CLARION — Moniteau had its storybook ending. North Clarion spoiled it.

Senior point guard Alazia Greaves, who played sparingly all night while battling the flu, sank a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in the Keystone-Shortway Athletic Conference girls basketball championship game Friday night.

The bucket was her only one of the night and gave Moniteau its only lead of the night, 43-42.

But North Clarion freshman Abby Gatesman sank a layup with six seconds left and the Wolves held on for a 44-43 victory at Clarion University's Tippin Gymnasium.

“We got the shot we wanted and we hit it,” Moniteau coach Dee Arblaster said. “We just couldn't seal it at the end.”

Though North Clarion (21-2) never trailed until Greaves' bucket, the Wolves never had a double-digit lead. The Warriors (19-4) rallied from an early nine-point deficit to knot the game at 20 late in the first half, then fought back from an eight-point defiicit to tie the contest at 37 with 3:39 remaining.

“This one was a barn-burner,” North Clarion coach Terry Dreihaup said. “It turned into a scramble at the end.”

A three-point play buy the Wolves' Tori Obenrader, one of the top scorers in District 9 at 21.3 points per game, gave North Clarion a 40-37 lead. That was answered by Moniteau freshman Kristin Auvil's fourth trey of the night with 2:05 left.

“The only thing that surprised me about Moniteau tonight was that Greaves didn't play much,” Dreihaup said. “And that No. 3 (Auvil) was hitting shots. We tried getting in her face, but she was burying those shots.”

Obenrader paced North Clarion with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Dreihaup designed a play at the end to give her the last shot.

“But if they (Warriors) collapsed on her, Tori knew to dish it off ... and she found our freshman,” Dreihaup said.

After the go-ahead hoop, Obenrater intercepted Kristin DeMatteis' long inbound pass at midcourt. She was tied up for a jump ball, but possession belonged to North Clarion.

Obenrater was fouled with four seconds left and missed the front end of the one-and-one. The teams scrapped on the floor for the loose rebound and time expired.

“We couldn't secure the rebound to try to get a last shot,” Arblaster said. “The girls fought hard. Yeah, Alazia had the flu and wasn't herself, but that's an excuse and we don't use excuses.”

Moniteau lost for only the second time in its last 11 games. The Warriors sank just five of 17 free throws.

“The foul line ... That's the game right there,” Arblaster said.

Auvil led the Warriors with 12 points. Emma Bair had 10 points and 20 of her team's 39 rebounds.

DeMatteis was held to five points, but had eight rebounds and five assists. Greaves and DeMatteis both average 17 points per game, but combined for only nine on Friday.

“Other girls stepped up for us,” Arblaster said. “Emma Bair's emergence as a rebounder has taken a lot of pressure off Kristina on the boards.

“Kristin sank some big shots when we needed them. They tried taking Kristina's offense away and she (Auvil) was open.”

North Clarion had a 44-39 edge in rebounding.

“We gave them too many opportunities at second shots tonight. That hurt us,” Arblaster said.

Ally Carll had seven points, 10 rebounds and five assists for North Clarion, which won its nionth straight game. The Wolves won the other eight games of the streak by an average margin of 26 points.

“But we knew this would be a tight one,” Dreihaup said.

NORTH CLARION 44

Michaela Higgins 1-5 0-0n3, Gabby Carli 1-5 0-1 3, Cassie Wagner 2-12 0-0 4, Abby Gatesman 2-5 0-0 4, Tori Obenrader 9-21 3-5 23, Ally Carll 1-6 5-8 7, Gena Caldwell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-55 8-14 44.

MONITEAU 43

Kristin Auvil 4-9 0-0 12, Kristina DeMatteis 2-10 1-4 5, Alazia Greaves 1-5 1-2 4, Andie Arblaster 0-2 0-0 0, Cambrie Campbell 4-7 0-0 9, Izzy Bair 0-2 0-0 0, Emma Bair 4-14 2-8 10, Sara Hull 1-4 1-2 3. Totals: 16-53 5-17 43.

North Clarion 11 10 15 8 — 44

Moniteau8 12 9 14 — 43

3-point goals: Higgins, Carli, Obenrader 2; Greaves, Campbell, Auvil 4

Friday: District 9 playoffs, Moniteau vs. Karns City, site and time TBA