AML SET TO CROWN CHAMPIONS SATURDAY NIGHT

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By D9Sports.com staff

ST. MARYS – It’s a busy night for Elk County Catholic and DuBois Central Catholic as all four of its basketball teams will square off for the Allegheny Mountain League championship at St. Marys Area High School Saturday.

The girls’ game starts at 6 p.m. with the boys following around 7:30.

It’s the fourth year of the two-division format in the AML. ECC won the North Division title while DCC won the South. While it’s the fourth year of the divisional format, it’s only the third year of a title game. A championship game was not played in 2005 when ECC and DCC also won their divisions.

Here’s a closer look at each game (records and stats through Feb. 7):

GIRLS' GAME (6 p.m.) (Go to top)

Elk County Catholic (12-11, 7-3) vs. DuBois Central Catholic (22-1, 10-0)

It’ll be a rematch of the regular season game that saw the Lady Crusaders beat the Lady Cardinals, 52-30, on Jan. 5.

ECC is trying to win its third straight championship game. The last two were against Curwensville. Not that DCC was very far out of the picture. In 2005 and 2006, DCC and Curwensville tied for the South Division title after splitting their two regular season games. But the overall record tiebreaker each time went to Curwensville.

Both teams will be coming off Friday night games. ECC, which won the District 9 League, closes out its regular-season schedule at Brookville. Saturday will be the third game in four days for the Lady Crusaders, who also earned the top seed for the D9 Class A playoffs. ECC will host either Brockway or Johnsonburg next Wednesday.

Central has lost four of its last six games going into its home game Friday night against Clearfield. The Lady Cardinals will be playing their fourth game of the week on Saturday. They’re also going to the Class A playoffs as the 14^th seed and will travel to third-seeded Keystone on Tuesday.

The Lady Crusaders, without a senior on the roster, are as about as balanced as any team could be. Four players average double figures in scoring: Sophomore Emily Detsch (10.8 ppg.) and juniors Bre Grimone (11.1), Kirstie Pistner (10.6) and Kaitlyn Geci (10.2).

The Lady Cardinals are led by seniors Andrea Moyer (13.4 ppg.) and Molly Yebernetsky (8.8).

Ken Pistner coaches ECC and is in his sixth season. Sam Kirk, a longtime boys’ assistant, is in his first season at DCC.

ECC and DCC have dominated the Allegheny Mountain League, combining to win every league title since at least the 1994-95 season. Central won six straight titles from 1996 to 2001, winning 59 straight AML games during that span. The Lady Crusaders are looking for their third straight AML title — not counting 2005 when ECC and DCC each won division crowns with no title game — and have won 32 straight AML games.

Central’s last win over ECC was a 51-30 triumph in the 2004-05 season. ECC has won the last three straight meetings.

BOYS' GAME (7:30 p.m.) (Go to top)

Elk County Catholic (19-3, 9-1) vs. DuBois Central Catholic (22-2, 10-0)          

The first meeting’s atmosphere at DCC was certainly playoff-like and it lived up to its billing on Jan. 25. Central’s Dom Varacallo hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left to lift the Cardinals to a 36-34 victory.

How this one will go is anyone’s guess, but it won’t include Varacallo. The senior guard injured his knee in last Saturday’s win over West Middlesex. He’s likely out for this game and perhaps the rest of the year.

That’s a big hit for not only Central’s chances at an AML title, but also its postseason hopes as well. Varacallo is averaging 20 points per game, tied for third in the district and percentage points behind top scorer Corey Snyder of East Forest.

Without him, last year’s state runners-up will look to senior Christian Spilman (13 ppg.) to lead the way. No other Cardinal averages in double figures. Spilman and Varacallo combined to score over 50 percent of head coach Mike Nesbit’s team’s points.

Meanwhile head coach Aaron Straub’s Crusaders have three players in double figures: Nate Higgins (12.8 ppg.), Kiel Nissel (11.8) and Logan Haberberger (10.8).

It’s been a busy week for ECC, which hosts Brookville Friday night. Saturday will be its fourth game of the week.

Both teams are set for the postseason in the Class A playoffs. The Cardinals are seeded third and will host No. 14 seed Curwensville on Wednesday. The Crusaders are the fourth seed and will host No. 13 Clarion on Tuesday.

Central’s three-game winning streak against the Crusaders is the longest since DCC swept four straight during the 1968 and 1969 seasons. This will be the 80^th meeting between the longtime rivals. ECC leads the series, 63-16.

This will be the third straight AML title game featuring these teams. Central won last year 61-50 and ECC won in 2006 85-54.