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DUKE CENTER, Pa. – It was a season to remember for both the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams at Otto-Eldred.
The boys finished as District 9 Class 2A runner-up and responded by advancing all the way to the PIAA semifinals (they had never won a PIAA playoff game before the 2022-23 season, while the girls won the D9 title in Class 1A for the first time in program history and advanced to the PIAA quarterfinal.
“I don’t know when the last time you had a school as small as we are with two teams in the quarterfinals,” girls’ coach Shawn Gray said after his team’s PIAA second round win over Bishop Guilfoyle. “I’m so happy for Otto-Eldred. It fills my heart, it really does. I love the towns that are in our community and the people that are in our community are absolutely amazing.”
The boys’ team fell to Clarion-Limestone, 68-54 in the D9 title game, but bounced back in a big way in the PIAA playoffs, earning wins over Greensburg Central Catholic (67-54), Serra Catholic (61-44) and Erie First Christian (42-40), before falling to WPIAL champion Aliquippa in the semis, 56-28.
The girls, meanwhile, beat Elk County Catholic, 45-40 for the D9 title, followed by PIAA wins over Monessen (57-30) and Bishop Guilfoyle (49-37), before dropping a 40-39 heartbreaker in the quarterfinals to Berlin-Brothersvalley.
The Otto-Eldred girls after their historic D9 title game win.
The boys’ first-round PIAA win was sparked by an 18-1 run in the second half. Landon Francis led the way with 21 points and Shene Thomas, Austin Cousins and Brax Caldwell were all in double figures as well, with Manning Splain adding nine.
“We lost to a really good Clarion-Limestone team a week ago,” boys’ coach Derrick Francis said after the first-round PIAA win. “You know it’s a special group when the kids are emotional about and as a coach, you don’t want to have to want it more than the kids. When we got back in the gym, and it was like the first day in the gym back in November. These kids don’t want to lose, they just want to keep playing. What a special group of kids.”
Again, it was a second half run that fueled the O-E boys’ second round win, going on a 21-8 spurt in the third quarter against Serra Catholic. Thomas, Francis, Caldwell and Cousins were all in double figures.
Like it did for nearly all of the postseason, the Terrors’ defense shined in a 42-40 quarterfinal win over Erie First Christian. They didn’t score over the final 2:42 of the game but were still able to withstand the D10 champion Eagles. Cousins’ free throws with 2:42 left were the final points Otto-Eldred scored in the game. Caldwell led with 14 points.
The girls took a somewhat different route, but together, the two teams took the community on a fun journey.
The Lady Terrors rallied from an 11-point deficit in the D9 title game, with Katie Sheeler’s free-throws with 33.6 seconds remaining giving them the lead for good. Brooke Close hit a 3 with 2:52 left in the game to to tie it at 38-all. Sheeler finished with 15 points, Close 10 and Anna Merry (whose late free throws put the game on ice) and Bri Heller had eight apiece.
Sheeler scored 30 points and Merry 17 in the first-round PIAA playoff win over Monessen, with the duo scoring all 27 of the first half points as the Lady Terrors rallied from a slow offensive start. It was a special day in the Terror dome, as the girls’ win was followed by the boys’ victory over GCC.
“The energy and what our community brings, it’s just the best feeling,” Merry said after. “Seeing everyone out there is just such a joy.”
In their second-round PIAA game, Otto-Eldred trailed 17-16 at halftime, but took complete control over the final 16 minutes. Sheeler had 20 points, Merry 11, and Carrie Drummond provide a huge spark, particularly on the defensive end.
It was a heartbreaker in the quarterfinals for the girls, as Mercy Sechler’s putback with 20 seconds left gave Berlin the lead for good at 40-39. Sheeler had a look for 3 at the buzzer, but it wasn’t able to find the back of the net. She finished the game with 20 points.
Sheeler was named YDL Sports Network Player of the Year, while Gray was Coach of the Year and Merry was second-team all D-9. Sheeler was also second-team all-state in Class 1A.
Derrick Francis was named the YDL Sports Network Coach of the Year, while Thomas and Splain were both third-team All-D9.
More than the wins and the accolades, however, it was the way the teams represented their school and community that will be remembered the most.
“I love every one of them like they’re my own son,” Derrick Francis said of his team after their second-round PIAA win. “What a special group and what a cool thing.”
