District 9 boys basketball playoffs: Hot start pushes Cranberry past Karns City
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Karns City's Owen Kaufman (1) defends against Cranberry in the District 9 Class 3A boys basketball semifinals Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at Clarion High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Keagan Schrecengost (44) shoots a free-throw against Cranberry in the District 9 Class 3A boys basketball semifinals Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at Clarion High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Cole Johnston (11) drives towards the basket against Cranberry in the District 9 Class 3A boys basketball semifinals Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at Clarion High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Shane Peters (55) glances at the scoreboard during a timeout in the final quarter against Cranberry in the District 9 Class 3A boys basketball semifinals Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at Clarion High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
CLARION — Cranberry Area had an explosive first quarter and, despite Karns City’s best efforts, rode that lead the rest of the way in their 69-52 win over the Gremlins at Clarion Area High School Friday night.
Karns City put up a respectable 14 points in that first frame, but the combination of Blake Marchinke and Cole Findlay proved to be too much.
Marchinke took matters into his own hands early and often, putting up 13 first quarter points and did not miss a shot until the second.
“As Blake goes we go, that’s the truth.” Cranberry coach Joe McIntyre said. “Blake works awfully hard. Not only on offense but on defense he plays his heart out and he’s a leader for everybody.”
Findlay followed behind him with seven points of his own, springing the Berries out to a 28-14 lead.
“We definitely had a slow start tonight, they played really well. Cranberry shot the lights out in the first half. They hustled, they did a lot of really good things,” Karns City coach Zach Kepple said. “Credit to our guys, they could’ve hung their head being down that much at the end of the first, but they continued to battle the whole game and never gave up. I’m proud of the way the guys fought tonight.”
After the Berries added to their lead and took a 20-point advantage into the break, the Gremlins brought back some hope at the start of the third quarter with three made 3-pointers from Gus Harmon and Cole Johnston.
“At halftime we talked more about playing with energy,” Kepple said. “We’ve got to be flying around trying to get turnovers and we’ll take the first good look we have.”
Karns City would go on to outscore the Berries in the second half, but the early deficit could not be made up and the Gremlins saw their season come to an end.
“Started off slow, started playing really good basketball towards the end of the season,” Kepple said. “I am proud of our guys. We fought hard all season.”
KARNS CITY 14 8 16 14 — 52
CRANBERRY 28 14 13 14 — 69
KARNS CITY 52
Keegan Schrecongost 0 1-2 1, Shane Peters 7 5-7 19, Cole Johnston 6 1-4 15, Gus Harmon 4 0-0 10, Owen Kauffman 0 4-4 4, Jacob Jones 1 0-0 3
CRANBERRY 69
Landon Baker 4 0-0 8, Cole Findlay 11 2-3 24, Blake Marchinke 6 2-6 15, Jake McCloskey 0 0-0 0, Nico Blauser 4 0-0 9, Connor Morrow 5 0-0 11, Shia Sanchez 1 0-0 2.
3-point goals: Karns City 5 (Johnston 2, Harmon 2, Jones); Cranberry 3 (Marchinke, Blauser, Morrow)
