Double delight: Zalar scores 1,000th career point as Lady Mikes clinch playoff spot
Carmichaels鈥� Sophia Zalar drops in a layup against Bentworth during Monday night鈥檚 game at Carmichaels. Zalar scored 31 points, including the 1,000th of her career, in the Lady Mikes鈥� 54-40 win. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
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鈥檚 game against Bentworth at Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
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.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels鈥� Sophia Zalar drives to the basket during Monday night鈥檚 game against Bentworth at Carmichaels. Zalar scored 31 points, including the 1,000th of her career, in the Lady Mikes鈥� 54-40 win.
Carmichaels' Megan Voithofer blocks a 3-point attempt by Bentworth's Amber Sallee (5) 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 鈥� It was a double delight for Carmichaels鈥� 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.
鈥淚t is a big deal to me,鈥� Zalar admitted. 鈥淭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.鈥�
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.
鈥淪ophia was on fire,鈥� Carmichaels coach Chelsea Ulery said. 鈥淎 couple years ago I said Sophia is someone to watch for and now to see her score her 1,000th point, I鈥檓 so happy for her. She鈥檚 such a hard worker.
鈥淪he has so much energy and is extremely athletic. She鈥檚 very fast and can jump very high but she doesn鈥檛 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.鈥�
Zalar admitted she had to settle herself a bit before tipoff.
鈥淚 was a little bit nervous going into this game,鈥� she said. 鈥淏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鈥檚 what happened.鈥�
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.
鈥淓veryone did very well for us tonight,鈥� Ulery said. 鈥淢egan鈥檚 shot is starting to fall. She鈥檚 just a naturally gifted shooter and now she has that confidence. The last few games she鈥檚 been lighting it up.鈥�
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鈥檚 squad.
With her 1,000 milestone out of the way, Zalar was pleased to look forward to the postseason.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about that,鈥� Zalar said. 鈥淚 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.
鈥淚 love this team so much, I love my players and my coaches and I鈥檓 very excited I got to do this with them. Chelsea, I love her personality as a coach and a person. She鈥檚 like my best friend. We always talk and she gives me tips and tricks. I have a really good relationship with her.鈥�
Ulery would like to see her team continue to play well down the stretch.
鈥淚 told them coming in this is a must win for us and they did a great job,鈥� Ulery said. 鈥淭he next three games we want to come out and play exactly like we did tonight.鈥�