Archbishop Wood pulls away from Cathedral Prep in fourth quarter for PIAA title
HERSHEY – Archbishop Wood and Cathedral Prep have been to a combined 20 PIAA championship games over the past 18 years.
The two powerhouses showed their experience in the state championship game as they went back and forth throughout the first three quarters.
A scoreless five-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, however, was too much for the Ramblers to overcome.
Archbishop Wood ended the game on a 10-1 run to beat Prep 37-27 for the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball championship on Saturday in front of 1,150 fans at the Giant Center in Hershey.
“I told the girls that one stretch won't define this team or this season,” said Prep coach Doug Chuzie. “We've been to eight of the last 18 state championship games and the only school to be to more is Archbishop Wood with 12 of 15. In my humble opinion, those are the two best girls basketball programs in the state. Watching from the sideline, it certainly felt like those were the two best teams in the state and games like that are decided by a ball bouncing one way or a shot getting a soft bounce off the rim. Today was their day.”
Prep ends its 24th straight 20-win season with a record of 23-4 and another trip to the state final, while Archbishop Wood went 26-5 and claimed its PIAA-record ninth state title.
Prep trailed 27-23 with 5 minutes, 34 seconds to play before St. Bonaventure recruit Lena Walz buried a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game.
“We had a great season and hats off to Archbishop Wood as they played a great game,” Walz said. “We came through a lot of adversity this season and I'm proud of this team. This team has been everything to me and I couldn't be happier to be a part of this program. I'm truly blessed.”
That was Prep's last bucket of the game as Ava Lucarotti hit a free throw with 42 seconds left as the Ramblers' final point.
Makayla Finnegan drilled a 3-pointer before three free throws in a row by Alexa Windish for Wood. St. Joe's recruit Emily Knouse led the Vikings with 12 points, while Lauren Greer had 10 and Farleigh Dickinson recruit Ava Renninger had eight.
Walz paced Prep with eight points, while Addie Biel and Georgetown recruit Jayden McBride each had six.
Goodbye seniors
Prep will lose four seniors to graduation, including McBride, Walz, McKenna Valone and Abigail Corsale.
“I've known these four seniors, some of them since birth and others since fourth grade,” Chuzie said. “They aren't just players to me anymore. They have become daughters and I love them for the people they are and the teammates they are and I'm excited to see what they do in life.”
The four seniors accepted the runner-up trophy together for one more moment together.
“It was a great feeling coming back to the Giant Center with these girls and I was happy to do it with my teammates,” McBride said. “I am happy to be here.”
End of an era
Win or lose, the McBride era came to a close on Saturday at Villa Maria and Cathedral Prep. Kayla, Karlee, Aaron and Jayden all participated in a state final for the school over the past 18 years.
Kayla McBride has one silver medal and led Villa Maria to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior, while Karlee McBride has two state titles. Aaron McBride was on Steve Piotrowicz's staff at Cathedral Prep when the boys won a state title, and Jayden McBride finished with two silver medals.
“This coaching staff has known me since I was in diapers and it's a special group,” McBride said. “It has been a great run.”
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Archbishop Wood pulls away from Cathedral Prep to win PIAA state title
