GAME ONE:
CURWENSVILLE – Has anyone ever heard of a high school basketball game being played half in one gym and town and half in another gym and town? Well, that’s exactly what happened in the Curwensville-West Branch girls basketball game that was started back on Friday, January 14 at West Branch High School and wrapped up Thursday evening in Curwensville’s gym.
After the Lady Warriors (9-9) took a 34-17 lead into halftime at their own gym, the game was delayed due to a health concern that occurred at the West Branch High School. The teams agreed to conclude the game in Curwensville (5-12), and then play four more quarters of basketball to complete both contests.
After a commanding halftime lead, West Branch cruised to a 64-26 victory in the first game. Jenna Mertz led all scorers with 32 points in the contest, with teammate Katrina Cowder adding double-figures to her own credit with 12, including 4-4 from the free-throw line. Sarah Guglielmi was the third Lady Warrior in double-figures with 10 points on the evening.
Curwensville had a tough go of it in the second-half of game number one, scoring just nine points as a team as the cushion the Lady Warriors built for themselves was not something the Lady Tide could overcome.
Lady Tide senior Alyssa Bakaysa led Curwensville in the scoring department with nine points. Skylar Pentz followed Bakaysa with four tallies. Karleigh Freyer and Austyn Guiher added three each. Kyra Henry, Jaiden Weber, and Savannah Carfley each added two points. Rounding out the scoring was Joslynne Freyer who connected on one of two free throws in the game.
WEST BRANCH – 64
Jenna Mertz 10 0-1 32, Katrina Cowder 4 4-4 12, Erin Godin 1 0-1 5, Hannah Betts 1 0-0 2, Ally Shingledecker 0 0-0 3, Kayleigh Smeal 0 0-0 0, Sarah Guglielmi 5 0-0 10, Montana Williams 0 0-0 0, Dawn Glover 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 21 4-6 64.
CURWENSVILLE – 26
Alyssa Bakaysa 3 3-4 9, Joslynne Freyer 0 1-2 1, Austyn Guiher 0 0-0 3 Skylar Pentz 2 0-0 4, Karleigh Freyer 1 1-2 3, Kyra Henry 1 0-0 2, Jaiden Weber 1 0-0 2, Savannah Carfley 1 0-0 2, Janelle Passmore 0 0-0 0, Brooklyn Price 0 0-0 0, Addison Butler 0 0-0 0, Rachelle Anderson 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 9 5-9 26.
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
WEST BRANCH 22 12 17 13 64.
CURWENSVILLE 8 9 5 4 26.
THREE-POINTERS: WEST BRANCH – 6 Mertz 4, Godin 1, Shingledecker 1. CURWENSVILLE – 1 Guiher 1.
GAME TWO:
CURWENSVILLE – Game number two of the evening was a much tighter contest, but the Lady Warriors (10-9) were able to come away with their second victory of the night in a 45-30 win over Curwensville (5-13).
The Lady Tide’s slow start of just two points to their credit in the first quarter was something they could not overcome as Jenna Mertz continued her scoring barrage with 21 more points to her credit to lead all scorers.
An 11-2 run to open the game and a 21-13 halftime lead proved to be a difference maker as West Branch built on their eight point advantage in the second-half to cruise to another convincing victory.
Katrina Cowder and Erin Godin narrowly missed out on double-digits in the scoring column with nine points each to their credit. Sarah Guglielmi rounded out the scoring for the visiting team with six points to her credit.
Curwensville’s Alyssa Bakaysa once again led the Lady Tide in scoring as she scored 11 points, including seven in the second quarter. Sylar Pentz followed Bakaysa with nine tallies for the game. Austyn Guiher chipped in eight points of her own for the game, with teammate Savannah Carfley rounding out the scoring for the home team with two points.
The Lady Tide are once again in action on Friday night as they take on Harmony for the second time this week. Curwensville secured a 47-26 win on Monday, February 7 in Westover. With no junior-varsity contest, the varsity game between Curwensville and Harmony will tip at 6:00 p.m. from Curwensville High School.
WEST BRANCH – 45
Jenna Mertz 7 4-6 21, Katrina Cowder 2 2-2 9, Erin Godin 3 0-0 9, Hannah Betts 0 0-0 0, Ally Shingledecker 0 0-0 0, Kayleigh Smeal 0 0-0 0, Sarah Guglielmi 3 0-0 6. TOTALS 15 6-8 45.
CURWENSVILLE – 30
Alyssa Bakaysa 4 3-5 11, Austyn Guiher 4 0-2 8 Skylar Pentz 3 0-0 9, Karleigh Freyer 0 0-0 0, Kyra Henry 0 0-0 0, Jaiden Weber 0 0-0 0, Savannah Carfley 1 0-0 2, Rachelle Anderson 0 0-2 0. TOTALS 12 3-9 30.
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
WEST BRANCH 11 10 11 13 45.
CURWENSVILLE 2 11 8 9 30.
THREE-POINTERS: WEST BRANCH – 3 Mertz 1, Godin 1, Cowder 1. CURWENSVILLE – 1 Pentz 1.