By CORY ISENBERG
WEXFORD — Never count a District 6 girls basketball team out of the PIAA playoffs against a District 7 squad.
Conemaugh Valley (19-6), the 6-3 seed, came back from an early deficit Saturday against District 7 runner-up North Catholic, then used a calm demeanor and a well-rounded team effort to eliminate the Trojanettes 54-49 in a Class A first round-game at North Allegheny High School.
“This was a very big win,” Conemaugh Valley coach Teri Cruse said. “We just thought that we would come in here and prepare for it like any other game. We knew a lot about their players.
“We have a lot of tough competition in our area and some of our losses were to bigger schools, so that helped to get us ready for the playoffs and our team was ready.”
The Blue Jays, who will take on Tussey Mountain in the second round on Wednesday at a site to be determined, got a game-high 16 points from senior Beth Kendera, who also added seven rebounds.
“This was big, real big,” said an excited Kendera after the game. “North Catholic is like a Bishop Guilfoyle team. We had to play with potential and more as a team. We had to come together. We made our shots when they counted. We were hustling and playing defensively and rebounding. We were on the floor after every loose ball.”
Nikki Ledwich and Carly Gruss provided 11 points each while senior Taylor Gruss supplied nine points and
13 rebounds along with numerous intangibles out on the floor.
The Blue Jays offense was sluggish in the opening frame as the Trojanettes, fueled by nine of Lynzi Mueller’s
14 points, got out to an 18-11 lead.
“We’ve been doing that,” Cruse said about the early hole.
“We missed a lot of easy shots underneath. Beth Kendera has been playing really well lately and she struggled there at the beginning. But once she settled in, she was OK.”
But the tide began to turn in the second quarter, as the Blue Jays defense started to make its presence felt, forcing seven North Catholic turnovers and pulling to within two, 24-22, right before the half.
“We get ourselves down in the first half and then when we come at halftime, we look at our mistakes,” Kendera said. “Then we come out and do what we have to do.”
Conemaugh Valley pulled even on a Taylor Gruss bucket to open the second half, but Mueller answered to put North Catholic ahead again.
After a Kendera basket evened the contest at 26, Carly Gruss gave the Blue Jays the lead for good at the 5:32 mark of the third. Conemaugh Valley ended the quarter on an 11-8 run for a 39-34 advantage.
The Trojanettes pulled to within two twice in the fourth, the final time at 49-47 with 2:17 left on a pair of Erin DiSanti free throws.
The Blue Jays outscored the District 7 squad 5-2 the rest of the game.
“Our starting five just played so well together,” Cruse said.
“Usually I sub so much more, but the whole second half, they had such calmness and that’s what we needed. As long as they were willing and their legs were running. We were good with them out there.”
North Catholic (22-5) also got 14 points from Kendall Hoffman, who chipped in
10 rebounds.
“They were the better team (Saturday),” said North Catholic coach Molly Rottmann. “They played harder, went after loose balls, they scored and finished when they needed to. I give them a lot of credit.”
