CLARION — Kendall Sankey stuck back an offensive rebound for the first points of the night.

Moniteau would never see the lead again as Redbank Valley scored the game’s next seven points. It limited the Warriors to 10 points in the first half and cruised to a 56-37 victory in the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference girls basketball title contest Saturday night at Tippin Gymnasium on the campus of Clarion University.

“We weren’t aggressive enough in the first half. That’s on me,” Moniteau coach Dee Arblaster said. “I made that adjustment way too late.”

The Warriors (18-6) turned the ball over 23 times on the night, including 15 in the first half. The Warriors had just two more field goal attempts (17) than turnovers in the first two quarters, sinking only three field goals.

“Our plan was to change up defenses on them,” Redbank coach Chris Edmonds said. “We switched up our zone looks, then went to a box-and-one. It seemed to slow them down.”

Arblaster had a different take.

“We beat ourselves tonight,” she said. “Turnovers have been a problem all year. I wish I had an answer as to why, but I don’t. They just keep happening.

“We needed to drive to the hoop, attack the basket more with Catherine (Kelly). That would have opened some other things up. We started doing it in the second half and it was effective for us.”

The Bulldogs (23-1) — winners of 16 consecutive games — had a 22-10 lead by halftime. The margin reached 41-23 when Alivia Huffman sank a layup 42 seconds into the third quarter.

Moniteau answered with its best flurry of the night. Abbey Jewart sank a trey, Kelly a short jumper and Allie Pry a trey, suddenly pulling the Warriors within 43-31 with 5:48 still on the clock.

Edmonds and the Bulldogs had an answer, however.

“They were forced to play man and Mylee (Harmon) and Alivia play so well together against that defense, we let them close out the game,” the Redbank coach said.

Harmon and Huffman combined for five layups — off assists from each other — in the last five minutes as the final 19-point margin of victory was Redbank’s largest lead of the game.

Harmon was named Player of the Game as she tallied 18 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Huffman had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Caylen Rearick contributed 11 points.

Kelly had 13 points and three rebounds for the Warriors. Pry had 12 points, Sankey 11 rebounds.

Redbank Valley won its second successive KSAC Championship.

“That’s a very good team,” Arblaster said. “They are big, athletic and deep. He (Edmonds) can bring another five off the bench and not lose anything. They’re just really good.”

The Bulldogs defeated Moniteau for the third time this season. The Warriors have not scored as many as 40 points in any of those games.

“If we win our first playoff game, it’s likely we’ll see them again,” Arblaster said.

MONITEAU 37

Abbey Jewart 1-6 0-0 3, Catherine Kelly 6-15 1-2 13, Autumn Stewart 0-0 1-2 1, Allie Pry 4-6 1-2 12, Davina Pry 1-2 1-2 3, Kendall Sankey 2-8 1-2 5. Totals: 14-37 5-10 37.

REDBANK VALLEY 56

Kira Bonanno 1-1 1-2 3, Adyson Bond 2-2 0-0 4, Caylen Rearick 4-10 0-0 11, Isabella Bond 1-1 0-0 3, Mylee Harmon 8-17 0-0 18, Alivia Huffman 7-15 0-0 14, Brooklyn Edmonds 1-4 1-2 3, Quinn White 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 24-52 2-4 56.

Moniteau 4 6 13 14 — 37

Redbank Valley 9 13 17 17 — 56

3-point goals: Moniteau 4 (Jewart, A.Pry 3), Redbabk Valley 6 (Rearick 3, I.Bond, Huffman 2)

Feb. 28: District 9 2A playoffs-Coudersport vs. Moniteau @ Brockway