Clearfield ends the regular season at 13-9 while the Mountain Lions improve to 5-16.
Clearfield’s Trey Campman scored four quick first quarter points to put the Bisons out front early, 4-0.
Coach Forrest Campman of Clearfield spoke after the loss, “I thought all in all that we played a pretty decent game, certainly better than Friday against Harmony. Altoona is the most athletic team we have played this season and they play a much tougher schedule than our other opponents. If you look at their schedule a lot of their losses came in close games.”
Altoona then went on a 9-2 run to end the first eight minutes leading 9-6. The Mountain Lions didn’t get their first point until Deron Lee made one of two from the charity stripe with 3:48 left in the opening frame.
Robert Johnson hit the first field goal for Altoona with 2:40 remaining in the initial period.
The Bisons would score ten in the second quarter thanks to two three pointers from senior Ben Johnson, only to have Altoona hit for eleven to take a four point half time lead, 20-16.
Clearfield actually went out in front to start the second stanza on a three by Johnson and a two pointer by Chad Zurat to go in the lead at 11-9.
Altoona countered with Joe Mooney coming off of the bench to score four in the second to keep the Lions out in front the rest of the way.
Both squads played an even third period, each scoring nine points. Campman hit a three at the 7:40 mark to pull the Bisons to within one at 20-19. At one point Altoona would have an eight point margin at 29-21 but Zurat and Johnson scored a bucket apiece to pull Clearfield closer, 29-25, after three quarters were in the books.
Then, just like Friday night in their loss to Harmony, Clearfield went frigid on the offensive end, scoring just five points in the final eight minutes of battle. Altoona would hang another eleven points on the scoreboard to win by the ten point bulge.
The Mountain Lions were 7 of 17 from the free throw line while Clearfield had just four attempts, making three. In fact, Zurat was the only Bison to get to the line.
Clearfield had only three players, all seniors, put points up on the evening as Campman had 11, Johnson 10 and Zurat 9.
It was the final game at the Arthur J. Weiss Gymnasium for the following Bison seniors: Johnson, Campman, Zurat, Jason Bowman, Curtis Bell and Luke Peterson.
Altoona had two players in double figures as Juliann Howsare hit for 11 and teammate Johnson knocking in ten.
In junior varsity action it was Clearfield beating the young Mountain Lions 39-24.
The Bisons now must wait for Saturday, March 6, when they play Bradford for the District 9 AAA Championship at Clarion. The time of the Bisons-Owls contest has yet to be announced. Bradford beat Clearfield twice during the regular season, 60-25 and 61-38. Both teams advance to the PIAA State Playoffs with the loser having to play in a “play-in” game.
Campman spoke about the upcoming difficult 12 day layoff before the District title game against Bradford, “We definitely will try to create game situations in our practice sessions. We will play periods straight up just like a game. If we can turn it up a notch over what we did tonight then I feel we can compete against a team like Bradford.”
ALTOONA – Deron Lee 0 4-9 4, Danny Moyer 0 1-3 1, Robert Johnson 5 0-0 10, Juliann Howsare 5 1-2 11, Rafeek Barnes 1 0-0 2, Joe Mooney 3 0-0 6, Tyler Lingafelt 2 1-3 6, Josh Adams 0 0-0 0. TOTALS – 16 7-17 40
CLEARFIELD – Ben Johnson 4 0-0 10, Trey Campman 5 0-0 11, Chad Zurat 3 3-4 9, John Mellgard 0 0-0 0, Jason Bowman 0 0-0 0, Curtis Bell 0 0-0 0, Andrew Redden 0 0-0 0, Curtis Frye 0 0-0 0, Luke Peterson 0 0-0 0, TOTALS – 12 3-4 30
SCORE BY QUARTERS
ALTOONA 9 11 9 11 40
CLEARFIELD 6 10 9 5 30
THREE-POINTERS: ALTOONA – 1 Lingafelt CLEARFIELD – 3 Johnson 2, Campman
OFFICIALS: Bud Bifano, Ron Kerlin and Roddy Hartle