ST. MARYS 56, ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 42

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Jan. 9, 2009

ST. MARYS – The St. Marys Area Flying Dutchmen used a smothering defense midway through the game and an outstanding night from the free-throw line to post a 56-42 victory over cross-town rival Elk County Catholic Friday night from the “Dutch Oven” in St. Marys.

The game started the same way the past five games between these two teams have with ECC (8-3 overall, 2-2 D9 League) jumping out front 10-6 after one quarter of play.  Former Dutchman Nate Higgins scored six points in the frame for the Crusaders.

ECC enjoyed its biggest lead of the game, 19-13, with just over three minutes to go in the first half.  But St. Marys (7-2, 3-1) scored the final seven points of the quarter to go into the locker room at halftime up one, 20-19.

Matt Bauer for ECC hit a three and Brett Quiggle hit a jumper to knot at the game at 22-22 at the start of the second half. 

After that is was all Dutchmen. 

The Dutch went on a 13-5 run to end the third quarter and took an 8-point lead, 35-27, to the fourth quarter.  St. Marys held ECC to 17 totals points in the middle two stanzas.

St. Marys got the lead to as many as 16 in the fourth quarter with most of their points coming from the charity stripe.  The Dutch were 12 of 13 in the final quarter and an outstanding 23 of 26 for the game.

Matt Guido led all scorers with 17 points, including a perfect 10 for 10 from the free throw line, for the Dutch.  Levi Welder added 15 and Brett Quiggle recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Higgins ended the game with 16 points for the Crusaders.  Adam Detsch added 10 points.

St. Marys returns to action on Monday night when the DuBois Beavers come to town.  Elk County Catholic travels to Clearfield on Tuesday night to take on the undefeated Bisons. 

NOTES – The win is St. Marys second in the last three meetings with ECC and avenged a 51-49 loss in the Elk County Christmas Tournament title game Dec. 27 … ECC has lost consecutive games in the regular season for the first time since Feb. 7 (Brookville 47-40) and Feb. 14 (Johnsonburg 57-36), 2003. The Crusaders did close out last season with three straight playoff losses (D9 Class A semifinals, D9 Class A consolation game, PIAA Class A first-round game).

ST. MARYS 56. ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 42

Score by Quarters

ECC 10 9 8 15 – 42

St. Marys 6 14 15 21 – 56

ECC – 42

Bauer 3 0-0 8, Detsch 4 0-1 10, Higgins 6 4-7 16, Wortman 2 0-0 4, Rupprecht 1 1-2 4, Jacob 0 0-0 0, Herzing 0 0-0 0, Chiodo 0 0-0 0, Wachter 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 5-10 42.

St. Marys – 56

Guido 3 10-10 17, B. Quiggle 3 6-6 13, Welder 7 0-0 15, Mulcahy 1 1-2 3, Petrocchi 1 5-6 7, Cogan 0 1-2 1, Simchick 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 23-26 56.

Three-pointers – ECC 5 (Bauer 2, Detsch 2, Rupprecht). St. Marys 3 (Guido, Quiggle, Welder)