WEST FOREST 56, COUDERSPORT 34

D9Sports.com powered by the RRR Roadhouse

March 2, 2010 - District 9 Class Girls' Semifinals

By Blaise O’Connor

KANE – It took a little while for Geena Sneeringer and her teammates from West Forest to get into a flow against Coudersport in the District 9 Class A girls’ semifinals Tuesday night at Kane, but once they did they Lady Indians took control of the game over the final three quarters to post a 56-34 win over Coudersport.

Coudersport (18-7) scored the game’s first nine points and held 13-6 at the end of the first quarter and 15-6 early in the second quarter. But then Sneeringer and her teammates took over. The senior, one of the top all-time scorers in District 9 history, scored nine of her game-high 22 points during a 17-3 burst to end the half giving West Forest (22-3) a 23-18 halftime lead. During the stretch, two key Coudersport players, Katelyn Karpinski and Jenna Matzinger, each picked up their third foul.

The second half was more of the same, as West Forest outscored Coudersport 33-16 in the half.

Alyssa Dreihaup added 11 points for West Forest, while Hannah Fink led Coudersport with 10 points.

West Forest will now face defending champion Elk County Catholic in the District 9 title game Saturday at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym. Tipoff will be either 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.

Coudersport, meanwhile, will take on Otto-Eldred in the consolation game at a date, time and place to be determined. Both teams have already qualified for the PIAA playoffs and will be playing for seeding.

NOTES – The victory helped West Forest pay back Coudersport for the last two seasons when the Lady Falcons ended the Lady Indians title hopes. Two years ago, Coudy beat West Forest in the D9 title game and last year the Lady Falcons topped the Lady Indians in the semifinals … This is the first time since 2005 that Coudersport will not play in the District 9 championship game and just the second time since the 2001 season. The Lady Falcons won D9 titles in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008 and were runner-ups in 2006, 2007 and 2009. In fact, this will just be just the sixth time since 1989 that Coudersport won’t be in the Class A title contest ... Sneeringer now unofficially has 1,981 career points putting her 19 shy of becoming just the fourth girls' player in District 9 history with 2,000 career points. The others are Sheana Mosch of DuBois Central Catholic (3,066), Kim Tingley of Coudersport (2,905) and Melinda Martin of Northern Potter (2,123). Sneeringer is the fourth all-time leading scorer in District 9 history having passed Union's Joyce Wensel (1,963) during Tuesday night's game. She is the leading scorer in West Forest history. The Lady Indians were long time members of District 10 before joining District 9 in the middle part of the 2000s.

WEST FOREST 56, COUDERSPORT 34

Score by Quarters

Coudersport 13 5 12 4 – 34

West Forest 6 17 17 16 – 56

Coudersport – 34

Karpinski 3 0-0 7, Morey 0 0-0 0, Kane 0 0-0 0, McCusker 2 0-0 4, Brown 1 0-0 2, Matzinger 3 2-2 8, Fink 5 0-0 10, Green 1 1-2 3, Linden 0 0-0 0, Henning 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 3-4 34.

West Forest – 56

Schwab 0 0-0 0, Greathouse 1 0-0 2, C. Dubrawka 1 1-1 3, Wallace 2 0-1 4, Dreihaup 5 0-0 11, Carll 4 0-0 8, Johnston 0 0-0 0, Sneeringer 7 6-7 22, M. Dubrawka 0 0-0 0, Clark 3 0-0 6. Totals 23 7-9 56.

Three-pointers – Coudersport 1 (Karpinski). West Forest 3 (Sneeringer 2, Dreihaup).