Relationships key Lady Scotties’ success
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s 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.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s Sarah Pisula takes a one-handed shot against Lancaster Catholic during a PIAA second-round playoff game at Bedford High School on March 11.
Rob Burchianti | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland’s 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 | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts and Lady Scotties seniors (from left) Sarah Pisula, Charity Henderson, Carlie Collins and Erika Sherbondy talk to the media after suffering one of only two losses during the 2019-20 season in the WPIAL Class 4A championship game against North Catholic at Petersen Events Center on Feb. 28.
Southmoreland’s girls basketball season ended over a week ago and while the Lady Scotties fell one win shy of reaching the PIAA Class 4A Elite Eight, they’re still waiting to see if one of the only two teams to beat them will win the state title.
Southmoreland took the floor for 27 games — the most in program history — and left in defeat only twice, to North Catholic in the WPIAL final and Lancaster Catholic in the PIAA second round.
The coronavirus has put the tournament on hold and it may never be finished.
The Lady Scotties’ greatest season was more about 25-2 than COVID-19, though.
Or was it?
“I told them when I first started coaching I used to think everything was about wins and losses,” Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts said after his team’s state loss at Bedford High School. “But, I’ve won more games lately putting it on relationships.”
The Lady Scotties were a talented lot, but they were also your classic tight-knit group and Pritts credited the latter for the team’s success just as much as the former, if not more.
“They’re so close, they care about each other,” Pritts said. “And that goes a long way to having success on the court.”
Southmoreland went eight deep during their run to a section title, an unbeaten regular season and an extended postseason. Their starters included seniors Sarah Pisula, Charity Henderson and Erika Sherbondy, sophomore Gracie Spadaro and freshman Olivia Cernuto. Key contributors off the bench were senior Carlie Collins, sophomore Daylanie Morvosh and freshman Maddie Moore.
Pritts said he sees the importance in players working and getting along with each other, which he feels is something they’ll remember more than their sparkling final record.
“They’re going to remember this run and they’re going to remember the relationships,” Pritts said following the loss to Lancaster Catholic. “They may remember how this game ended but in the end they’ll remember the heck of a season that they had and all of the fun times they had doing it together.
“And, that’s what’s important.”
Pritts was classy in defeat in more ways than one, as he also commended the Lady Crusaders, but while they had five different players score eight or more points, it was not one of those girls that caught his attention most.
“That point guard (Marlia Matters), I’m really impressed with her,” Pritts said. “I read an article about her that she has cystic fibrosis and she starts her day at 4:45 a.m. That just speaks volumes of her character.
“I think their team feeds off of her. She does a lot of little things for them. She doesn’t score a lot of points but she brought the energy and her team just matched it tonight.”
Pritts tipped his hat to seniors Pisula, Henderson, Sherbondy and Collins and noted the way they played as a team.
“They all do something a little bit different and that’s what makes them so nice,” said Pritts, who let that group finish out the final minutes of their final game together.
“I probably should’ve gone to my subs but it was the last game for those four seniors who have given me everything they’ve had. I just wanted them to be out on the floor together to finish the game.”
Spadaro, Cernuto, Morvosh and Moore give the Lady Scotties a solid core for next season. When asked about the prospects for the future, Pritts stressed his key point one more time.
“It’s all about relationships.”