off a bus practicing and playing for the last three weeks, and the girls have adjusted very well. We know we'll have to win on the road, and I think we're better prepared since we've been traveling daily."
The Lady Elker coach gave his team a break for a couple days off but not back-to-back after the Coudy game, and he likes how they've responded.
"It seems like it was the right move because they were pretty dialed in at practice, and I'm happy with the attention and effort. While we didn't take two days off in a row, I wanted everybody fresh."
Schreiber is in his second year as the head coach after assisting John Bennardi the previous two. It's the third trip to the playoffs in those four seasons. The team didn't qualify during the COVID-abbreviated 2021 campaign. Schreiber said he's having fun while helping to grow the program along with assistants Bob Swanson, Dina Fullem, and Cheri Hofmann.
"I'm really enjoying it, and I hope the girls are having fun being with each other and playing a sport. Part of having fun is winning and getting to and beyond this part of the season, and I'm excited. We have the potential to win this game, and we're close to being where we want to be. Now we have to go take the next step."
The semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday at neutral sites. Quarterfinal losers are reseeded to play for the fifth spot.
The game is scheduled to air on WDDH-97.5 FM-The Hound.
Rosters Lady Elkers: #34 – Jenna Kasmierski (Jr), #20 Gabby Amacher (Jr), #14 Kristen Ellenberger (Jr), #45 – Emma Vargas (So), #35 Sophia Copello (So), #22 – Grace Bon (So), Addie Kuleck (Fr), #13 Melaina Wolfe (So), #55 - Bridgett Breindel (Jr), #15 – Maddy MacAfee.
North Clarion: #34 – Lauren Lutz (Sr), #0 – Madison McFarland, #10 Emma McFarland, #1 – Maria Bauer (Sr), #24 Ainsley Hartle #2 – Akeela Greenwalt (Jr), #22 – Kaylee Castner (Jr), #3 – Jadyn Reisinger (Fr), #5 -Alexa Carll (Fr), #14 – Kyler Freeman, #12 – Ava Best (Fr).