Gallant in defeat: Lady Scotties fight to the end but greatest season closes with PIAA loss to Lancaster
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts gestures while talking to his players during a timeout in Wednesday night鈥檚 PIAA second-round playoff game against Lancaster Catholic at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland鈥檚 Sarah Pisula takes a jump shot against Lancaster Catholic during Wednesday night鈥檚 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 | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland鈥檚 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 | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland鈥檚 Daylanie Morvosh (2) hits a jump shot against Lancaster Catholic during Wednesday night鈥檚 PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland鈥檚 Olivia Cernuto looks to pass as three Lancaster Catholic defenders close in during Wednesday night鈥檚 PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland鈥檚 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 | 缅北禁地
Southmoreland鈥檚 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 鈥� 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.
鈥淭hey came out the gates hot,鈥� Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts said. 鈥淭hey shot the ball well and we didn鈥檛 do a good job of rotating on defense. They put us in a hole.
鈥淎ny time you鈥檙e at this level, one of 16 teams left in the state, if you give anybody a cushion it鈥檚 super difficult to overcome it.鈥�
Lancaster coach Charles Detz agreed.
鈥淭hat quick start was really important,鈥� Detz said. 鈥淲e came out focused. When we get that quick lead it鈥檚 a big benefit.鈥�
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鈥檛 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鈥檚 victory.
鈥淭he way they shot the ball tonight it was almost like playing North Catholic again,鈥� said Pritts, referring to his team鈥檚 only other loss of the season, 61-44, in the WPIAL final. 鈥淔ilm doesn鈥檛 do them justice. They鈥檙e very quick.鈥�
Trailing by 14, the Lady Scotties鈥� 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鈥檚 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.
鈥淲e fought to the end,鈥� Pisula said. 鈥淭hat just shows what kind of team we are.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a tough team,鈥� Detz said. 鈥淭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.鈥�
Cernuto, who totaled a team-high 14 points and three assists with five rebounds, was a target for Lancaster鈥檚 defense.
鈥淥ur team goal was take the ball out of 10鈥檚 (Cernuto) hands,鈥� Detz said. 鈥淲e did it, for the most part.鈥�
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鈥檚 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an emotional time for them right now. They put their heart and soul into this season,鈥� Pritts said. 鈥淲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.
鈥淭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 鈥� it鈥檚 been a pretty spectacular season and I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of them.鈥�
It was the final game for Southmoreland seniors Pisula, Henderson, Erika Sherbondy and Carlie Collins.
鈥淭hey are great kids,鈥� Pritts said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e given me everything they鈥檝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.鈥�
Pisula reflected on her team鈥檚 year.
鈥淚t sucks tonight but you can鈥檛 be sad when you look back on the season,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e did things that have never been done before and it was just the best group of girls. I鈥檓 so grateful for everything that鈥檚 happened.鈥�