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Penns Manor able to hold off pesky Heights in Heritage semifinals

By Rick Weaver

For The Mirror

PATTON — Cambria Heights coach Eric Thomas knew the Highlanders had a tough task at hand.

The Highlanders fell behind early, and never fully recovered in their 54-40 loss against Penns Manor in the Heritage Conference girls’ basketball semifinal Monday night before a boisterous crowd at Cambria Heights High School.

Penns Manor faces undefeated River Valley in the title game at 6 p.m. Friday at IUP. The Highlanders have two games remaining before the start of the District 6 Class 3A tournament.

One of the Comets’ goals was to take away the 3-point shooting of Gracey Vinglish.

The Cambria Heights senior, who scored 40 points on Friday night against Portage, managed to get only 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. She finished with nine points.

“Credit to their defense. They had a good scouting report. They knew what to take away from us,” Thomas said.

“Coming into tonight we talked about playing disciplined. Obviously they have a number of girls who are capable of scoring,” Penns Manor coach Jason Miloser said. “We really focused on trying to take away Vinglish from the outside, and doing a better job of pressuring them on the outside and taking that 3-point line away from them.”

Cambria Heights led only once, 3-0, on Vinglish’s only 3-pointer of the night. The Comets forced 16 turnovers and prevented the Highlanders from establishing a rhythm.

“When you’re playing a team like Penns Manor and trying to play catch-up, it’s awfully tough because once they get that lead, they’re so confident with the ball,” Thomas said.

Penns Manor forced the Highlanders to play a more hurried pace, Thomas said.

“Some of those (turnovers) came when we were trying to rush and we were having to come from behind. It changes your game,” he said.

The Comets assumed a 21-12 lead at the 2:17 mark of the second period. Cambria Heights ran off eight consecutive points, including six by Sienna Kirsch, to trim the difference to 21-20. A field goal by Allie Mumau just before the buzzer put Penns Manor back in front, 23-20, at the intermission.

“When Sienna does drive, she can finish it and find the other girls as well,” Miloser said.

Alyssa Altemus led all players with 24 points. She made 9-of-14 at the free throw line. Mumau grabbed six rebounds and blocked five shots.

Back-to-back 3-point field goals by Summer Fennell and Josslyn Bennett put the Comets back in front by nine, 29-20, with 1:43 gone in the second half. Cambria Heights stayed inside the 10-point deficit by the end of three quarters.

“It seemed as though any time Cambria Heights put on a little run, Alyssa did such a great job of stepping up and making the big play. And her teammates responded,” Miloser said.

Penns Manor made good on 15 of 25 free throws.

Kirsch’s 22 points paced the Highlanders. The senior also led all players with nine rebounds and was the only Cambria Heights player who took free throws. She made 5-of-7. Junior Kinley Rogal made three steals.

“Allie did a pretty good job of making it tough on Sienna. But she’s such a great player. She was able to score,” Miloser said.

PENNS MANOR (54): Altemus 7 9-14 24, Bertolino 2 1-2 5, Bennett 2 2-2 8, Fennell 3 0-0 8, Mumau 3 3-8 9, Henry 0 0-0 0, Gillo 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 15-25 53.

CAMBRIA HEIGHTS (40): Kirsch 8 5-7 22, Dutko 2 0-0 5, Vinglish 4 0-0 9. Rogal 1 0-0 2, Bender 1 0-0 2, L.Karlheim 0 0 0-0. Totals 16 5-7 40.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Penns Manor 15 8 12 19 — 54

Cambria Heights 9 11 6 14 — 40

3-point field goals: Penns Manor 5 (Bennett 2, Fennell 2, Altemus), Cambria Heights 3 (Dutko, Kirsch, Vinglish).

Officials: Ab Dettore, Jim McLoughlin, Doug Steve.

Team records: Penns Manor (19-3), Cambria Heights (15-6).

Mustangs downed

BLAIRSVILLE — Portage fell to undefeated River Valley, 57-21, in a Heritage Conference semifinal game.

The Lady Mustangs (11-10), down 23-8 after one quarter, got eight points from Kendall Bednarski.

River Valley (23-0) got 17 points from Aleesia Lamantia and 16 points from Ava Persichetti.

PORTAGE (21): Noll 0 0-0 0, Myher 0 1-2 1, C. Burkett 1 0-0 2, Bagby 1 0-2 2, Bednarski 3 0-0 8, B. Burkett 1 0-0 2, Stancovich 0 0-2 0, Irvin 0 0-0 0, Burda 1 3-4 6, Noel 0 0-0 0, Myers 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0, Offman 0 0-0 0. Totals — 7 4-10 21.

RIVER VALLEY (57): Persichetti 7 2-2 16, Dunlap 3 0-0 7, Kitner 3 2-2 9, Lamantia 6 4-6 17, Cole 2 0-0 4, Twinchek 1 0-0 2, Cole 1 0-1 2, Artley 0 0-0 0, Clawson 0 0-0 0, Kibler 0 0-0 0. Totals — 22 8-11 57.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Portage 8 3 8 2 — 21

River Valley 23 16 8 10 — 57

3-point goals: Portage 3 (Bednarski 2, Burda); River Valley 3 (Dunlap, Kitner, Lamantia).

Records: Portage (11-10); River Valley (23-0).

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