CLARION — A Covid-chaos season just over a year ago took an intense toll on the Clearfield Bison, but yet through every bit of it, somehow they found a way to win, and bring home a championship. For seven years, each year since head coach Nate Glunt took over, the Bison have been at the top of the heap in District IX. This year, on a chilly night inside the Tippin Gymnasium at Clarion University, the Bison were in a familiar position. For an eighth time, they were battling for a championship. The team they were looking at on the opposing side, a familiar foe in the Punxsutawney Chucks, ready for a spoiler.
That spoiler certainly had a look of reality because Clearfield was not looking like a championship team. Fans, coaches, and even players were not feeling it. Then, suddenly, things happened. Plays got made, shots found the net, confidence built, and the intensity on the hardwood went full-tilt. For 16 minutes, Clearfield looked lost, and couldn’t find it’s way. But after 32 minutes, Glunt and the Bison got handed medals and a trophy, taking a 47-38 victory and their eighth consecutive District IX championship.
Glunt acknowledged the slow start and struggles shooting, but also knew what it took to get the team pointed forward.
“Our team feeds off Cole (Miller) and RG (Ryan Gearhart), Nick Collins also giving us great minutes in that third quarter, that is what we needed. You could tell we were rusty,” he said. “Through the entire first half, Punxy put up 23 points. Through the entire third quarter, and maybe six minutes of the fourth, they scored six.
“It was our defense that made us get the lead, and we finally made some shots.”
Glunt was right on when it came to shooting. The entire first quarter the Bison only managed a pair of buckets, and only another three in the second quarter. Clearfield got a pair of quick timeouts in the first quarter, one called by Glunt with just over five minutes remaining after the Chucks got out to a 9-3 advantage, with the second coming via a media timeout approximately 60 seconds later. Still, Clearfield’s shooting struggles kept them off the scoreboard, as they went only 5-for-22 from the floor in the first 16 minutes, including just 2-for-12 from deep range.
The second half, however, was all about defense, as after Punxsutawney got the opening bucket in the third quarter, Clearfield’s press went to work, and made it easier to chip away at the deficit they were facing.
“We did a great job playing as a team. We’re not going to stop Punxsutawney playing 1-on-1, we have to play as a team, 5-on-5, and we did that much better in the second half,” Glunt said.
That second half surge began with a massive three-point shot by Andon Greslick, and then Miller found an inside dish from Gearhart to cut the lead 25-20. Then, things started happening as Nick Collins got a huge bucket, then Miller got a three to suddenly knot the game up at 25-25. Miller would go to the line shortly after for the first free throws the Bison had the entire game. After a Chucks time out following the first shot being missed, Miller’s second would hit paydirt and Clearfield suddenly went from being down 12 to in the lead.
With that shot, Clearfield’s lead stuck.
Miller let loose in the third quarter, putting up 11 of his game-high 18 points, and accounting for over 65 percent of the offensive output for the Bison in the quarter. Miller finished with a double-double as he pulled in 11 rebounds, plus five assists on the night.
Meanwhile, Punxsutawney could not find anything near the hoop until almost two minutes remained before the buzzer. Clearfield outscored the Chucks 18-4 in the third, and early in the fourth it was more of the same as once Clearfield established a big enough lead, the second-team roster came in to get some playing time.
The Chucks still would play hard, pulling to within single digits, but it was too late to make a run. For Punxsutawney, Gabe Kengersky led the squad with 13 points.
Even with eight championships to his credit, there was a different number that Glunt was looking at.
“It’s one. They are all different, and to get this one is so special,” he said. “To be down 12 points, it seemed like 20. Punxsy came out with a great game plan, and played really well. Thank goodness we came out in the second half and simply out-played them. This one is definitely memorable.”
Now, Clearfield (14-9) heads into the next leg of the post-season as they will face a familiar foe from a year ago, Obama Academy. Clearfield would win that game on the Eagles’ home court, 52-35, despite being down some starters due to illness and protocols. This time, the Bison will have a much clearer advantage as this game will be inside the Bison Gymnasium.
The schools face off Friday, March 4, with a slated tip-off time at 6:30 p.m.
SCORE BY QUARTER
Punxsutawney 11 12 4 11 – 38
Clearfield 5 8 18 16 – 47
Punxsutawney – 38
Ryen Heigley 2 0-0 5, Gabe Kengersky 5 0-2 13, Kyle Nesbitt 2 0-0 4, Noah Weaver 0 0-0 0, Donnie Neese 3 1-2 7, Zach Presloid 0 0-0 0, Jimmy Neese 2 0-0 5, Josh Shoemaker 0 0-0 0, Nick Johns 1 0-0 2, Mason Nesbitt 0 0-0 0, Cooper Hallman 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 16 1-4 38.
Clearfield – 47
Ryan Gearhart 3 1-1 7, Cole Miller 5 5-6 18, Isakk Way 2 0-0 5, Andon Greslick 2 0-0 5, Luke Pallo 1 0-0 3, Nate Natoli 0 0-0 0, Collins 4 1-1 9, Caleb Wilt 0 0-0 0, Kam Kushner 0 0-0 0, Kai Lynch 0 0-0 0, Justin Fletcher 0 0-0 0, Braylen Way 0 0-0 0, Erik Fletcher 0 0-0 0, Cole Bloom 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 17 7-8 47.
GAME STATISTICS
Punxsutawney/Clearfield
Shooting: 16-37/17-40
Rebounds: 13/24
Fouls: 12/11
Turnovers: 15/13
Three-Point Shots: Heigley, Kengersky-3, J. Neese/Miller-3, I. Way, Greslick, Pallo
Officials: Chuck Pasternak, Emory Faith, Scott Sullivan