For the first time this season, Fairview women’s basketball coach Aaron Garrity had to speak with his team after a loss.
He wanted to make sure the Tigers knew their historic season wasn’t over yet.
“It’s tough and we haven’t felt that all season,” Garrity said. “Yeah, we were aiming to win a District 10 championship and we crashed and we should be crushed on that, but we’re going to regroup.”
“I told them it wouldn’t tarnish our season at all,” Garrity said. “We’re on a special run and we’re still going for it. We’ll lace them up again on Saturday.”
Dashboard J-10:District 10 Playoff Scoreboard: (Click on Women’s Basketball)
For only the fourth time this season, Fairview allowed 40 points in a game as Greenville continued to hit clutch shots in a 46-38 win over the Tigers in the class women’s basketball semifinals. 3A of District 10 at the Hagerty Family Events Center.
GAME STATS:Fairview vs. Greenville
Greenville (18-5) will face fellow Region 4 champion Lakeview for the D-10 3A championship Saturday at 4 p.m. at Slippery Rock University, while Fairview (23-1) seeks a trip to the PIAA playoffs in the third-place game against rival Mercyhurst Prep at HFEC at 1 p.m.
Fairview entered the game with the best defense in District 10 and the only teams to score 40 or more points against the Tigers were North East (41) and Mercyhurst Prep, who scored 44 points in the two games against Fairview. Greenville managed to score a season-high 46 points against the Tiger defense, including a crucial 15-5 run in the third quarter.
“I really think the key was our teamwork and those girls are so tough,” Greenville freshman coach Samantha Faler said. “They spend so much time together in the weight room and they’ve stuck together and put down a phenomenal basketball team with a great coach.”
Faler, formerly Samantha Reimer, is familiar with Erie County basketball after a Hall of Fame playing career for Edinboro. She put a plan in place to keep the Trojans relaxed as they faced a long bus ride to face an unbeaten side on Wednesday.
“We preached to our daughters physical and mental strength. They spent the day reading to my grandkids in elementary school all day,” Faler said. “They were joking and having fun on the bus ride here and we adopted the motto ‘Start unknown, end unforgettable’ and the girls did a great job finishing this game.”
Grace Cano led Greenville with 20 points, while Josie Lewis had 13 and Anna Harpst scored nine. Lewis had three big 3-pointers and Harpst added two in clutch situations.
“They made shots and we struggled to make shots,” Garrity said. “They are a good team and in the playoffs we will only see good teams.”
Hope Garrity led Fairview with 22 points and Sara Gennuso scored 10.
Lakeview 45, Mercyhurst Prep 42: In Sharon, the Lakers suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss in the District 10 Class 3A semifinals.
Lakeview (21-3) advances to the D-10 Championship on Saturday against fellow Region 4 champion Greenville at Slippery Rock University at 4 p.m., while Mercyhurst Prep (16-8) will face rival Fairview for third place and a place in the PIAA tournament at 1 p.m. at the HFEC.
GAME STATS:Mercyhurst Prep vs. Lakeview
Mercyhurst Prep led 28-22 after three quarters before a big fourth quarter by Lakeview. The Sailors went on a 13-7 run to tie the game at 35. The Lakers had two shots in the final seconds of regulation time but couldn’t drop either to force the extensions.
St. Vincent rookie Reese Gadsby, a 1,000-point scorer, scored 10 of his 25 points in overtime to lead Lakeview to a big win. Kelsey Seddon added nine points for the sailors. Sophomore Olivia Kulyk led Mercyhurst Prep with 16 points and St. Lawrence rookie Joce Ollinger scored eight.
McDowell 66, Allderdice 50: At the Paul Goll Gymnasium, the Trojans went on a 34-17 run through the second and third quarters to rally to a PIAA Class 6A sub-regional victory on Wednesday.
McDowell (15-7) travels to champion District 6 Mifflin County on Saturday at 3 p.m. for another sub-region. Allderdice finished the season at 11-8.
GAME STATS:McDowell v Allderdice
Sophomore Amaiya Nelson had a big game with 15 points, while fellow sophomores Caylen Spano and Kaeli Bennett each had 13 points. Ella Gebhardt and Jessica Hetz each added 10 points for the Trojans.
The Dragons took a 17-12 first quarter lead before McDowell’s midgame run to pull away.
Zaniya Murray had a huge game for Allderdice with 37 points, but the rest of the Dragons combined or 13 points.
Slippery Rock 43, Harbor Creek 26: In Meadville, the Rockets capitalized on a big first half to earn a berth in the District 10 Class 5A Women’s Basketball Championship on Wednesday at Meadville High School.
Slippery Rock (14-8) will face Warren in a rematch of last year’s D-10 5A Championship Game Saturday at 4 p.m. at Meadville High School, while Harbor Creek (14-9) can still surrender to the PIAA playoffs with a win over Grove City in the third-place game on Saturday in Meadville at 2:30 p.m.
GAME STATS:Harbor Creek versus Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock led 13-4 after the first quarter and 23-9 at halftime to create a 14-point cushion on the Huskies. The second half was closer, but the Rockets beat Harbor Creek in the third and fourth quarters to secure the win.
Chatham rookie Ella McDermott led Slippery Rock with 14 points and Katie Book scored 12. Samantha Zank led Harbor Creek with 12 points.
Warren 47, Grove Town 25: At the HFEC, the Dragons’ pair of 1,000-point scorers each had 16 points as Warren won a D-10 Class 5A semifinal on Wednesday.
GAME STATS:Warren vs. Grove City
Warren (18-6) looks to defend his D-10 championship on Saturday against Slippery Rock at 4 p.m. at Meadville High School after edging out the Rockets last year, and Grove City (15-9) can earn a spot in the PIAA Tournament with a victory over Harbor Creek in the third-place game at 2:30 p.m. in Meadville.
Grove City hit several clutch shots in the first quarter to take a 12-10 lead before Warren scored the Eagles 37-13 the rest of the game. Roberts Wesleyan rookie Riley Childress had 16 points for the Dragons with Hillsdale rookie Emma Ruhlman. Delaney Callahan beat Grove City with 11 points and Izzie Gamble scored eight.
Maple wood 47, Cambridge Springs 46: In Meadville, the Tigers stole a pass in the final seconds to hold on to a thrilling win in the District 10 Class 2A semifinal on Wednesday.
GAME STATS:Maplewood vs. Cambridge Springs
Maplewood (21-3) will face West Middlesex for the D-10 Championship on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Slippery Rock University, and Cambridge Springs (17-6) can continue their PIAA playoff season with a third-place win. on Cochranton at 1 p.m. at Meadville High School.
Maplewood and Cambridge Springs traded the lead as the Blue Devils led 16-11 after the first quarter and the game was tied at 21 at halftime. Maplewood led 36-31 after three quarters and held onto the fourth. Izzy Eimer, a 1,000-point scorer, led the Tigers with 29 points. Madison Yanc had 21 points and Makenzie Yanc added 15 for the Blue Devils.
West Middlesex 54, Cochranton 39: In Sharon, the Big Reds slowly built a solid game-long lead in the Class D-10 2A semifinals on Wednesday.
GAME STATS:West Middlesex v Cochranton
West Middlesex (19-3) is looking to reclaim the D-10 Championship on Saturday against Maplewood at 2:30 p.m. at Slippery Rock University, while Cochranton (13-11) is seeking a trip to the PIAA playoffs in a game for third place against Cambridge Springs at 1 p.m. at Meadville High School.
The Big Reds led 8-7 after the first quarter, 24-20 at halftime and 36-28 after three quarters to slowly pull away from Cochranton. Carlie Beatty, a 1,000 point scorer, led West Middlesex with 20 points and Emily Anthony, another 1,000 point scorer, added 18. Shelby McBryar led Cochranton with 12 points.
Contact Tom Reisenweber at [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @ETNreisenweber.
District 10 Women’s Basketball Playoffs
Saturday
Class 1A Championship
At Slippery Rock University
Catholic Kennedy vs. Farrell, 1 p.m.
Class 2A Championship
At Slippery Rock University
West Middlesex v Maplewood, 2:30 p.m.
Class 2A Third Place Game
At Meadville High School
Cochranton vs. Cambridge Springs, 1 p.m.
Class 3A Championship
At Slippery Rock University
Greenville vs. Lakeview, 4 p.m.
Class 3A Third Place Game
At HFEC
Fairview vs. Mercyhurst Prep, 1 p.m.
Class 5A Championship
At Meadville High School
Warren vs. Slippery Rock, 4 p.m.
Class 5A Third Place Game
At Meadville High School
Grove City vs. Harbor Creek, 2:30 p.m.
PIAA Women’s Basketball Sub-Regionals
Class 4A
Villa Maria at St. Marys, 6 p.m.
Class 6A
McDowell in Mifflin County, 3 p.m.
