Through the first half of the season Saints Peter & Paul and Key School have established themselves as the teams to beat in the MIAA C Conference and when they finally met, yesterday in Easton, in a battle of league unbeatens, the host Sabres claimed the upper hand with a 45-38 victory.

Junior John Kaestner led the Sabres (8-3, 4-0) with 16 points and senior center Gaines Shannahan netted 12 in the win.

The victory was fueld by a big first half in which Saints Peter & Paul raced out to a 25-12 lead. The Obezags (6-8, 4-1) rallied in the third quarter, but never fully rebounded from the early 13-point deficit.

Junior Charlie Flanagan led Key with a team-high 12 points.

Also in the C Conference last night, Park bounced back from two last second league losses (one each to Saints Peter & Paul and Key), to rout visiting Chapelgate Christian, 50-32, in Brooklandville.

Senior Anthony Kinslow enjoyed a big night in the victory, as he scored 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, made four steals and blocked two shots.  In addition, junior Karl Nelson had a game-high 17 points.

Park (5-7 overall) improved to 2-2 in the C Conference, while Chapelgate fell to 11-8 overall and 2-2 in the league.

Sophomore Aaron McCall led the Yellowjackets with 11 points.

Saints Peter & Paul 45, Key 38
Key: Flanagan 12, Maldonado 10, Casey 8, Anthony 4, Iaguilli 2, Wechsler 2. Totals: 15 2-7 38.
Saints Peter & Paul: Kaestner 16, Shanahan 12, Mylnarski 9, Wilson 4, Steinmiller 4. Totals: 12 19-24 45.

Park 50, Chapelgate Christian 32
Chapelgate Christian: McCall 11, Lovaas 4, Murrell 2, Yahiro, Biaconi 8, Orlando 2, McCarl 4. Totals 12 4-10 32.
Park: Nelson 17, Kinslow 15, Ottenheimer 4, Boone 2, DeMarco 7, Rosborough 3, Colbert-Sangree 2. Totals 20 10-21 50.
Half: Park, 28-18.