OIL CITY — Despite the score and impending loss, there was one moment that the seniors on Ridgway’s team hopefully will remember fondly.
With a minute left in the fourth quarter and the game well out of reach, Ridgway coach Tony Allegretto, in the last minutes of his own Elker career, subbed out his seniors one-by-one, to a standing ovation from the entire gym — Elker and Charger fans alike.
The Elkers finished the 2021-22 regular season as strong as any team in the state.
Winning the Allegheny Mountain League title, District 9 Class AA title and advancing all the way to the Elite Eight of the PIAA Class AA boys tournament. But finally, Ridgway found an opponent they could not overcome, losing 54-27 to Our Lady of Sacred Heart, the District 7 and Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League champion.
Ridgway was down 18-9 at half but the first two quarters went as well as the team could have hoped for.
OLSH put up 70 or more points in each of their first two state playoff games. The Chargers averaged over 64 points per game this season and yet Ridgway held it to the lowest halftime point total for OLSH’s entire season.
It was several minutes into the first quarter before Rocco Spadafora hit a 3-pointer for the Chargers. Jake Dimichele nailed a floater for a 5-0 lead not long after. But then neither team scored for multiple possessions afterwards. Aaron Sorg hit a triple off a nice feed from Dom Allegretto to break Ridgway’s scoring drought. But the Elkers were down 10-3 at the break.
The Elkers did an excellent job keeping OLSH uncomfortable and slowed the game down, despite struggling on offense. Multiple shots rolled out for both teams and Ridgway suffered from uncharacteristically poor dribbling.
In the second quarter, Ridgway kept it a seven-point game, 13-6, after Jack Benninger hit a free throw. But Dimichele answered with a three and the Elkers were forced to focus on defense again. OLSH’s starting five was all over 6-4 and the height allowed them multiple second-chance opportunities in the paint, and to win the rebound battle, 28-11.
In the third quarter, OLSH took over the game.
The Chargers went on a 17-5 run to start the third. Dimichele wove through traffic to get an and-one. After OLSH stole the ball, Spadafora caught the pass and finished at the rim. Dan Park got a tough hook shot and a layup to go his way, but OLSH’s fastbreak offense was not to be denied.
Dawson Summers emphasized that point, two-hand slam-dunking a lob from Spadafora that set off the OLSH faithful in attendance.
Erik Panebianco sank a 3-ball for Ridgway, but BJ Vaughn answered with a couple of tough buckets under the rim. Dimichele hit a trey and after another 3-point attempt rolled out of the rim, Bryson Kirschner out-leapt the field and kissed it back in.
Sorg was the lone constant on offense for Ridgway. He had four 3-pointers and scored 11 of the Elkers first 14 points, finishing with 17 to lead the Elkers. Ridgway was 26-of-39 at the charity stripe against Greensburg Central Catholic, but against OLSH, Ridgway was just 2-for-3, their interior game suffocated by the Chargers defense. Dimichele led all scorers with 28 points and 11 rebounds.
OLSH will play Kennedy Catholic in the PIAA Class AA semifinals.
AT OIL CITY
Sorg 6 1-1 17, Park 2 0-0 4, Panebianco 1 0-0 3, Allegretto 1 0-0 2, Benninger 0 1-2 1. Totals:
Our Lady of Sacred Heart (54)Dimichele 7 10-11 28, Spadafora 5 0-0 11, Summers 1 3-4 5, Vaughn 2 0-1 4, Kirschner 1 0-0 2, Coladonato 1 0-0 2, Wilson 1 0-0 2. Totals:
Three-point goals: Ridgway 5 (Sorg 4, Panebianco), OLSH 5 (Dimichele 4, Spadafora); Total fouls: Ridgway 11, OLSH 8; fouled out: None
