Tori Obenrader was a little too much for A-C Valley.

The Falcons’ girls basketball team led North Clarion and its 5-foot-11 star forward for nearly three quarters, but fell short of their first trip to the District 9 1A finals with a 57-50 loss Tuesday night at Clarion University.

Obenrader scored 28 points and was 8-of-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

Ellie Thompson scored 24 for A-C Valley.

The Falcons led 25-21 at the half, but North Clarion rallied to tie the score at 34-34 after three quarters.

The Wolves hit a 3-pointer to begin the fourth and never trailed again.

A-C Valley trailed by three with a minute remaining, but couldn’t get closer.

The Falcons will still advance to the PIAA 1A playoffs, which begin March 10.

A-C Valley will take on either Northern Potter or Otto-Eldred in a consolation game Friday night in Kane.

Private Schools

Portersville Christian’s boys basketball team won the Southwest Christian Athletic Conference championship game recently, defeating Cheswick Christian Academy, 55-45.

The Warriors (29-9, 15-0) received 31 points and 20 rebounds from Stephan Graham in repeating as SWCAC champs. Portersville rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit.

Graham received MVP honors.

Eli Grove grabbed 12 rebounds in the win and limited Cheswick’s 6-foot-10 Ben Pollock to 22 points. Austin Patterson had a strong game defensively for PC.

Both teams are headed to Mount Vernon, Ohio, Thursday through Saturday for the National Christian School Athletic Association championship tournament. The 64-team field will represent 14 states.

The Portersville Christian varsity girls dropped a 44-27 decision to Aquinas in the SWCAC title game. The junior high girls defeated Central 13-11 and the junior high boys lost to Central Prep, 32-16.

This marked the first season all four PC basketball teams reached the SWCAC championships in the same year.