COUDERSPORT 73, SMETHPORT 31

D9Sports.com powered by the RRR Roadhouse
Coudersport wins fourth straight NTL crown

Feb. 6, 2009

Jenna Matzinger goes up for a layup during Coudersport's win over Smethport Friday, Matzinger had a game-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds in helping the Lady Falcons to their fourth straight NTL crown. Photo by Paul Burdick

Smethport's Brittany Shelley drives on Coudersport's Delanie Cowburn Friday. Shelley had a team-high nine points for the Lady Hubbers, while Cowburn had 13 points for Coudersport. Photo by Paul Burdick

COUDERSPORT – Sophomore Jenna Matzinger scored 24 points and hauled down seven rebounds to help Coudersport to its fourth straight North Tier League girls’ basketball title with a 73-31 win over visiting Smethport Friday night.

Matzinger, who was in sixth grade the last time the Lady Falcons weren’t NTL champions, hit 10 shots and made 4 of 5 free throws in leading Coudersport to its 55th straight NTL victory.

Coudersport (18-2 overall, 12-0 NTL) led 14-5 at the end of the first quarter and 29-11 at halftime before outscoring Smethport (2-18, 2-10) 44-20 in the second half including 24-10 in the third quarter.

Freshman Delanie Cowburn added 13 points, while sophomore Tori Brown chipped in 12 points and five steals showing that Coudersport’s chances at a fifth straight NTL title next year would seem to be in good hands. Senior Kayla Bohn, who ran her personal NTL record to 54-0, added eight points, and junior Maureen McCusker had six points and six rebounds.

Brittany Shelley paced Smethport with nine points, while April Alfieri added seven points.

NOTES – Coudersport has now won 16 in a row this season after starting 2-2 … Coudersport’s fourth-year head coach Brian Green ran his personal NTL win streak to 69 games. He has led The Lady Falcons to a 54-0 NTL mark in his four years and he guided Northern Potter to a 14-0 mark in 2005, the last time Coudersport’s didn’t win the NTL title. Green’s Northern Potter squad also won its final game of the 2004 season. The last NTL team to beat Green was Coudersport Feb. 10, 2004, 58-38. The last NTL team to beat Coudersport was Green’s Northern Potter squad 47-41 Feb. 7, 2005, at Northern Potter … Coudersport has now won eight of the last nine NTL titles and is 121-3 in the NTL since 2001 … To give perspective to how dominate the Lady Falcons have been in the NTL, in Matzinger’s 11 years in school (including kindergarten) Coudersport has not won the NTL title three times, and the Lady Falcons are 143-8 in league play (that dates back to the 1999 season) … Coudersport played without senior Karli Duffee for the second straight game due to an injury. The injury is not considered serious, and Duffee should be back in the lineup next week.