ERIE – Fairview survived Harbor Creek’s quick start to each half to come away with a 38-32 victory and the District 10 Class 4A girls’ title.
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The Huskies jumped out to an 8-2 lead to start the game, then went on an 8-0 run to start the third quarter. Each time, the Tigers were able to respond with big runs of their own.
After falling behind early, Fairview went on a 13-0 run to take a 15-8 lead midway through the second quarter. Harbor Creek answered with an 8-0 run of its own to regain the lead, 16-15, but the Tigers scored six straight to end the half and led 21-16 at the half.
With Harbor Creek focusing its defense on the backcourt, that opened things inside for Bre Heidt, who scored 11 of her game-high 18 points in the first half.
“My teammates were able to get me that ball and I was able to use the skills that I have worked on to score,” Heidt said. “We knew that they would be pressuring the guards on the outside so if I was able to post up and give myself the space to make the move that I’d be able to score.”
See Heidt’s full postgame interview:
After opening the third quarter with an 8-0 run, Harbor Creek kept the pressure on defensively and held Fairview to just three points in the third quarter. The Huskies had a 27-24 advantage going into the fourth.
A pair of Heidt layups kept the Tigers within one of the Huskies. With just under five minutes to play, Hope Garrity fired a three. She missed, but the rebound went to Sara Genusso who passed it right back to Garrity. This time Garrity buried the 3-pointer to put Fairview on top, 31-29.
The next possession was Ella Garrity’s turn as she knocked down a corner three to stretch the lead to 34-29 with 3:22 to play.
The Huskies couldn’t get closer than four the rest of the way, and Hope Garrity knocked down a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to seal the win.
“I’m thinking ‘Gotta make these shots, these are some big shots to put the game away,’” Hope Garrity said. “And I’m glad I did that.”
See Hope Garrity’s full postgame interview here:
Brooke Pryzbylski led the Huskies with 17 points, and Georgia Weber added eight.
Hope Garrity finished with seven points and Ella Garrity added five points.
Both teams will host first-round PIAA Tournament games against District 7 (WPIAL) opponents next Saturday (times to be announced). The Huskies will face Quaker Valley (7-3), while the Tigers take on Beaver (7-6).
The 2023 District 10 Class 3A girls’ basketball champion Mercyhurst Prep Lakers. Photo by Brian Hagberg.
DISTRICT 10 CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIP
(1) MERCYHURST PREP 48, (2) WILMINGTON 33
ERIE – Mercyhurst Prep jumped out to an early lead and never trailed as the Lakers topped Wilmington, 48-33, to win the District 10 Class 3A girls’ championship.
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The Lakers opened with a 6-0 run and led 15-5 at the end of the first quarter. The defense took over in the second, limiting the Hounds to just two field goals in the frame, allowing the Lakers to take a 26-9 lead into the locker room.
“We came in with assignments and we got it done,” Mercyhurst Prep’s Lillirose Lang said. “We were focused on our defense mainly. It felt good to score those points, but we knew we had to keep up the pressure.”
See Lang’s full postgame interview:
The Lakers’ Olivia Kulyk took over the game offensively in the third quarter, where she scored 11 of her game-high 20 points.
“I knew I could attack,” Kulyk said. “I knew I had a height advantage the whole time so I just had to look for the lane.”
See Kulyk’s full postgame interview
The Hounds weren’t going to go away without a fight. Wilmington ended the third quarter with a 6-1 run to cut the lead to 39-20 going to the fourth.
Wilmington continued the run into the final frame, eventually making it an 18-5 run, but couldn’t get closer than 14.
Maya Jeckavitch led the Hounds with 13 points, while Lia Krarup added 10 points.
In addition to Kulyk’s 20, Lang scored 15 points and Mia Mangini had nine in the win.
Both teams will play in the PIAA Tournament and host a first-round game next Saturday against District 7 (WPIAL) foes. Wilmington will face Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (7-5), while Mercyhurst Prep will play Waynesburg Central (7-7).
CLASS 5A 8-9-10 SUBREGIONAL
CATHEDRAL PREP 62, OBAMA ACADEMY 29
ERIE – Obama Academy scored the first two points of the game, but Cathedral Prep responded with eight straight and rolled to a 62-29 win in the PIAA Class 5A D8-9-10 Subregional.
Jayden McBride got the Ramblers going with a 3-pointer, one of four she would hit in the quarter, on her way to a game-high 25 points. She hit six 3-pointers in the contest.
Addie Biel was also in double figures with 15 points, as was Lena Walz who had 10.
Kimaya Williams led the Eagles with 10 points.
Cathedral Prep will host Trinity, the No. 5 team from District 7 (WPIAL), in the first round of the PIAA Tournament on Saturday at a time to be announced.
CLASS 4A THIRD-PLACE
(3) WARREN 47, (4) CONNEAUT 37
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Halle Kuzminski poured in 19 points as Warren earned a 47-37 win over Conneuat in the third-place game.
The win was the third for Warren over Conneaut this season, as the Lady Dragons jumped out to an 18-6 lead after the first quarter and never looked back.
Kuzminski actually did most of her damage in the second half, scoring 13 of her 19 points after halftime.
Seven different Warren players – Kuzminski, Sammie Ruhlman, Alyssa Farr, Alana Stuart, Peyton Wotorson, Meea Irwin, and Gracie Ruhlman scored in the first quarter to help stake them to the early advantage.
Farr finished with eight points, while Irwin and Sammie Ruhlman had six each.
Lainie Harrington was the only CASH player in double figures with 15 points.
Both teams advance to the first round of the PIAA championships, with Warren taking on WPIAL runner-up Blackhawk, while CASH gets WPIAL champ North Catholic.
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