The Ferndale Yellow Jackets and the Conemaugh Valley Blue Jays will face off at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday without much rest having both just played. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Ferndale didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They secured a 37-31 W over Claysburg-Kimmel on Friday.
| 01/23/24 vs Shade | 6 |
| 12/27/24 @ Claysburg-Kimmel | 4 |
| 12/02/23 vs Claysburg-Kimmel | 4 |
| 12/12/24 @ North Star | 3 |
| 12/06/24 vs Meyersdale | 3 |
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Ferndale to victory, but perhaps none more so than Abby Barley, who posted 14 points and four steals. That's the most steals Barley has posted since back in January. The team also got some help courtesy of Lindsey Leverknight, who put up four points in addition to ten boards and four steals.
Ferndale smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Conemaugh Valley can finally bid farewell to their eight-game losing streak thanks to their game on Friday. They wrapped up 2024 with a 54-38 win over Shade. The Blue Jays' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Conemaugh Valley's win came from a few key players Ferndale will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Penelope Reininger, who had 20 points along with five steals and three blocks. The team also got some help courtesy of Gwen Masser, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 16 boards.
Ferndale's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-2. As for Conemaugh Valley, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-8.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Ferndale has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Conemaugh Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27.7 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Ferndale came out on top in a nail-biter against Conemaugh Valley in their previous matchup two weeks ago, sneaking past 52-49. Does Ferndale have another victory up their sleeve, or will Conemaugh Valley turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
