Still perfect: Cernuto, Pisula help propel unbeaten Lady Scotties past CV to first WPIAL final
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Southmoreland players pose for a team photo after the Lady Scotties defeated Central Valley, 64-51, in a WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School Monday night.
Southmoreland’s Olivia Cernuto (10) dribbles past Central Valley’s Kara D’Alessandris (3) during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s Sarah Pisula looks to score while being defended by Central Valley’s Allyon Kirby during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts instructs his players during a timeout in a WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game against Central Valley at Peters Township High School on Feb. 24. The Lady Scotties begin PIAA tournament play on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game against Huntingdon Area at Greensburg Salem High School.
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Southmoreland fans look on with anticipation in the background as the Lady Scotties’ Olivia Cernuto attempts a free throw against Central Valley during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School. Cernuto made nine of her final 10 foul shots in the 64-51 win and scored a game-high 23 points.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland players celebrate after defeating Central Valley, 64-51, in a WPIAL Class 4A semifinal game at Peters Township High School on Monday night. The win advances the Lady Scotties to the WPIAL championship game for the first time in program history.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s Sarah Pisula (24) snags a rebound against Central Valley during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School. Pisula had eights points and 11 rebounds in the Lady Scotties’ 64-51 win.
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Southmoreland’s Maddie Moore lofts a one-handed shot against Central Valley during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s Olivia Cernuto (10) scores on a drive to the basket against Central Valley during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s Charity Henderson puts up a shot in the lane against Central Valley during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts slaps hands with Sarah Pisula during a timeout in a WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game against Central Valley at Peters Township High School on Feb. 24. Pisula had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and 11 rebounds as the Lady Scotties won 64-51 to advance to their first district final. Pritts was chosen as the Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ Girls Basketball Co-Coach of the Year and Pisula was selected as the Class 3A/4A Player of the Year.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s Olivia Cernuto (10) defends Central Valley’s Christiane Frye (21) during Monday night’s WPIAL Class 4A semifinal playoff game at Peters Township High School.
PETERS TWP. — There were some who scoffed when Southmoreland was made the No. 2 seed by the WPIAL in the Class 4A girls basketball pairings. Sure, the Lady Scotties were unbeaten, but the skeptics pointed to what they felt was a weak schedule and section.
Southmoreland proved on Monday night it deserved its lofty ranking by dismantling third-seeded Central Catholic, 64-51, at Peters Township High School to earn the program’s first ever berth into the WPIAL championship game.
The Lady Scotties will play top-seeded North Catholic, a 71-51 winner over fourth-seeded Blackhawk, in the final at the Petersen Events Center at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Freshman Olivia Cernuto scored a game-high 23 points with four assists and four rebounds and senior Sarah Pisula totaled eight points, 12 boards and several blocked shots as Southmoreland improved to 24-0.
“We knew we had something to prove. I think that’s what drove us so hard,” said Pisula, who could barely put into words what it meant to be headed to the district final.
“I can’t even explain it. I mean, first time in school history. I’m so proud to be part of this team. I’m just so happy. This is such a close-knit team. We’re going to celebrate tonight.”
“It’s amazing,” Cernuto said. “It’s a dream come true.”
Erika Sherbondy and Charity Henderson had nine points apiece for the Lady Scotties and Gracie Spadaro contributed eight points and eight rebounds.
Southmoreland mirrored its perfect record with an almost perfect first half against the Lady Warrors (18-4).
Christiane Frye scored the first two baskets for Central Valley but Pisula countered each with an unlikely 3-pointer. The 6-foot forward made just one 3-pointer during the regular season.
“Our coach always says if you’re open shoot it, so I shot it and they both went in,” Pisula said.
Allyson Kirby banked in a 3-pointer to put the Lady Warriors ahead 7-6 but the Lady Scotties answered with a nine-point run that included two 3-pointers and eight points by Cernuto and two baskets by Spadaro for a 15-7 advantage.
Southmoreland would never trail again and ended the first quarter with a 20-14 lead.
“The girls have been shooting the ball really well, and it’s not just one of them,” Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts said. “They came out in a box-and-one and Sarah was wide open and drained the first two threes of the game. She probably only shot two of them (during the regular season), but she shoots them in practice and shoots them well.”
Sherbondy made two free throws and nailed a 3-pointer and Henderson scored in a seven-point run to start the second quarter to put Southmoreland up 27-14.
After a Kirby foul shot, Pisula made two free throws and Henderson was fouled while hitting a 3-pointer. She made the free throw to complete the rare four-point play to the delight of the large throng of Southmoreland fans on hand.
“I was screaming for a timeout,” Pritts said with a chuckle, recalling Henderson’s feat. “I’m glad they didn’t hear me.”
That put the Lady Scotties up 33-14 and they took a 36-18 lead into intermission.
“We just played great the first half,” Pisula said.
Not only was Southmoreland playing well offensively, it’s man-to-man defense was giving Central Valley fits.
“We played really, really strong defense in the first half and that was the key to holding them down and frustrating them,” Pritts said.
Sherbondy’s 3-pointer to start the second half put Southmoreland up by 21, and a Cernuto bucket halfway through the quarter gave the Lady Scotties their biggest lead at 44-22.
The Lady Warriors battled back with two 3-pointers by Kirby and one by Frye in an 11-3 run to end the quarter down 47-33. Southmoreland’s only points over the final four minutes of the frame came on a 3-pointer by Delaynie Morvosh.
A 3-pointer by Alyssa Gillin and a basket by Kirby pulled Central Valley within nine early in the fourth quarter and it had a chance to cut the margin further but Cernuto came up with a steal that led to a Henderson pass to Spadaro who was fouled as she scored. She made the free throw for a 50-38 lead.
The Lady Warriors kept coming and Pritts took a timeout with 4:10 left to help his team keep its composure.
“I just said don’t force things,” Pritts said. “Take what they give you. Keep doing what we’ve been doing the whole time. Let’s protect the ball, come-and-meet passes and play defense.”
Central Valley sliced the gap to eight twice, once on a basket by Frye that was answered by Cernuto and once on two free throws by Kirby that were countered by a pair of Cernuto free throws that made it 54-44.
Southmoreland put the game away at the line with Cernuto sinking nine of 10 free throws and Henderson going two for two over the final three minutes.
Cernuto’s flawless ballhandling was one of the keys down the stretch in addition to her composure at the foul line.
“I was blocking everything out,” Cernuto said of her free-throw shooting process. “I’d just step back, take a deep breath, look to the front of the rim each time, and knew I could do it.”
“Her poise and character are impressive for her age,” Pritts said of Cernuto. “And this big stage, for her to do what she did tonight is amazing.”
Kirby led the Lady Warriors with 22 points and Frye followed with 19 but it wasn’t enough to offset the balance of the Lady Scotties.
“Everything clicked for us tonight. All the girls played extremely well and did all the little things that we preach,” said Pritts, who had an inkling his team might be capable of something special after the calendar turned.
“As the season went on, I felt that we had somewhat of a chance (to reach the WPIAL final). Obviously, the WPIAL committee thought that, too. We showed tonight that we could play with the big guns. What I really love about this group and these girls is it seems when the challenge gets bigger they keep rising up to it.
“We’re going to try to go out and give North Catholic one heck of a game on Friday night.”