CLARION— With 21 seconds left in the third quarter, Karns City surrendered the lead for the first time.

The Gremlins weren't about to surrender the game.

Karns City (21-5) outscored Curwensville 15-5 in the final eight minutes for a 42-33 triumph in the District 9 Class AAgirls basketball championship game Friday night at Clarion University.

The victory marked the seventh district title in nine years for the Gremlins. Curwensville (21-7) was denied its first district crown.

"Before the start of every fourth quarter, we huddle up and emphasize the word 'finish,'" Karns City coach Dave Kerschbaumer said. "We take a lot of pride in that."

When Tausha Bowser scored on a layup following a turnover early in the third period, the Gremlins had a 27-20 lead. But KCmissed its final 11 shots from the floor in the period as Curwensville went on an 8-0 run for the rest of the frame.

Hannah Walls sank a pair of jumpers late in the quarter to give the Golden Tide a 28-27 advantage and their first lead of the game.

Karns City made 10 of 42 shots through the first three quarters. The Gremlins hit 5 of 7 field goal attempts in the final period.

"We kept settling for jumpers,"Kerschbaumer said. "I told the girls to start attacking the basket and make things happen.

"Once we took it to the metal, things turned our way."

Karns City trailed 30-29 when Michelle Sweeney nailed a baseline jumper with 6:12 left in the game. Ashley Campbell scored a layup off an assist from Allyson Kepple a minute later and Haley Callihan completed a three-point play for a 36-30 Gremlins lead.

After Curwensville pulled within 36-33, Bowser drove the length of the floor for a layup and a 38-33 KClead with 1:45 left.

"We had one girl back with no fouls and the girl covering (Bowser) with three fouls,"Curwensville coach Vic Gearhart said. "We needed to switch there and didn't do it. We had a few mix-ups like that defensively."

Bowser's main contribution came on defense. She snared a game-high 14 rebounds and limited Dani Struble, District 9's leading scorer, to four points.

Struble scored 30, 21 and 27 points in the Tide's last three games.

"My goal was to hold her to less than 10,"Bowser said. "Four sounds pretty good. I'll take that."

An 80-percent free throw shooter, Struble missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1:27 to play and her team trailing by five. Callihan grabbed the rebound and Gremlins sophomore Ashley Campbell sank both ends of a one-and-one with 52 seconds left to seal the victory.

Campbell sank just two of six free throws in the game before that trip to the line. Struble was 70 of 78 from the line on the season.

"Struble was worn out and I think that's why she missed,"Kerschbaumer said. "Tausha made her work all night. They've got the best scorer in the district. We've got the best team defense in the district."

"I know it's wrong, but we pretty much take for granted Dani's going to make every free throw,"Gearhart said. "She just missed it, that's all."

Kepple paced Karns City with 16 points, including 10 in the first quarter, and added five rebounds. Callihan scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Campbell had eight points and six boards.

Callihan has 944 career points.

"We never talk about individual player things, but a few games ago, I told Haley she may have a shot at 1,000,"Kerschbaumer said. "She said she didn't care. Her only interest was in winning the district championship.

"That's how these girls are. They play for each other."

Walls scored a career-high 19 points for Curwensville. She averages 6.8 per game. Jackie White had eight of 29 Tide rebounds.

Buoyed by Bowser's 14, Karns City had 36 rebounds.

"That's my favorite part of the game,"Bowser said. "I love getting in there and mixing it up."

"Karns City is a strong, fundamental team and they're used to being here,"Gearhart said. "They know how to win these types of games."

CURWENSVILLE33Dani Struble 2-8 0-1 4, Hannah Walls 8-18 1-2 19, Holly Lansberry 1-2 0-0 2, Holly Fink 0-3 0-0 0, Jackie White 2-3 2-2 6, Ronna Knepp 0-6 2-2 2.

Totals: 13-40 5-7 33KARNS CITY 42Tausha Bowser 2-4 0-2 4, Michelle Sweeney 1-4 0-0 2, Allyson Kepple 6-18 2-2 16, Julia Zaludek 0-2 0-0 0, Ashley Campbell 2-4 4-6 8, Haley Callihan 4-13 2-3 12, Kylee Rankin 0-4 0-0 0. Totals: 15-49 8-15 42

Curwensville 11 9 8 5—33Karns City 15 10 2 15—423-point goals: Walls 2; Kepple 2, Callihan 2

Next: Karns City vs. Shady Side Academy or Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, PIAA Tournament, TBA