HS BASKETBALL: Bears run ends in eastern final
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Mahanoy Area's #14 Claudia Clark's shot is blocked by Mount Carmel's #32 Dani Rae Renno.
MAHANOY CITY – The road to the Giant Center ended one stop short for the Mahanoy Area Lady Bears, as their season came to a close Monday night against Mount Carmel.
“Mount Carmel is a great team, they were destined for this,” Eric Moucheron, Mahanoy Area Head Coach, said after the 52-33 loss. “You could tell, a lot of these girls have been starting since they were freshman. They have a really good team.”
“I’m so proud of my girls, though. They fought all year,” Moucheron added. “For the adversary we’ve had to deal with, I could not be prouder of my team. They fought until the very end.”
The two coal region squads played Monday for a berth in Thursday’s PIAA 2A State Championship at Giant Center in Hershey, though it wasn’t their first meeting of the season. The Tornadoes routed Mahanoy earlier in the year.
Monday’s game saw the tables turn on Mahanoy, compared to the past few games.
The Bears fell behind early and could not keep up with the Tornadoes aggressive offense, and struggled to produce points of their own.
“Usually, we come into games expecting to attack the rim, and if it’s not there, then you have your kickouts,” Moucheron said. “We couldn’t attack the rim today. It takes a whole facet of our offense out.”
Mount Carmel’s explosive offense took control of the game in the second half via a 10-0 run out of the locker room, while Mahanoy’s offense was held to just three points in the third quarter.
With two minutes remaining in the game, facing a 50-28 deficit, Mahanoy’s backups were put into the game to gain experience.
A few more scores for both teams created a 52-33 final score in favor of Mount Carmel, who will travel to Hershey to facing District 7 champion Neshannock, victors over Penn Manor in a 39-36 overtime thriller.
As for Mahanoy, five seniors — Claudia Clark, Meghan Macleary, Cealinn McGroarty, Maddison Quick, and Isabella Kramer — three of whom were starters, walked off the basketball court at Mahanoy Area for the final time.
“My first group of seniors, we’ve built such great relationships over the years, I couldn’tve asked for a better group,” Moucheron said. “They stepped up when they needed to, they held everybody together when we couldn’t be together, I just couldn’t ask for more.”
Clark led the Bears in scoring with ten points, including two three-pointers, followed by McGroarty with six points and two three-pointers, Macleary and Haley Moss with five apiece and a three-pointer between them, Madison Bowles with three points, a three-pointer, and Allyson Babinsky and Kramer with two apiece.
For Mount Carmel, scoring was led by Mia Chapman and Caroline Fletcher with ten points apiece, followed by Dani Rae Renno and Alyssa Reisinger with nine, Lauren Shedleski with eight, including a three-pointer, and Lauren Ayres, Rachel Witkoski, and Katie Witkoski with two apiece.
The Bears finish their season with a 16-6 record.
Box Score
Mahanoy Area (33) — Clark 4 0-0 10, Macleary 2 0-0 5, McGroarty 2 0-0 6, Babinsky 1 0-0 2, Moss 2 0-0 5, Kramer 1 0-0 2, Bowles 1 0-0 3, Kessock 0 0-0 0, Quick 0 0-0 0, Cavenas 0 0-0 0, Derr 0 0-0 0. Team 13 0-0 33.
Mount Carmel (52) — Ayres 1 0-0 2, Chapman 4 2-3 10, Fletcher 4 2-2 10, Shedleski 3 0-0 8, Renno 3 3-6 9, Pizzoli 0 0-0 0, Reisinger 2 3-4 9, R. Witkoski 1 0-0 2, K. Witkoski 1 0-0 2. Team 20 10-15 52.
3pt FGs – Mahanoy Area (7): Clark 2, McGroarty 2, Moss, Macleary, Bowles; Mount Carmel (2): Shedleski 2.
Boxscore key: Player FGs FTM-FTA Pts
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