Gold-medal performance: York Suburban girls win first district title in overtime

York Suburban never gave up.

Their shots weren’t falling, but they hung in against Northern York in the District 3 Class 5A girls’ basketball final Friday night at Giant Center. Because Northern’s shots weren’t falling either.

The lids came off the baskets in the second half, and York Suburban held on for a 37-35 overtime win to claim the program’s first title.

“In the first quarter I thought we were a little bit nervous and didn’t shoot well,” Trojans coach Jess Weaver said. “But all along we said trust the defensive end, trust the defensive end and the offensive end will come.”

The teams were tied at four after the first quarter, and Northern led 12-9 at the half. The low score was a result of scrappy defenses and cold shooting.

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Halves were mirror images

It looked like the second half was destined to be another low-shooting affair. Until York Suburban’s Lydia Powers caught fire.

The junior scored seven unanswered points in the final three minutes to pull the Trojans from a two-point deficit into a six-point lead going into the fourth.

She scored on a 3-pointer, drive through the key, free throw and pull-up jumper. And when she hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter, York Suburban had a nine-point lead.

“It was a lot,” Powers said of the slow start. “Even though we’ve been here before, it was a lot. But we put it together in the second half.”

Just when it seemed as if the Trojans were going to run away from the Polar Bears, Northern had their own run.

Siena Ondecko, who led all scorers with 15 points, combined with Anna Lehman and Cassidy Sadler to score 10 points and take a one-point lead with 3:13 remaining.

Natalie Homisak hit a shot from under the hoop to end the Polar Bears’ run. The teams played leap frog with the lead until Addi Place scored with 18.3 seconds to send the game into overtime.

Weaver changed the way her team was playing the Northern forwards at the half to create more opportunities at the other end.

“We started playing behind them because we thought they were gaining some space on us,” she said. “They are a tough, tough team, very athletic. What makes them so difficult to play is they are so balanced. They have five players who are a scoring threat.”

Bonus basketball

Ondecko hit a shot from the low post to give Northern a 33-31 lead and then she hit a pair of free throws to extend the lead to four points with 1:55 remaining. Those free throws were significant because they came at the expense of Powers fouling out.

Not one to shy away from playing with four fouls, Powers was stunned when the horn sounded her exit.

“I didn’t know I had four,” said Powers, who led the Trojans with 12 points. “It was definitely confusing because I heard the rumor going around before they took me out that I had five. I thought, ‘This is really bad.’ But Julia Gerber came in and stepped up.”

Twenty seconds later Gerber hit a 3-pointer to cut the gap to one. Janay Rissmiller gave the Trojans the lead for good by hitting a pair of free throws with 19.3 seconds remaining.

And like she did in the semifinal win over West York, Paige Garner came up huge on the defense to end the game. The senior blocked a Northern York shot at one end with 8.6 seconds remaining and hit 1 of 2 free throws at the other end.

It was fitting she had the ball in her hands at the horn.

Coming full circle

Northern York was the last team Alyssa Daugherty played against last year. She broke her arm during the district semifinal against the Polar Bears and couldn’t play in last year’s final, a loss to Greencastle-Antrim.

The arm is still healing, so the 2023 graduate couldn’t play in college this year like she planned. Instead, she has been serving as an assistant coach for her alma mater.

“I told you we would get her one,” Weaver said of the gold medal draped around Daugherty’s neck.

With the medal around her neck and her arms wrapped around the trophy, Daughtery looked like the coach she one day wants to be.

“Last year not being able to play was heartbreaking,” she said. “But this year, it’s just awesome that I can still contribute in a different way. And having my hands on this trophy, whether I’m playing or not, or I’m coaching, this is what matters. I’m just so happy.”

They said it

Lydia Powers: “Julia Gerber stepped up, I’m so proud of her. Natalie stepped up. I’m so proud of everyone that came in and I’m proud of everyone. We deserve this so much.”

Jess Weaver: “This team is so special because they’re selfless. Tonight we had multiple kids step up. They gave us good minutes, and they just trust each other. The only thing they care about is winning for each other. They are a special group.”

Alyssa Daugherty: "Jess is like my role model. I love how she coaches, her energy and I’m just so happy for her. She honestly deserves that.”

What’s next?

York Suburban will host District 7 seventh seed Indiana in a first-round game in the state tournament on March 9.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: York Suburban basketball earns first district title in OT vs. Northern