Karns City girls basketball blows out rival Moniteau in opener behind Naomi Venesky’s 24-point night
CHERRY TWP — The first quarter Friday night at Moniteau didn’t sit well with Karns City senior Naomi Venesky.
“They came out with a lot of energy,” Venesky said of the Warriors. “Maybe we weren’t expecting that. But we had to match it.”
The Gremlins did — and how.
With Venesky leading the charge, Karns City outscored Moniteau 38-11 in the middle two quarters and coasted to a season-opening 56-34 girls basketball win over the Warriors (1-3). KC’s lead was 13-10 through one quarter.
Venesky tallied 24 points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists in the contest. Her three-point play with 15 seconds left in the third quarter gave the Gremlins a 51-21 lead and triggered the mercy clock.
“Can’t say I expected that to happen,” KC coach Steve Andreassi said. “We were confident coming in here, but Moniteau always plays hard and aggressive. They did that tonight and I was happy with the way we responded.
“Naomi is our heart and soul. She’s so quick up and down the floor. She accelerates the game for us and gets everybody involved.”
Venesky said she’s tried to be a leader for Karns City “from the first time I ever stepped on the floor.
“I bring the energy to my teammates and they bring it right back to me,” she added. “I love that.”
Venesky hopes to play college basketball, figuring on the Division III level.
“I’d love to try Division II, though, and push myself,” she said. “I know I need to work on my court vision and shot selection.”
She’s not worried about her position. She’s not even sure she has one.
“I kinda just play all over,” she said, smiling. “My role changes depending on what team we’re playing and what I need to do.”
Andreassi said Venesky has “worked so hard on her game, and it shows. She’s very serious about basketball.”
Freshman Taylor Ritzert came off the bench to score 12 points for Karns City, draining three treys. Alivia Farren had four assists, and Maddy Mahood had six rebounds for the Gremlins.
“What surprised me tonight was I had three freshmen in the game early because we had some foul trouble,” Andreassi said. “None of them was fazed by it. That’s very encouraging moving forward.”
Moniteau wound up with a 39-26 advantage in rebounding. The Warriors were plagued by 27 turnovers, however, with 25 of them coming in the first three quarters.
“That’s been our problem early,” Warriors coach Dee Arblaster said of the turnovers. “We had 31 of them in a game already. I wasn’t expecting that to be an issue, and I’m very disappointed that it is. We have to play better.
“We have no seniors out there and we’re going to have some growing pains. But these turnovers? We’re young (three sophomore starters), but these girls have varsity experience.”
Jayce Brunst led Moniteau with 14 points. Emily Matz had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Charlotte Thompson had six boards.
“I respect the way Karns City plays,” Arblaster said. “They come out and bring it to you. We didn’t stay with them tonight.”
KARNS CITY 56
Naomi Venesky 10-22 4-5 24, Hannah Summerville 1-7 2-2 4, Alivia Farren 1-5 1-2 4, Hanna Dailey 2-4 0-0 4, Maddy Mahood 3-4 0-0 6, Taylor Ritzert 4-6 1-2 12, Audrey Heginbotham 1-1 0-0 2, Josie Emrick 0-0 0-2 0. Totals: 22-49 8-13 56.
MONITEAU 34
Jayce Brunst 5-12 3-4 14, Maddy Eury 0-5 0-0 0, Emily Matz 3-8 4-7 10, Charlotte Thompson 1-4 4-6 6, Alyssa Thompson 1-12 0-0 2, Gracie Hartle 1-1 0-0 2, Annalyce Baptiste 0-1 0-0 , Taylor Grace 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 11-44 11-17 34.
Karns City 13 15 23 5 — 56
Moniteau 10 4 7 13 — 34
3-point goals: Karns City 4 (Farren, Ritzert 3), Moniteau 1 (Brunst)
Monday: Moniteau at Keystone
Thursday: Karns City at Keystone
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Karns City's Naomi Venesky (1) scores on a breakaway against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Hannah Summerville (3) shoots over Moniteau’s Annalyce Baptiste (4) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Alivia Farren (5) fouls Moniteau’s Sayge Brunst (22) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau 's Emily Matz (25) introduced prior to the games against Karns City in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Naomi Venesky (1) jumps the tip against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau's Emily Matz (25) and Karns City's Madison Mahood (52) battle for position in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City head coach Steve Andreassi in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau's Sayge Brunst (22) dribbles past Karns City's Alivia Farren (5) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Hanna Dailey (13) fouls Moniteau’s Sayge Brunst (22) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau’s Emily Matz (25) drives against Karns City in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau’s Emily Matz (25) shoots a free throw against Karns City in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau’s Emily Matz (25) dribbles up the court against Karns City in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau’s Sayge Brunst (22) drives against Karns City in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Alivia Farren (5) fouls Moniteau’s Sayge Brunst (22) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Naomi Venesky (1) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Madison Mahood (52) looks to pass against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Hanna Dailey (13) brings up the ball against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Hannah Summerville (3) looks to shoot against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Naomi Venesky (1) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau’s Emily Matz (25) battles Karns City’s Naomi Venesky (1) for possession in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Naomi Venesky (1) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Naomi Venesky (1) scores on a breakaway against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Audrey Heginbotham (22) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Madison Mahood (52) scores on a rebound against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Naomi Venesky (1) drives against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Hannah Summerville (3) shoots over Moniteau’s Annalyce Baptiste (4) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Alivia Farren (5) gets off a shot against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City’s Alivia Farren (5) takes a shot against Moniteau in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Moniteau’s Sayge Brunst (22) defends Naomi Venesky (1) of Karns City in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
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Karns City's Naomi Venesky (1) shoots over Moniteau's Sayge Brunst (22) in a girls basketball game Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Moniteau High School. JJ LaBella/Special to the Eagle
