UNIONTOWN – Playing back-to-back home games to end the first semester agreed with Uniontown High’s basketball teams.
The Eagle girls staged a 60-53 comeback win over visiting Pleasanton High’s Blu-Jays. After a 12-12 first quarter, the Eagle boys clamped down defensively to deck the Blu-Jay boys 59-30.
Both the Uniontown teams improved to 5-1 on the season. Friday night’s games were non-league against Three Rivers League foe Pleasanton.
“This was a solid win for us before the break,” said Nathan Hinrichs, Uniontown boys’ head coach. “We had a lot of kids step up and contribute tonight.”
The Eagle boys gave up just four points to the Jays in the second quarter. They poured in 15 points for a 27-16 lead at intermission.
Uniontown continued its defensive ways in the third period. Again only allowing Pleasanton to score four points but this time the Eagle fired in 18 points.
The Eagle boys had a 12-10 scoring edge in the final eight minutes.
Leading the way for the Eagles were Brenton Esslinger with 17 points and Zach Travis with 12. Seth Sympson added eight.
Jonathan Ulrey scored six followed by Dakota Wiley with five and Robert Kuns with four points. Skyler Riley, Trenton Miller and Max Labbe each had two points and Domonic Robinson added one point.
Coffman had 17 points for Pleasanton.
EAGLE GIRLS’ head coach Ken Holt said their game was one of runs. The final run – 28-7 – by the Eagles secured the victory.
“We were down by 10 with a couple minutes left in the second quarter and reduced it to four,” Holt said. “Then Pleasanton immediately pushed it back to 10 as the second half opened.”
The Eagle girls were behind 32-28 at halftime. Holt said his team was down 14 points with 1:59 left in the third quarter.
“We close out with a 28-7 run to win the game. There was just no quit in my girls tonight and I’m so proud of them for that,” Holt said.
Hope Jurgensen fired in 23 points, had seven rebounds and five steals. Hayden Rathbun poured in 21 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists.
Holt said DaNisha Robinson came off the Eagle bench and gave the team the boost it needed. She finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. She and Jurgensen each had two blocked shots.
Uniontown was 21 of 47 from the field and cashed in on 17 of 27 free throw attempts. The Eagles dominated the boards with 34. They had 25 turnovers.
Pleasanton got 18 points from Lewis and 12 from Baker. The Blu-Jays went 14 of 22 at the free-throw line.
Uniontown’s teams are idle until Jan. 6 when they host Erie.
Uniontown girls (14-14-12-20-60) (FG/3-pt): Murrow 0-0-2-0, Shinn 1-0-1-2, Dixon 0-2-1-2, Rathbun 6/1-6-2-21, Robinson 5-1-2-11, Rockhold 0-1-3-1, Coyan 0-0-2-0, Shook 0-0-4-0, Jurgensen 8-7-3-23. TOTALS: 20/1-17-20-60.
Pleasanton girls (17-15-14-7-53) (FG/3-pt); Ellis 0-0-2-0, Baker 3/1-3-3-12, Rothenberger 0-0-1-0, Secrest 1-6-3-8, Laver 3-0-2-6, Lewis, 7-4-5-18, Marshall 4-1-5-9. TOTALS: 18/1-14-22-53.
