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By Andy Stine
astine@altoonamirror.com
Foul trouble was a common problem for Bishop Guilfoyle Academy and Clearfield on Friday evening.
It makes it a little less of a problem to have when a team like the Lady Marauders has as much depth as they do. BG was given everything it could handle as it outlasted Clearfield, 58-55, at the Pleasant Valley Gymnasium in BG's 10th Annual Sideline Cancer game.
Both teams had key players in the game foul out in the fourth quarter. BG's Morgan Ruggery had 24 points when she exited with 2:11 left in the game. Clearfield's Sonny Diehl had 19 points before picking up her fifth foul with over six minutes to play.
It was hard enough for the Lady Bison, who had only nine players available on Friday night with a couple more dealing with injury and sickness.
"Any time one of my starters fouls out, it's a big deal for us," Clearfield coach Melissa Helsel said. "Our girls picked up the pace and they knew they had to fill those gaps. We don't have the deep bench that some of these teams in the Laurel Highlands have, and it showed tonight.
"If Sonny is in this game for the last six minutes, it might be a different story. We're happy to be here and to have this type of competition."
Clearfield only played six players in the game, and the only substitute didn't come into the game until the middle of the third quarter.
BG coach Kristi Kaack acknowledged how tough it is to play with low numbers such as Clearfield, but it still isn't surprising to her to see the Lady Bison playing well. The Lady Marauders battled to a four-point win in Clearfield in December.
"Those starters are tough," Kaack said. "They have length. They have size. They have speed. They have pretty much everything you would want in a team. Even though they have small numbers, they're very complete. When we played at their place, we got up big early and they fought their way back in it. We knew it would be no different tonight."
Clearfield held a 45-41 lead after an Eve Helsel three to open the fourth quarter, but BG took the lead back later at 48-47 on a Maurie Querry bucket.
Ruggery committed her fifth foul with her team up 52-49 with 2:11 left, but there was no panic from the Lady Marauders' bench.
"I think that's just how confident we are in everyone on the floor," Kaack said. "We feel like whoever we put out there is able to get the job done."
BG's Hannah Homan and Querry both hit a pair of huge free throws to keep the game at three points in the final 20 seconds.
Clearfield had one last desperation attempt for a three to tie it, but two attempts hit off the rim to set the final.
"I knew they would be aggressive, so I think I just came into it knowing I needed to match it," Ruggery said. "Maurie and Hannah hit some really key free throws at the end. That was really exciting."
Bishop Guilfoyle will finish up the regular season with a home game Saturday with Bellefonte before going to Penns Valley on Monday.
CLEARFIELD (55): Diehl 5 9-12 19, E. Helsel 8 6-7 26, Glunt 1 0-0 2, M. Helsel 1 0-0 2, Hudson 2 1-3 6, Natoli 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 17 16-22 55.
BISHOP GUILFOYLE (58): Williams 3 0-2 7, Querry 4 4-4 12, Ruggery 8 8-9 24, Petrecca 3 0-0 7, Haigh 0 0-0 0, Yeskey 1 2-2 4, Homan 1 2-2 4, Gofus 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 20 16-19 58.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Clearfield 15 8 19 13 -- 55
Bishop Guilfoyle 19 9 13 17 -- 58
3-point goals: Clearfield 5 (E. Helsel 4, Hudson), Bishop Guilfoyle 2 (Williams, Petrecca).
Records: Clearfield (13-5); Bishop Guilfoyle (18-2).
JV: Bishop Guilfoyle, 51-30. High scorers: Hite, BG, 25; Helsel, C, 12.