Mar 11, 2017 4 min read

WINGATE – The distaste has lasted 10 days too long for the Trinity High School girls basketball team after its unexpected exit from the WPIAL playoffs in the semifinal round.

For Sierra Kotchman, and the rest of the Hillers, they had several days and a three-hour-plus bus ride to the central part of the state to make sure a performance similar to the one on March 1 against Chartiers Valley wouldn’t happen again.

It didn’t take long for Trinity to regain its top form as the Hillers scored the first 13 points of their PIAA Class 5-A first-round game to easily dispose of Bellefonte, 67-22, Saturday afternoon at Bald Eagle Area High School.

The Hillers, who were eager to return to the court after an uncharacteristic performance against Chartiers Valley that included too many turnovers and Kotchman beind held scoreless. Trinity used a fast start against Bellfonte, highlighted by three consecutive three-point field goals from Alayna Cappelli that put Bellefonte distantly in the rearview mirror.

“We just knew we had to come out on fire and play to our potential,” Kotchman said. “I definitely wanted to get back out here, that’s for sure.”

Kotchman led the three-player attack with Cappelli and freshmen Riley DeRubbo as they combined for 52 of the team’s 67 points before finding a seat on the bench midway through the fourth quarter.

“This was the first step in the direction we wanted to go,” said Trinity head coach Bob Miles. “It was a very positive step. Sierra is always ready to play. She practices as hard as she plays. Was her focus there a little bit more this week? Yeah, I think so. She understands that in order to accomplish what we want, she has got to bring her game.”

The 19-point performance from Kotchman, along with 18 points from Cappelli and a 15-point effort from DeRubbo – each with six field goals – led Trinity, which began on defense with a full-court press.

“They are young team,” Miles said of Bellefonte, which started two freshman guards. “We got some turnovers off of the press that we were able to convert into points. Alayna hit those quick three-pointers and it was kind of a snowball effect from there.”

The Hillers duplicated the strong early offense showing by duplicating the 19 points in the first eight minutes in the second quarter as two Kotchman free throws with 17 seconds left sent them into the break ahead, 38-12.

That deficit didn’t get any smaller for the Red Raiders as a 14-3 run for Trinity to begin the third quarter put them behind 54-15 following a DeRubbo baseline jumper.

“I just want to be able to help my team out and do my part,” said DeRubbo, who had a team-leading nine rebounds. “It’s just getting where we want to be.”

The effort from DeRubbo and her teammates on the glass helped Trinity hold a 34-22 rebounding advantage. The Hillers also forced 19 turnovers.

“That’s not going to be the biggest disappointment in their lives and they have a lot of better things ahead of them,” Miles remembers telling his group after their dreams was dashed of playing for another shot at a WPIAL championship.

“If you had a choice of a WPIAL title or a state title, a lot of people would take the state title. That’s what our focus is right now. We can compete with anybody. Our focus is there. We’ve said all along that we won’t win with Sierra scoring 25 points and everybody else scoring two (points). We’re not going to win if Sierra doesn’t score any points, either. We came out ready to play today.”

Bellefonte (12-13) was paced by Maddie Steiner’s 12 points. Steiner had five of the Red Raiders’ eight field goals.

Trinity will get another chance against Chartiers Valley as they will meet in the second round of the state tournament Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.

“We want to play them again,” Kotchman said.

“We want to get our revenge,” Cappelli added.