ECC’s Straub named MVP of 2024 Scenic Rivers YMCA Girls’ Basketball All-Star Game

CLARION – Elk County Catholic’s Sami Straub hit four 3-pointers while dropping a game-high 18 points to lead Team Kelly to an 82-80 win over Team Snelick in the fourth annual Scenic Rivers YMCA Girls’ Basketball Game powered by the YDL Sports Network held Sunday at the Clarion County YMCA.

For her efforts, which included a 10-point third quarter, Straub was named the game’s MVP.

Behind Straub’s 10 third-quarter points, Team Kelly turned a two-point halftime lead, 43-41, into a nine-point advantage, 70-61, going to the fourth quarter.

Team Snelick tried to rally behind a pair of 3-pointers by Grove City’s Piper Como, but in the end, Team Kelly was able to run out the clock to secure the win.

Smethport’s Elizabeth Hungiville (12 points) and ECC’s Lucy Klawuhn (11 points) also reached double digits for Team Kelly.

Ridgway’s Jenna Kasmierski led Team Snelick with 15 points with Redbank Valley’s Izzy Bond chipping in 14 points and Clearfield’s Cayleigh Walker adding 11.

The teams were tied at 19 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a pair of Straub 3-pointers and four points from North Clarion’s Lily Homan for Team Kelly, while four points from Punxsutawney’s Danielle Griebel and 3-pointers from Bond and Kasmierski led Team Snelick.

Team Kelly then took a 43-41 halftime lead thanks to a pair of Klawuhn triples and four points each from Hungiville and Homan.

Kasmierski hit two second-quarter threes for Team Snelick with Bond also hitting one and scoring five points. Clearfield added another five in the frame for Team Snelick including going 3 of 4 from the free-throw line.

In addition to the YDL Sports Network, the game was also sponsored by Pizza Hut, Janney Montgomery Scott in Clarion, Delta Contractors & Design, and the Allegheny Grille in Foxburg.

Notes: The coaches for Team Kelly were North Clarion’s Skip Homan and ECC’s Ken Pistner. The coaches from Team Snelick were Grove City’s Dennis Ranker and Port Allegany’s Jamie Evens ... Referees for the game were Bobbi Freeman and Tom Minich ... The contest consisted of four 10-minute quarters.

TEAM KELLY 82, TEAM SNELICK 80 Score by Quarters Team Kelly 19 24 27 12 - 82

Team Snelick 19 22 20 19 - 80

TEAM KELLY - 82 Catherine Kelly (Moniteau) 3 2-2 8, Savanah O’Hara (Maplewood) 2 0-0 4, Lucy Klawuhn (ECC) 4 0-0 11, Eden Wonderling (Brookville) 4 0-1 9, Lily Homan (North Clarion) 4 0-2 8, Kayley Risser (DCC) 1 1-2 3, Sami Straub (ECC) 7 0-0 18, Sydney Alexander (ECC) 3 1-2 9, Elizabeth Hungiville (Smethport) 5 1-2 12. Totals 33 5-11 82.

TEAM SNELICK 80

Taylor Alston (Clarion) 1 2-2 4, Danielle Griebel (Punxsutawney) 3 2-2 8, Cayleigh Walker (Clearfield) 4 3-5 11, Jayssa Snelick (St. Marys) 4 0-0 9, Maya Smith (Kane) 4 0-2 9, Piper Como (Grove City) 3 0-0 8, Kayleigha Dowell (Port Allegany) 1 0-0 2, Izzy Bond (Redbank

Valley) 6 0-0 14, Jenna Kasmierski (Ridgway) 5 0-0 15. Totals 31 7-11 80.

Three-pointers: Team Kelly 11 (Straub 4, Klawuhn 3, Alexander 2, Wonderling 1, Hungiville 1). Team Snelick 11 (Kasmierski 5, Bond 2, Como 2, Snelick 1, Smith 1)

Photo submitted ECC’s Sami Straub (right) is presented the MVP game ball signed by all the players and coaches by game co-organizer Rich Rhoades (left).

Photo submitted Members of Team Snelick were, bottom row from left, Izzy Bond, Taylor Alston, Danielle Griebel, and Maya Smith; and top row from left, Coach Dennis Ranker, Jayssa Snelick, Jenna Kasmierski, Piper Como, Kayleigha Dowell, and Coach Jamie Evens.

Photo submitted Members of Team Kelly were, bottom row from left, Savanah O’Hara, Lucy Klawuhn, Sami Straub, Eden Wonderling, and Kayley Risser; and top row from left, Coach Ken Pistner, Sydney Alexander, Lily Homan, Catherine Kelly, Elizabeth Hungiville, and Coach Skip Homan.