Basketball

Weimert’s energy fuels unbeaten Lady Tigers

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

TYRONE -- Sophomore guard Makenna Weimert is an unsung hero of sorts on the undefeated Hollidaysburg Lady Tigers basketball team this season.

"She gets after it not only on the basketball court but on the volleyball court as well,'' Hollidaysburg coach Deanna Jubeck said of Weimert.

"Her energy and enthusiasm starts from the second that the ball goes up all the way until the end of the game. She really brings a lot of drive to our team and she does good things for the team that don't always show up in the newspaper.''

Weimert also makes her share of contributions in the box score as well, though. She certainly did Monday night, scoring a game-high 20 points, including 12 in a first quarter that Hollidaysburg used as a springboard to a 59-22 victory over Tyrone at the Tyrone Middle School gymnasium.

Hollidaysburg carried the first quarter, 21-9, en route to improving its overall season record to 14-0 and its Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference mark to 13-0.

The Golden Tigers used pressure defense to force multiple steals that turned into buckets in the opening eight minutes, and Weimert was front and center in Hollidaysburg's production.

"That's what we've been practicing over the past weekend -- getting after it with our full-court press and playing tough defense,'' Jubeck said.

Junior guard Bella Vent -- who scored 19 points for the Lady Tigers -- started the scoring with a layup after a Hollidaysburg steal, then hit two free throws to give the Lady Tigers a 4-0 lead.

Weimert followed by making the next two buckets before Tyrone responded with a field goal from sophomore Amariah Sprankle and one of two free throws from sophomore Claire Lehman to make it an 8-3 game.

Vent followed with one of two free throws and Weimert hit a runner from the key, then converted a steal into a layup, and an inside shot for another field goal, as Hollidaysburg surged ahead, 15-3.

A bucket by sophomore forward Clare Padamonsky, a Vent jumper, and another steal and layup by Weimert closed out the Hollidaysburg scoring in the first period.

"We came out strong at the start, and we worked as a team,'' Weimert said. "On offense, we focused on our passing and rebounding, and on defense, we were getting in front of their passes and working hard for layups.''

Leading 25-11 at halftime, Hollidaysburg expanded its advantage to 37-17 after three quarters. Hollidaysburg ruled the fourth period, 22-5, to pull away.

"They're definitely a really good ballclub,'' first-year Tyrone girls coach Mike Whitling said of the Lady Tigers. "We did a few things that were out of character for us -- I think that our effort could have been better tonight.''

With Padamonsky -- who scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds -- and senior forward Samantha Shoemker also corralling 10 rebounds, Hollidaysburg fashioned a 38-16 edge on the boards.

"We couldn't get them boxed out all night long,'' Whitling said of the Lady Tigers, who host Central Cambria in a conference game Wednesday night.

Tyrone (3-11 overall, 2-10 in the conference) was led by sophomore Laney Woomer's eight points and freshman Brielle Parker's six rebounds.

Hollidaysburg converted 23 of its 56 floor shots for a 42 percent clip, while Tyrone made just eight of 39 for 21 percent.

"We just couldn't capitalize and put the ball in the hoop tonight,'' said Whitling, whose team hosts Philipsburg-Osceola Thursday night in a conference game.

After logging an undefeated regular-season record last year and reaching the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals, Hollidaysburg is right on target to match that, or do better, this season.

"We're getting good minutes out of both of our guards and our posts,'' Jubeck said. "We're just going to aim to keep improving for March.''

HOLLIDAYSBURG (59): Vent 5 8-9 19, Shoemaker 1 1-4 3, DiPangrazio 0 0-0 0, Stevenson 1 0-0 3, Weimert 9 2-3 20, Padamonsky 5 0-0 10, Sidney 1 0-0 2, Steiner 1 0-0 2, Lear 0 0-0 0. Totals - 23 11-16 59 .

TYRONE (22): Paul 0 0-0 0, Greene 2 0-0 4, Woomer 3 0-0 8, Lehman 0 3-6 3, Sprankle 1 0-0 2, Parker 1 0-2 2, Crowell 1 0-0 3, Newlin 0 0-0 0, Volders 0 0-0 0, Eades 0 0-0 0, Naylor 0 0-0 0. Totals - 8 3-8 22.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Hollidaysburg 21 4 12 22--59

Tyrone 9 2 6 5--22

3-point goals: Hollidaysburg 2 (Vent, Stevenson); Tyrone 3 (Woomer 2, Crowell).

Records: Hollidaysburg (14-0 overall, 13-0 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference); Tyrone (3-11, 2-10).

Officials: Bill Pfeffer, Skip Dry, Brandon Hoover.

JV: Hollidaysburg, 48-35. High scorers--Kate Steiner, H, 18; Elise Volders, T, 10.