COUDERSPORT – Zach Layag poured in a game-high 19 points and Coudersport placed three players in double figures as the Falcons captured their Christmas Tournament title in a 76-27 win over Saegertown on Thursday.
Jared Green added 16 and Owen Chambers chipped in 15 for the Falcons. Saegertown was led by Alan McGill’s six points.
“Coudersport is the real deal,” Saegertown head coach Greg Molnar. “They are probably the best public school I’ve ever seen. It would be fun to watch Coudersport play Wilmington in our district with their height and Coudersport’s quickness.
“They are the most-balanced team I’ve seen and they are fun to watch unless you are coaching against them. I will probably try to watch them play again, maybe in Clarion.”
Layag scored the first points of the night with a bomb behind the arc for a 3-0 score. Saegertown cut the lead to one when Nick Bradley converted two free throws with 6:29 left in the first quarter. Coudersport scored 11 unanswered points behind a stifling defense to take a 14-2 lead. Eli Droa fired in a three with 2:34 left in the quarter for the Panthers last points of the quarter. Coudersport’s Jared Green poured in nine points in the quarter while Layag added five and Chambers six as the Falcons took a 24-5 first quarter lead.
The Panthers scored 11 points in the second quarter only to have the Falcons add 22 more points for a 46-16 halftime lead.
“We knew what we were up against if we had to play Coudersport,” Molnar said. “They move the ball as well as any team we have seen. They are as quick defensively as any team in [District 10].”
It didn’t get much better for the Panthers in the third quarter as the Falcons put the PIAA’s Mercy Rule in effect early in the third quarter as the Falcons once again held the Panthers to just five points in the quarter to build up a 59-21 lead after three quarters.
Coudersport continued to dominate defensively as the Falcons held Saegertown to just six fourth-quarter points while scoring 17 for the 76-27 final
As for the Falcons, head coach Brian Furman was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I thought we played very aggressive defense and very unselfish offense,” Furman said. “We moved the ball well tonight and created open spaces for our shooters. We had everyone working together tonight.”
Coudersport heads into the new year with a tough slate of games on tap. First up are North Tier league rivals Otto-Eldred and Cameron County on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, and a highly anticipated non-league matchup with Ridgway next Friday.
At Coudersport
Saegertown (27)
Brown 1 0-0 3, Phelan 1 0-0 3, Rhoades 0 1-2 1, McGill 3 0-0 6, Schlasser 1 0-0 3,Bradley 1 2-2 5, Droa 1 0-0 3, Michaels 1 0-0 3. Totals 9 3-4 27.
Coudersport (76)
Zach Layag 8 1-3 19, Wolfinger 3 3-3 9, Kullen 1 0-0 2, Owen Chambers 5 3-5 15, De. Keglovits 3 3-3 9, Khalik 1 1-2 4, Jared Green 5 4-6 16, DI. Keglovits 1 0-0 2, VanWhy 0 0-2 0. Totals 27 15-24 76.
Saegertown 5 16 21 27
Coudersport 24 46 59 76
Three-point goals: Saegertown 6 (Brown, Phelan, Schlasser, Bradley, Droa, Michaels) Coudersport 7 (Layag 2, Chambers 2, Khalik, Green 2)
Fouls: Saegertown 17, Coudersport 8. Fouled out: Droa (Saegertown)
