South Park hands Waynesburg first section loss
WAYNESBURG – Chris Minerd’s birthday has landed on game day plenty of times in his career, so Monday’s Class 3A Section 4 game against South Park wasn’t anything new for the veteran coach.
Waynesburg was looking to clinch the section championship outright, but South Park had other ideas as the Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter for a 53-46 triumph that handed the Raiders their first section loss this season.
“It was definitely a playoff atmosphere, and I feel that the two best teams in the section were playing for the section title tonight,” Minerd said. “Obviously, we had a chance to clinch it outright, and now, both of us have to win, which is not a given, but we had the advantage because we won there, but they outplayed us.”
South Park trailed 39-35 heading into the final quarter before going on a 9-2 run for a 44-41 lead halfway through the fourth. The Eagles (8-1, 14-6) extended their advantage to 46-41 with about three minutes remaining before the Raiders (8-1, 18-2) started to foul.
The Eagles’ Emily Mihelcic was clutch down the stretch at the foul line, as she was 4-for-4 in the fourth quarter. South Park was 7-for-10 at the fr4ee-throw line in the final quarter.
“Getting stops on defense is really what won us the game,” South Park coach Matt Loftis said. “Our girls did a really good job executing stuff in the second half, and we made our free throws down the stretch.”
Waynesburg’s Josie Horne made a three-pointer in the final minute, but the Eagles had enough of a cushion to leave Greene County with a victory.
Waynesburg opened the game with a 6-0 run as Kaley Rohanna made two free throws, Peyton Cowell scored on a putback and Rohanna’s layup with 5:12 left in the first quarter that prompted Loftis to take a timeout.
The Raiders had an 11-4 lead before South Park closed the quarter on a 5-0 run, as Brooke Paylo connected on a three pointer and Hayley Bennett’s field goal cut the deficit to 11-9 heading into the second.
“We jumped out to an early and lead and sometimes we just shoot too much, and if we are not making them, we don’t know when to turn it off,” Minerd said. “When you get a lead, you have to work the ball, get everybody involved and take higher-percentage shots.”
Rohanna scored seven of Waynesburg’s first-quarter points. She led Waynesburg in scoring with 15 points. Horne added 11.
The Eagles carried the momentum over to the second quarter and had their first lead at 13-11 after Andrea Kuczma’s three pointer.
Horne tied it for the Raiders before Mihelcic made a shot from behind-the-arc for a 16-13 advantage with 5:57 left in the period.
Waynesburg’s Avery Davis countered with a three, but Ella Clifford’s long-range shot for three of her seven points in the second quarter provided South Park with a 19-16 lead. Clifford made two more baskets for a 23-21 halftime advantage.
The Raiders opened the second half on a 8-0 run for a 29-23 lead before the Eagles battled back to tie the game at 31-31 and take a two-point lead on a layup by Bennett.
The teams battled back-and-forth before Davis and Addison Blair connected on three-pointers for a 39-35 advantage heading into the fourth.
“We just kept battling, even when we were down,” Loftis said. “Our girls kept it close and never got down on themselves.”
Bennett scored a game-high 16 points and Clifford put in 11.
Waynesburg is at Brownsville (4-4, 11-8) on Thursday in the section finale.
“This will hurt with the playoff seeding, and Brownsville has a big girl, which gives us a little bit of fits,” Minerd said. “Tonight was not our night and we know that the game against Brownsville is not a gimme.”
South Park hosts Yough (1-7, 8-11) with a chance to clinch a share of the section championship with the Raiders.