Karns City's Logan Moroney, who finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, lays it in over West Forest's Nick O'Toole during the first half of the Gremlins' 77-47 win Friday night at Karns City High School.

KARNS CITY — Warm-ups didn't go as Logan Moroney hoped they would.

The 6-foot-3 Karns City junior forward's shots just weren't falling. It had been a tough week for Moroney.

Moroney's stepfather, David Hiles, 44, died Sunday night of cancer.

Between viewings and the funeral, Moroney was out of school and basketball practice all week.

When he stepped on the floor for the Gremlins game against West Forest Friday night at Karns City High school Moroney wanted to put on a good showing.

“My dad always pushed me to play sports harder,” Moroney said. “He was always in the weight room busting my butt. When I go out there I think of him. I do everything for him.”

Thirty-three seconds in, Moroney's first shot went in and he finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds in the Gremlins' 77-47 win over the Indians.

“I was a little apprehensive when I got here because I wasn't shooting too well,” Moroney said.

Karns City point guard Tyler Kepple was glad to have Moroney back under the basket. Moroney missed the Gremlins' 60-47 loss to Brookville Wednesday night.

“It was great to have him back,” Kepple said. “Wednesday night when we played he couldn't make it and we felt like a piece was missing.”

Karns City (4-4) had to scratch and claw early to gain control. West Forest big man Logan McFarland, who finished with a game-high 30 points, was able to find room to score in the paint.

Rallying behind their defense, the Gremlins seized control with two big runs.

First, Karns City closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run, taking the lead for good, 15-13, when Kepple made a 3-pointer. After both teams traded baskets, Karns City used a 16-0 run to build a 38-17 lead with 4:40 left before the half.

“We wanted to pressure more,” Bellis said. “I think in the second and third quarter we finally did. In the second and third quarters we pressured the ball handlers more.”

Kepple, who scored a team-high 26 points, couldn't be stopped from the perimeter. He made eight 3-pointers, including five in the second quarter.“After I missed the first couple, they started to go in and I felt like it was going to be one of those nights where everything fell,” Kepple said.Karns City only allowed three players from West Forest to score. Jonathan Marshall finished with 15 points and Nick O'Toole had two.The Gremlins led 42-28 at halftime and weren't threatened in the second half.David Olszak also finished in double figures with 11 points and grabbed five rebounds.Bellis is happy with Karn City's progress.“Every game you have to focus on getting better,” Bellis said. “Where we are at is something that will be determined by our opponents down the road. Each night you have to try and get better.”WEST FOREST 47Jonathan Marshall 5 4-6 15, Logan McFarland 12 6-15 30, Garrett Bereksazi 0 0-4 0, Russell Thomas 0 0-0, Nick O'Toole 1 0-2 0, Nic Smail 0 0-1 0, Andrew Schwab 0 0-0 0, David Stubler 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 10-28 47.KARNS CITY 77David Olszak 4 3-5 11, Tyler Kepple 8 0-0 26, Nathan Weckerly 0 0-0 0, Logan Moroney 4 3-6 11, Dan Filges 3-6 0-2 6, Dave Markel 2 1-1 6, Christian Turner 2 0-0 4, Dakota Mohney 1 0-0 2, Dalton Callihan2 0-0 4, Brad Bowser 0 0-0 0, Brendan Waltman 2 1-1 5, Dakota Mohney 0 0-0 0, Holden Martin 1 0-0 2, Brandon Belles 0 0-0 0, Ethan Conto 0 0-0 0. Totals: 29 8-15 77.West Forest 13 15 7 12 — 47Karns City15 27 20 15 — 773-point goals: West Forest 1 (J. Marshall) ; Karns City 9 (Kepple 8, Markel)JV: Karns City 48-3Tuesday: North Clarion at Karns City

Karns City's Tyler Kepple drains a 3-pointer during the Gremlins' 77-47 win over West Forest Friday night at Karns City High School.