CURWENSVILLE — The Johnsonburg Rams invaded Patton Hall and quickly proved to the Curwensville fans why they are ranked No. 6 in the Harrisburg PennLive PIAA Class A boys basketball rankings despite three losses by erupting for 53 points in the first half.
Senior guards Cole Peterson and Cameron Grumley, named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class A All-State Team after Johnsonburg’s run to the PIAA finals last season, combined for 45 points as the Rams bounced the Golden Tide 81-31 in Allegheny Mountain League action.
The senior guards came into the week as the top two pointmakers in District 9, Grumley with 393 and Peterson with 374.
Peterson fired in all 26 of his points, including six 3-pointers, in the first two quarters, while Grumley finished with 16 points and 6-4 sophomore Kevin Benson added 11.
Curwensville (8-7, 3-5 AML-South) kept it respectable through the first period, trailing 26-16, but Johnsonburg only increased the pressure in the next eight minutes to race to a 54-21 cushion.
The Golden Tide had surrendered more than 56 points in only two games, with a high of 67 by Elk County Catholic on January 14.
The 17-3 Rams, whose losses were by one point to ECC, two points to DuBois Central Catholic and 77-59 to No. 1-ranked Lincoln Park (17-1), then outscored the Golden Tide 19-2 in the third quarter en route to capping their AML North Division slate at 8-2.
Curwensville got nine points from Brett Gardner on a trio of three-pointers.
The Golden Tide jayvees posted a 43-24 victory behind Jake Terry’s 12 points.
Curwensville will begin a four-game week with a trip to Sheffield Tuesday.
Allegheny Mountain League Standings:
South Division – Ridgway 7-2, DuBois Central Catholic 6-3, Curwensville 3-5, Brockway 0-9.
North Division – Elk County Catholic 8-1, Johnsonburg 8-2, Kane 2-5, Sheffield 1-8.
JOHNSONBURG — 81
Christian Cherry 2 0-0 4, Cameron Grumley 5 6-8 19, Kevin Benson 4 3-4 11, Cole Peterson 10 0-0 26, Mason Walters 1 0-0 2, Jesse Tucker 1 0-0 3, Brian Feronti 1 0-0 2, Nate Burgeson 1 0-0 2, Taylor Feronti 3 0-0 6, Zane Hodgdon 3 0-0 6. TOTALS: 31 9-12 81.
CURWENSVILLE — 31
Brett Gardner 3 0-0 9, Tanner Elensky 1 1-1 3, Kyle Johns 3 0-0 6, Trey Rauckhorst 0 0-0 0, Alex Olson 0 0-0 0, Austin Jacobson 2 0-0 4, Jake Terry 1 0-0 3, Nate Kurtz 0 0-0 0, Bryce McClure 0 0-0 0, Noah Strickland 1 0-0 3, R.J. Olson 1 0-0 3, Jonathan Miller 0 0-0 0, Dylan Davis 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 1-1 31.
Three-Point Field Goals – Johnsonburg 10 (Grumley 3, Peterson 6, Tucker); Curwensville 6 (Gardner 3, Terry, Strickland, R.J. Olson).
Score by Quarters
Johnsonburg 25 28 19 9 – 81
Curwensville 16 5 2 8 – 31
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/06 | MO VALLEY | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 12/09 | @ Clearfield | 56 – 38 | 1 – 0 |
| 12/10 | BROCKWAY | 54 – 51 | 2 – 0 |
| 12/13 | @ Ridgway | 25 – 46 | 2 – 1 |
| 12/16 | WEST BRANCH | 63 – 52 | 3 – 1 |
| 12/19 | @ Harmony | 68 – 31 | 4 – 1 |
| 12/20 | @ Kane | 47 – 54 ot | 4 – 2 |
| 01/03 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | 63 – 55 | 5 – 2 |
| 01/08 | @ Mo Valley | 61 – 44 | 6 – 2 |
| 01/14 | @ Elk County | 38 – 67 | 6 – 3 |
| 01/16 | @ Glendale | 55 – 56 ot | 6 – 4 |
| 01/21 | RIDGWAY | 41 – 56 | 6 – 5 |
| 01/24 | @ Brockway | 51 – 41 | 7 – 5 |
| 01/27 | @ DuBois Central | 55 – 64 | 7 – 6 |
| 01/29 | GLENDALE | 64 – 53 | 8 – 6 |
| 01/31 | JOHNSONBURG | 31 – 81 | 8 – 7 |
| 02/04 | @ Sheffield | ||
| 02/05 | ST. JOE’S ACADEMY | ||
| 02/07 | KANE | ||
| 02/08 | MO VALLEY | ||
| 02/10 | HARMONY | ||
| 02/12 | @ West Branch | ||
| 02/14 | CLEARFIELD |