Philipsburg’s 19-point third lifts Mounties over Eagles, 42-26

By Kenny Varner
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Updated: December 13, 2014

WINGATE – Coming into the season, the Bald Eagle girls basketball team was young but eager to improve throughout the season.

Friday night, the Eagles looked strong on defense but are still trying to find its shooting eye in their game against Centre County and Mountain Athletic Conference foe Philipsburg-Osceola.

In the end, it was the Mounties who came out victorious 42-26 at the Bald Eagle Area High School Gym.

Leading the way for the victors was Abby Showers. Showers worked the fast break and foul line to a tune of 15 points. Teammate Katie Nartatez was strong from beyond the arc, putting away three for 14 points.

Bald Eagle got an eight-point performance from Haley Giedroc who finished with a team high eight points. Morgan Chambers was strong under the basket collecting 10 boards and finishing with four points in a losing effort.

“ We’re young and we using a whole new system we’re in and the kids are still learning it. We missed a few easy shots tonight I think as the year goes on they will start making them. I am proud of them. They work hard,” Bald Eagle coach Troy Butterworth said. We are starting two freshmen, two seniors and one junior. Our bench is mostly sophomores and freshman.”

Bald Eagle stayed close in the first quarter, trailing by just one point when the buzzer sounded.

Leading off the scoring was Giedroc as she went straight to the heart of the Mounties defense for the bucket.

Haley Hayword quickly tied the contest when she followed with a quick drive at the hoop, knotting things at two.

Both teams opened the game with an up-tempo offense while their defense kept the other from collecting offensive boards and getting any second shots.

Trailing 4-2 halfway through the first, the Mounties tied it with free throws from Showers and Nartatez.

With 2:07 left in the opening stanza, the Eagles would take their last lead of the game. Elizabeth Wellar drove right down the middle of the key for the easy lay in, making it 6-4.

Philipsburg started get hot in the final two minutes, outscoring 5-2 run, ending the opening period scoring with a nine to eight advantage.

Nartatez helped distance her team from the home team as she came out early in the second and posted two consecutive uncontested triples, upping the lead to a more comfortable 15-8.

The good news for Bald Eagle was that their defense held the Mounties to just six points in the period.

However, despite playing tough defense, its offense was only able to post one field goal and went into the intermission trailing 15-12.

“I give them (Philipsburg) credit. They made their runs when they needed to,” Butterworth said. “I bet there was three or four threes we didn’t contest tonight. We played hard we just made some mental mistakes at the wrong time. That helped them put a lead on us we couldn’t overcome.”

Offensively, everything came together for Philipsburg in the third quarter. Showers caught fire in the quarter, posting 10 of her teams 19 points. Teammate Natatez hit her third triple of the game, upping the visitors lead to 34-17 going into the final stanza.

With nothing but pride on the line, the Eagles continued to battle.

Despite the large Mounties’ lead, Bald Eagle was able to outscore them in the period by a slim 9-8 margin.

But it wouldn’t be enough on this night as the Mounties went home the victors of a 42-26 contest.

Bald Eagle is back in action on Tuesday evening at Central.