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Hayward leads Blue to win

JOHNSTOWN — There wasn’t much drama in either contest during Sunday’s 12th annual Ameriserv Senior Hoops Showcase, but the fans at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center witnessed a pair of record-breaking team performances that contained numerous outstanding individual efforts by members of the all-star squads from Cambria and Somerset counties.

In the opener, the Blue team became the first girls’ squad to hit the century mark in the history of the Showcase in a 102-57 rout of the Red. That was followed by a spectacular Red boys’ team display, as an array of 3-pointers and crowd-pleasing dunks fueled a 148-100 victory over the Blue.

The Blue girls scored the first nine points of the day and never trailed again, opening up a 15-point lead at the end of the first quarter that steadily expanded the rest of the way.

“Our goals going into this game were to score 100 points, work hard, and have fun. We were able to achieve all of those,” Blue head coach Keith Saleme of Penn Cambria said.

Central Cambria’s McKenna Hayward scored a game-high 23 points, while adding six rebounds and four steals to earn MVP honors.

“We were all used to playing against each other, but since our team was mainly from the Laurel Highlands (Athletic) Conference, we knew we could play at a fast pace since we all play that same style,” Hayward said. “I just wanted to have fun and play a good game, and I was glad to go out with a bang in my last high school game.”

Bishop Carroll’s Anna Haigh contributed 12 points and nine rebounds for the Blue team, which also got 11 points from Carly Stigers of Forest Hills and 10 from Penn Cambria’s Makalyn Clapper.

The Red girls were paced by Windber’s Marideth Tokarsky’s 14 points.

A big shot was turned in by Clapper, who buried a 3 from the wing with just under 10 seconds left in the game to put her team over the coveted 100-point plateau.

The outcome of the subsequent boys’ matchup was likewise decided well before the end of regulation time, but the lack of drama was countered by numerous highlight-reel plays as the squads combined for 30 made 3-pointers and 20 high-flying dunks.

Red head coach Robert Snyder of Shanksville got the win in his final appearance, as the longtime mentor is retiring after 25 years of coaching.

“It’s a little sad to be moving on, but that’s life, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity I’ve had over the years,” he said.

Greater Johnstown’s Dewayne Jones put on a show for the Red, as he earned MVP honors with a game-high 37 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and seven spectacular dunks

“This MVP was thanks to my team,” Jones said. “We were making shots, moving the ball, and finding whoever was open.”

North Star’s Noah Pyles added 23 points.

Despite coming out on the short end of the score, Forest Hills head coach Dom Vescovi was appreciative to have one more game with four of his Ranger players on the Blue team.

“This was a lot of fun, our guys liked the pace of the game even though we didn’t hit enough shots to keep it close.” Forest Hills’s Adam Cecere led the Blue with 22 points and eight rebounds, including four dunks. “We had a good time, it was good to just get up and down the court and throw down some dunks in our last high school game.”

The boys’ contest was competitive early on, as a layup by Liam Wholaver of Cambria Heights pulled Blue within 20-16 late in the first quarter. However, the Red squad took command in the second behind Jones and Pyles. Both of them scored 15 points each in the second quarter as Red put up a whopping 45 in the period for a 67-46 halftime lead.

GIRLS

BLUE 102, RED 57

BLUE (102): Sheesley 3 0-0 9, Koeck 2 0-0 4, Haigh 5 1-2 12, Yahner 3 1-2 8, Stigers 4 0-0 11, Hayward 11 1-2 23, Hockenos 4 0-0 8, Wess 3 0-0 6, Shriver 2 0-0 4, Clapper 4 1-2 10, Harvey 3 0-0 7. Totals: 44 4-8 102.

RED (57): Custer 1 0-0 3, Harding 3 0-0 7, Platt 1 0-0 3, Stutzman 1 0-0 3, Smith 2 2-2 6, Spinelli 1 0-0 3, Tokarsky 7 0-0 14, Hoffman 2 0-2 4, Cominsky 1 2-3 4, Roman 4 1-1 10. Totals: 23 5-10 57.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Blue 28 26 22 26 — 102

Red 13 15 14 15 — 57

Three-point field goals: Blue 10 (Sheesley 3, Stigers 3, Haigh, Yahner, Clapper, Harvey). Red 6 (Custer, Harding, Platt, Stutzman, Spinelli, Roman)

BOYS

RED 148, BLUE 100

BLUE (100): Gdula 2 0-2 4, Seidel 0 0-0 0, Hauser 6 0-0 14, Schrock 4 0-0 10, Instone 6 0-0 14, Frank 1 0-0 3, Semelsberger 4 0-0 9, Melnyk 3 0-0 6, Wholaver 2 0-0 5, Chunta 4 0-0 9, Cecere 10 0-0 22, McCleester 0 0-0 0, Simmons 1 0-0 2, Spangler 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 44 0-2 100.

RED (148): DeBlase 5 0-0 11, Fyfe 6 0-0 15, D. Snyder 3 1-2 8, Mauger 2 0-0 5, Addleman 5 0-0 13, Hay 1 0-0 3, Pyles 10 1-2 23, Jones 18 0-4 37, G. Snyder 4 0-0 9, Kaseler 2 2-2 6, Emert 3 0-0 8, Moore 2 0-0 5, Schrock 2 0-0 5. Totals: 63 4-10 148.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Blue 16 30 24 30 — 100

Red 22 45 41 40 — 148

Three-point field goals: Blue 12 (Hauser 2, Schrock 2, Instone 2, Cecere 2, Frank, Semelsberger, Wholaver, Chunta). Red 18 (Fyfe 3, Addleman 3, Pyles 2, Emert 2, DeBlase, D. Snyder, Mauger, Hay, Jones, G. Snyder, Moore, Schrock).

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