High School
Blue Jays give Lupek his 500th victory
Conemaugh Valley’s boys began WestPAC section play Monday night with a 56-49 victory over visiting Ferndale, and also gave coach Garry Lupek a milestone victory in the process.
Lupek earned his 500th career win as the Blue Jays (4-3, 1-0) turned back a strong second-half challenge from the Yellow Jackets (3-7, 0-1).
“Coach (Mark) Wissinger’s team worked hard,” Lupek said. “But our inconsistent offense throughout the game kept Ferndale right behind us, and our poor foul shooting also kept Ferndale alive in the second half.”
The Blue Jays scored the final seven points of the second quarter to lead 31-22 at halftime, but Ferndale put together a late third-quarter run of eight straight points capped by a Trevor Mattis jumper to tie the game at 35. Jimmy Lupek’s layup in the final seconds put Conemaugh Valley ahead by two heading into the fourth.
The Blue Jays eventually built a 48-39 edge on Jimmy Lupek’s layup, but a jumper and subsequent three-point play by Hayden Stumpo pulled the Jackets within four at 48-44 with less than two minutes remaining. Conemaugh Valley, which was just 5-for-16 from the line up to that point, got four consecutive free throws by Jason Preuss and Jimmy Lupek followed by an Alex Roberts layup to go ahead by double digits.
“We played a solid game,” Wissinger said. “But we made some mistakes, and when some opportunities were there for us, we didn’t make it happen.”
Jimmy Lupek scored a game-high 21 points for the Blue Jays. Cody Kushner added 12.
Stumpo paced the Yellow Jackets with 18 points. Mattis contributed 17.
Reflecting on a coaching career that began in the 1970-71 season, Lupek credited his players and former coaches.
“This is a plateau that was accomplished by all the athletes that ever walked through these gym doors,” Lupek said.
He also heaped praise on former Franklin High School coach Robert Pavlovich, who “taught me a passion for the game,” along with St. Francis’s Skip Hughes, IUP’s Wally Stapleton, Herm Sledzik, Tony Bernardi, and William Betts.
“If all these coaches were active today, they would be just as successful,” Lupek said. “My assistant and co-coach, Jim Preuss, has been a huge part of the success of our program, and I’d also like to recognize all the coaches in the Duke Andrews Youth League who help teach our young men the game’s fundamentals.”
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