CLARION – The venue has changed, but the ultimate goal is the
same for defending PIAA Class A boys champion Elk County Catholic
as the Crusaders are one step closer to State College following a
65-49 victory over Northern Cambria at Clarion University on
Friday.

After a 33-0 season culminated in a state championship in
Hershey last season, the Crusaders (27-2) are now three wins away
from the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University.

Next up for the District 9 titleists is the WPIAL’s third-seeded
Serra Catholic (23-3) on Tuesday.

“Having the opportunity to go through this tough bracket is only
going to make us better,” said Aaron Straub, ECC head coach. “I’m
happy where we are at and I’m happy for the opportunity and
challenge to play Serra.”

Despite the 16-point win at Tippin Gymnasium, Straub was none to
pleased with the Crusaders effort versus the No. 4 seed from
District 6.

“Our intensity level was atrocious, our energy level was
terrible and we didn’t play with any passion,” Straub confessed.
“That’s as blunt as I can be.”

ECC jumped out to a 6-0 lead on three-pointers by Jesse Bosnik
and Josh Saulter, but nine straight points by Joe Rocco gave
Northern Cambria a 9-8 lead with 1:43 left in the first
quarter.

The Crusaders then used four points by Logan Haberberger and
three each from Bosnik and Nate Higgins to open an 18-9 advantage
just 47 seconds into the scond stanza.

Rocco then continued to register all of the Colts’ points when
his trifecta and traditional three-point play cut the deficit to
18-15 with 6:24 left in the half.

“Rocco is a very good player and he certainly showed it
tonight,” Straub admitted. “We did not have many answers for him
and he did a number on us.”

Later in the quarter it was 26-23 when ECC ended the first half
on a 9-2 run on put-backs by Haberberger, Kiel Nissel and Jimmy
Higgins, and a triple from Bosnik for a 35-25 intermission
lead.

The Crusaders increased their margin to 44-29 on a pair of
layups by Bosnik and took a 47-36 advantage into the fourth
quarter.

Although it didn’t lead to any points, the highlight of the
third period was a Harlem Globetrotter-worthy ball handling
exhibition put on by Bosnik. The 6-2 senior was tripped up and
knocked to the floor twice but some how kept his dribble alive and
located a teammate down the floor.

“Jesse is a pretty good player,” Straub declared. “When you
watch Jesse as long as we have you expect those kinds of
things.”

The ECC lead was 53-40 with 5:51 showing when an old fashioned
3-point play by Jimmy Higgins and four points by Bosnik commenced a
10-0 run and a 23-point bulge with 3:08 left.

Straub then pulled four of his starters and the Northern Cambria
faithful could feel better about their two-hour journey as the
Colts ended the contest on a 9-2 spurt.

While Rocco was the only Northern Cambria (22-6) player in
double figures with 26 points, the Crusaders had Bosnik with 19
points and four steals, Salter with 12 points, Jimminy Higgins with
10 points, and Haberberger with 10 points and nine rebounds.

“Our scoring balance was good tonight and that’s just what we
needed,” said Straub. “Getting 10 points out of Logan Haberberger
was big.”

The Crusaders outrebounded the smaller Colts 36-27 and grabbed
15 key boards at the offensive end.

“We were taller and that’s the bottom line,” Straub noted. “We
had a distinct size advantage and we battled on the boards.”

“Tuesday night we’re goiing against 6-8, 6-4 and 6-4 and we’ll
see how we do,” he added.