KARNS CITY — It wasn't long before senior forward Nolan Riley began to think this version of the Karns City boys basketball team could be pretty good.

A lot better than those on the outside looking in would ever think.

“It was the first game against Union,” Riley said. “We came out pretty hard. Our chemistry wasn't as good as it is now, but everyone was on board. I think that's when we knew.”

Karns City put an exclamation point on the end of the regular season at home Wednesday against Clarion-Limetone, a team that beat the Gremlins by 56 points earlier in the season.

Karns City never trailed in the final 29 minutes of the game and avenged that loss with a 66-54 win.

The victory puts the Gremlins (16-6) in the Keystone Shorway Athletic Conference championship game for the first time with a chance to win its first league title since 2002.

There wasn't a KSAC title game back then.

The Gremlins' opponent at 6 p.m. Friday at Clarion University? None other than Clarion-Limestone.

“It means a lot,” said Riley, who was a force inside for the Gremlins with eight points and 15 rebounds. “A lot of people thought we wouldn't be in this position. It's good for the school, too.”

Riley had to admit that if someone told him before the season started that Karns City would be one win away from a KSAC title, he would have been surprised.

“But a lot of people stepped up,” he said.

The same was true Wednesday in what has been a trend of late for Karns City, which has two freshmen in the starting lineup.

One of those freshmen, Nathan Waltman, scored 18 points — 10 coming in the fourth quarter. Junior Austin Fahlor added 15 and three players, including Riley, scored eight points: freshman Chase Beighley and senior Logan Pistorius.

“We've been balanced all year, I'd say even all the way down to our seventh man,” said Karns City coach Chris Bellis. “I think we've had seven different players score double digits this season and maybe that many lead us in scoring. It's difficult for teams to key on people.”

Karns City jumped out to a 5-0 lead early, but Clarion-Limestone (16-6) scored eight quick points to take a brief lead.

Karns City took the lead for good at 12-10 with 3:10 left in the first quarter.

The Gremlins led by 10 at the half and by as many as 16 late.

It was a stark contrast to the first time these two teams met when the Lions rolled up 89 points in an 89-43 win.

“We knew we lost by a lot of points, but we also knew a couple of teams we beat had beaten them,” Bellis said. “So, we were pretty confident and we knew we were prepared. We had to play well, though. That's a good team over there.”

Karns City played well from the opening tip and hustled.

That hustle allowed the Gremlins to beat the Lions to loose balls and outrebound them by a significant number.

“It was about hustle plays and boxing out,” Bellis said. “It was effort things.”

Ian Callen led Clarion-Limestone with 16 points. He notched his 1,000th career point in the fourth quarter.

Karns City will have little time to celebrate this win with the Lions on the docket again in less than 48 hours.

“It makes the preparation easier,” Bellis said. “We've been preparing for them for the third time now, because one got snowed out. As far as watching film and seeing them, we're comfortable with what we have to prepare for.”

CLARION-LIMESTONE 54

Delon Deas 4-14 0-0 12, Julian Laugand 0-5 0-0 0, Ian Callen 7-13 2-3 16, Kyle Kerle 0-1 0-0 0, Nick Cyphert 0-0 0-0 0, Christian Smith 5-11 3-4 15, Ian Hawthorn 0-1 0-0 0, Hayden Callen 5-10 0-0 11. Totals: 21-55 5-7 54.

KARNS CITY 66

Austin Fahlor 6-9 1-1 15, Chase Beighley 3-9 1-2 8, Logan Pistorius 3-8 0-0 8, Nolan Riley 4-7 0-0 8, Jacon Friel 2-6 0-0 5, Ethan McElroy 1-5 0-0 3, Nathan Waltman 7-11 4-5 18. Totals: 26-55 6-8 66.

C-L 14 10 16 14 — 54

Karns City19 15 17 15 — 66

3-point goals: Clarion-Limestone 7 (Deas 4, Smith 2, H. Callen); Karns City 8 (Fahlor 2, Beighley 2, Pistorius 2, Friel, McElroy)

Friday: Karns City vs. Clarion-Limestone in KSAC championship game