Upward Trend
CHERRY TWP — Moniteau’s girls basketball team dug itself an early hole by losing the first three games of the season, but the Warriors were able to turn a negative into a positive.
“It motivated us to work even harder in practice,” said sophomore forward Davina Pry. “We’ve come a long way since then.”
Wednesday’s 50-28 KSAC victory over winless Cranberry was the Warriors’ fourth straight win and clinched a District 9 playoff berth for Moniteau (11-7).
The Warriors are 11-4 since the rough beginning to the campaign. The team has three games remaining in the regular season against Redbank Valley, North Clarion and Karns City.
“We need to continue to play well,” said Moniteau coach Dee Arblaster. “Whether we win or lose, we need to keep improving.”
The team’s starting lineup has been set for a while and includes guards Catherine Kelly and Abbey Jewart and forwards Davina Pry, Victoria Pry and Kendall Sankey.
Victoria Pry is a senior, the other four are sophomores, but the quintet has jelled well as a varsity lineup after the graduation of Aslyn Pry, who is now starring at Butler County Community College.
“We’ve been playing together since elementary school, so there’s a lot of chemistry there,” Davina Pry said of the group of sophomores. “It’s had a lot to do with our success.”
Kelly scored 16 in Wednesday’s win and Davina Pry added 11. The duo also leads Moniteau in rebounds per game at 6.5 and 7.4, respectively.
Arblaster said rebounding is where her team has made the most improvement since the start of the season.
Note: As part of Military Appreciation Night, 1994 Moniteau graduate Tana Willetts Frangioni was posthumously honored prior to the game. She served 25 years in the U.S. Air Force. She died from injuries suffered in a car crash in 2019.
CRANBERRY 28
Maddy Buryak 2 0-2 4, Ayanna Ferringer 4 3-4 11, Rylee Coe 1 5-8 7, Allie Rembold 1 0-0 2, Keelie Schneider 2 0-0 4. Totals: 10 8-14 28.
MONITEAU 50
Abbey Jewart 2 0-0 6, Catherine Kelly 6 3-3 16, Allie Pry 0 2-4 2, Davina Pry 4 3-7 11, Kendall Sankey 2 0-2 4, Victoria Pry 4 1-1 9, Lucy Hartle 1 0-1 2, Kenzie Arblaster 0 0-2 0. Totals: 19 9-20 50.
Cranberry 3 10 6 9 — 28
Moniteau 12 19 17 2 — 50
3-point goals: Moniteau 3 (Jewart 2, Kelly).
Friday: Moniteau at Redbank Valley
