Double delight: Zalar scores 1,000th career point as Lady Mikes clinch playoff spot
Carmichaels senior Sophia Zalar (middle) poses with assistant coach Olivia Helmick (left), head coach Chelsea Ulery (right) and Lady Mikes cheerleaders while holding a banner honoring her for scoring her 1,000th career point during the second quarter of Monday night无毛视频檚 game against Bentworth at Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Carmichaels无毛视频� Sophia Zalar drops in a layup against Bentworth during Monday night无毛视频檚 game at Carmichaels. Zalar scored 31 points, including the 1,000th of her career, in the Lady Mikes无毛视频� 54-40 win. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Carmichaels' Megan Voithofer (10) takes a jump shot against Bentworth during Monday night's game at Carmichaels. Voithofer scored 11 points in the Lady Mikes' 54-40 victory.
Carmichaels' Sophia Zalar dribbles up court against Bentworth during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Bentworth's Amber Sallee sinks a 3-pointer during Monday night's game at Carmichaels. Sallee made four 3-pointers and scored 19 points but the Lady Mikes won, 54-40.
Carmichaels' Duski Staggers scores against Bentworth during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Alyna Simon dribbles the ball during Monday night's game against Bentworth at Carmichaels.
Bentworth's Grace Skerbetz (13) defends Carmichaels' Kendall Ellsworth during Monday night's game at Carmicahels.
Carmichaels' Alyna Simon (3) attempts a shot as Bentworth's Ava Clark (2) defends during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Megan Voithofer blocks a 3-point attempt by Bentworth's Amber Sallee (5) during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Carmichaels无毛视频� Sophia Zalar drives to the basket during Monday night无毛视频檚 game against Bentworth at Carmichaels. Zalar scored 31 points, including the 1,000th of her career, in the Lady Mikes无毛视频� 54-40 win.
Bentworth's Grace Skerbetz shoots a free throw during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Kendall Ellsworth shoots as Bentworth's Jesse Laskey defends during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Sophia Zalar heads up court after coming up with a steal as Bentworth's Ava Clark defends during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Bentworth's Kayla O'Dell (11) attempts to block a shot by Carmichaels' Ali Jacobs (40) during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Bentwotht's Grace Skerbetz makes a 3-pointer during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Arianna Plavi passes the ball as Amber Sallee defends during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Megan Voithofer (10) passes the ball over Bentworth's Ava Clark (2) and Kayla O'Dell (11) to Duski Staggers (33) during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Sophia Zalar is defended by Bentworth's Taylor Aubrey (21) during Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels coach Chelsea Ulery talks to her players during a timeout in Monday night's game against Bentworth at Carmichaels.
Bentworth coach Donna Sallee (left) talks to her players during a timeout in Monday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Kendall Ellsworth (21) throws a no-look pass during Monday night's game against Bentworth at Carmichaels.
CARMICHAELS 无毛视频� It was a double delight for Carmichaels无毛视频� girls basketball team on Monday night.
Lady Mikes senior star Sophia Zalar rang up a game-high 31 points, including the 1,000th of her career, and her team wrapped up a WPIAL playoff spot in Section 4-AA with a 54-40 win over visiting Bentworth.
Zalar, needing 14 points to reach 1,000, took charge from the start, scoring nine points in the first quarter as Carmichaels built an 18-7 lead.
Zalar made a layup and converted one of two foul shots to push her total up to 12 early in the second quarter, then hit the milestone in spectacular fashion, taking a pass from Alyna Simon and swishing an NBA-range 3-pointer with 4:22 left in the half to give her 1,001 career points.
The game was stopped momentarily for the Lady Mikes (5-4, 7-12) and their vocal fans to celebrate the accomplishment.
无毛视频淚t is a big deal to me,无毛视频� Zalar admitted. 无毛视频淭o hit it proves that anything is possible if you just go out, work hard, stick with it and put your heart out on the floor.无毛视频�
Zalar wound up with three 3-pointers, eight two-point field goals and was six of nine at the foul line while turning in one of her usual stellar all-around performances.
无毛视频淪ophia was on fire,无毛视频� Carmichaels coach Chelsea Ulery said. 无毛视频淎 couple years ago I said Sophia is someone to watch for and now to see her score her 1,000th point, I无毛视频檓 so happy for her. She无毛视频檚 such a hard worker.
无毛视频淪he has so much energy and is extremely athletic. She无毛视频檚 very fast and can jump very high but she doesn无毛视频檛 just rely on her natural ability. She also puts in extra effort. She puts in a lot of extra time after practice, before practice, on her off days. She is so deserving of this.无毛视频�
Zalar admitted she had to settle herself a bit before tipoff.
无毛视频淚 was a little bit nervous going into this game,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淏ut then I realized if I go on the court and just play like I usually play basketball and play my heart out, everything will work out and that无毛视频檚 what happened.无毛视频�
Zalar wound up with 19 first-half points as Carmichaels took a 32-16 lead at intermission. The hosts extended their advantage to 49-27 by the end of the third quarter and Ulery emptied her bench midway through the fourth quarter.
Megan Voithofer sank a pair of 3-pointers in scoring 11 points for Carmichaels. Kendall Ellsworth added six points.
无毛视频淓veryone did very well for us tonight,无毛视频� Ulery said. 无毛视频淢egan无毛视频檚 shot is starting to fall. She无毛视频檚 just a naturally gifted shooter and now she has that confidence. The last few games she无毛视频檚 been lighting it up.无毛视频�
The Lady Bearcats (2-8, 4-14) kept fighting until the end and outscored Carmichaels 13-5 in the fourth quarter to whittle the final gap down to 14.
Amber Sallee poured in four 3-pointers in a 19-point outing to lead the way for Bentworth. Grace Skerbetz made a pair of 3-pointers in scoring nine points and Jesse Laskey chipped in with six points for coach Donna Sallee无毛视频檚 squad.
With her 1,000 milestone out of the way, Zalar was pleased to look forward to the postseason.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 very excited about that,无毛视频� Zalar said. 无毛视频淚 told the girls I want us to go to the playoffs. I had a taste of it last year for the first time as a junior and I wanted to do it again my senior year. And now we did it.
无毛视频淚 love this team so much, I love my players and my coaches and I无毛视频檓 very excited I got to do this with them. Chelsea, I love her personality as a coach and a person. She无毛视频檚 like my best friend. We always talk and she gives me tips and tricks. I have a really good relationship with her.无毛视频�
Ulery would like to see her team continue to play well down the stretch.
无毛视频淚 told them coming in this is a must win for us and they did a great job,无毛视频� Ulery said. 无毛视频淭he next three games we want to come out and play exactly like we did tonight.无毛视频�