Gallant in defeat: Lady Scotties fight to the end but greatest season closes with PIAA loss to Lancaster
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts gestures while talking to his players during a timeout in Wednesday night无毛视频檚 PIAA second-round playoff game against Lancaster Catholic at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Sarah Pisula takes a jump shot against Lancaster Catholic during Wednesday night无毛视频檚 PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Olivia Cernuto dribbles the ball after grabbing a rebound against Lancaster Catholic聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Charity Henderson goes in for a left-handed layup against Lancaster Catholic during a PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School on March 11.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Daylanie Morvosh (2) hits a jump shot against Lancaster Catholic during Wednesday night无毛视频檚 PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Olivia Cernuto looks to pass as three Lancaster Catholic defenders close in during Wednesday night无毛视频檚 PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Sarah Pisula takes a one-handed shot against Lancaster Catholic during a PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School on March 11.
Southmoreland's Gracie Spadaro grabs a rebound between two Lancaster Catholic players聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Olivia Cernuto scores against Lancaster Catholic聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Carlie Collins (14), Erika Sherbondy (11) and Charity Henderson (5) watch the ball as they defend against Lancaster Catholic during a PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School on March 11.
Southmoreland's Maddie Moore (23) shoots from in close against Lancaster Catholic聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Delaynie Morvosh (2) corrals a rebound against Lancaster Catholic聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Carlie Collins sinks a jump shot over Lancaster Catholic's Sophia Wentz (34) during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Sarah Pisula eyes up the basket as Lancaster Catholic's Sophia Wentz (34) defends聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Gracie Spadaro puts up a shot against Lancaster Catholic聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Sarah Pisula heads to the basket for a layup after making a steal against Lancaster Catholic聽during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Southmoreland's Olivia Cernuto, along with (in background)聽teammates Erika Sherbondy, Charity Henderson, Sarah Pisula and Gracie Spadaro, defends against Lancaster Catholic during Wednesday night's PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
BEDFORD 无毛视频� A quick start can be critical in basketball.
Lancaster Catholic certainly proved that on Wednesday night.
The Lady Crusaders were out-scored by Southmoreland over the last three quarters but rode an explosive opening eight minutes to a 64-56 win over the Lady Scotties in a PIAA girls basketball Class 4A second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Katie Haefner scored 10 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter when Lancaster took a 27-13 lead and the Lady Crusaders (23-3) remained in control the rest of the game.
无毛视频淭hey came out the gates hot,无毛视频� Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts said. 无毛视频淭hey shot the ball well and we didn无毛视频檛 do a good job of rotating on defense. They put us in a hole.
无毛视频淎ny time you无毛视频檙e at this level, one of 16 teams left in the state, if you give anybody a cushion it无毛视频檚 super difficult to overcome it.无毛视频�
Lancaster coach Charles Detz agreed.
无毛视频淭hat quick start was really important,无毛视频� Detz said. 无毛视频淲e came out focused. When we get that quick lead it无毛视频檚 a big benefit.无毛视频�
The Lady Crusaders got buckets from Cassie Peris, Haefner and Sommer Reeser in going up 6-0 before Olivia Cernuto got the Lady Scotties (25-2) on the board. Haefner scored again and Reeser made back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 14-2, forcing Pritts to call timeout.
Reeser wouldn无毛视频檛 score again until making a free throw with 1:09 left in the game but her early eight-point burst helped pave the way for her team无毛视频檚 victory.
无毛视频淭he way they shot the ball tonight it was almost like playing North Catholic again,无毛视频� said Pritts, referring to his team无毛视频檚 only other loss of the season, 61-44, in the WPIAL final. 无毛视频淔ilm doesn无毛视频檛 do them justice. They无毛视频檙e very quick.无毛视频�
Trailing by 14, the Lady Scotties无毛视频� defense clamped down in the first part of the second quarter, holding Lancaster scoreless for the first 3:29 as the lead was whittled to 27-18.
Peris then went on an individual six-point run with a free throw, 3-pointer and steal and lay-up to push the gap out to 15. When Haefner scored just before the buzzer it gave Lancaster a 41-23 halftime advantage.
The Lady Crusaders pushed the margin up to 20 twice in the third quarter, 49-29 after a three-point play by Naomi Zulueta and 51-31 after a basket by Peris.
Cernuto closed the frame with a spinning basket and a layup off a steal to pull Southmoreland within 51-35.
The Lady Scotties refused to fold in the fourth quarter and got within 59-47 with 3:32 left after a three-point play and two free throws by Cernuto.
Lancaster bumped its lead up to 64-47 but Southmoreland kept clawing and scored the game无毛视频檚 final nine points on a 3-pointer and basket by Charity Henderson, a steal and layup by Sarah Pisula and a jump shot by Maddie Moore before the clock ran out.
无毛视频淲e fought to the end,无毛视频� Pisula said. 无毛视频淭hat just shows what kind of team we are.无毛视频�
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 a tough team,无毛视频� Detz said. 无毛视频淭hey were 25-1 for a reason. They do a lot of good things. Their bigs inside work well together and their guards do a good job. We knew coming in we were going to have to play well.无毛视频�
Cernuto, who totaled a team-high 14 points and three assists with five rebounds, was a target for Lancaster无毛视频檚 defense.
无毛视频淥ur team goal was take the ball out of 10无毛视频檚 (Cernuto) hands,无毛视频� Detz said. 无毛视频淲e did it, for the most part.无毛视频�
Pisula recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds to go along with two blocked shots and two steals. Henderson also had 12 points, including her team无毛视频檚 only 3-pointer, and Gracie Spadaro added 10 points for the Lady Scotties. Moore contributed four points and seven boards.
Peris and Zaniah Banks tallied 10 points apiece for Lancaster.
Pritts had nothing but praise for his squad.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 an emotional time for them right now. They put their heart and soul into this season,无毛视频� Pritts said. 无毛视频淲e talked about the amount of pride and joy they brought, not just to myself and the coaches but the community and the school itself. The way everybody got behind these kids and supported them is amazing.
无毛视频淭o be the first Southmoreland team to win a state playoff game, to make it to the Sweet 16 in the state, to win the section, to go undefeated in the regular season, to make it to the Petersen Events Center 无毛视频� it无毛视频檚 been a pretty spectacular season and I couldn无毛视频檛 be more proud of them.无毛视频�
It was the final game for Southmoreland seniors Pisula, Henderson, Erika Sherbondy and Carlie Collins.
无毛视频淭hey are great kids,无毛视频� Pritts said. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檝e given me everything they无毛视频檝e had since they started in fourth grade. The four of them I think are going to be very successful in life because of their demeanor and character.无毛视频�
Pisula reflected on her team无毛视频檚 year.
无毛视频淚t sucks tonight but you can无毛视频檛 be sad when you look back on the season,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淲e did things that have never been done before and it was just the best group of girls. I无毛视频檓 so grateful for everything that无毛视频檚 happened.无毛视频�