CB West will face Cumberland Valley in the PIAA Class AAAA state title game at Hershey’s Giant Center on Friday night (6 p.m.). Check back for a complete game report.
And then there were two.
Cumberland Valley and Central Bucks West, ranked one and two respectively all season in the PennLive state rankings, will meet for the biggest prize on Friday at Hershey’s Giant Center – the 2015 PIAA Class AAAA state title.
While Cumberland Valley is making its third straight trip to the state title game, West is making the program’s first trip.
“It goes to that old adage – you set your goals and you work really hard to achieve them,” West coach Terry Rakowsky said. “How many people can accomplish not only the journey but get to the destination, and we’re there.
“Obviously, we hope we play well and have a great game on Friday, but to have that goal and to reach that destination is an incredible experience for all of our kids. Our sixth and seventh graders – for them to be here and watch it and say, ‘You know what, all it takes is hard work and a goal and working hard at it.’”
For the team’s five seniors, Friday’s game marks the end of a journey that began when they were teammates at Lenape Middle School.
“It’s just been a great experience,” senior Peyton Traina said. “We’ve all gotten to watch each other grow since however young we were.
“(Nicole) Munger used to the be the tiniest little thing in seventh grade, and now she’s bigger than me and so strong. It’s unbelievable to see how far we’ve come individually but also together.”
The reality that the Bucks are about to play their final game together is starting to hit home.
“We were walking around school today and said, ‘Oh my gosh, tonight is our last practice together as a team,’ and we’re so sad,” Traina said. “But you know what – we couldn’t have asked for a better season.
“Our team is so tight. We hang out together outside of school – we go to Rita’s, we go to breakfast. We’ve gotten as far as you can possibly get, and that’s all we really wanted, so we’re happy. We’re really happy.”
No looking back – With this year’s run to the state title game, the Bucks have effectively erased memories of postseason disappointments past, including their first round exits from states the past two years.
In 2013, West fell to Central Dauphin East 48-46 in a game the Bucks led until the final seconds. Last year, the Bucks saw their season end in a 46-43 loss to eventual state champion Cumberland Valley in a game they led at halftime. The Bucks entered the state tournament last year as District One’s fifth place team, thanks to a 53-52 district quarterfinal loss to eventual district and state runner-up Spring-Ford.
There were lessons learned in those heartbreaking losses.
“I watched the film (of the Cumberland Valley game) a couple times through to know exactly what it was we did not do well, and then we implemented that into our open gyms in the spring, summer and fall,” Rakowsky said. “There are things we’ve worked on – like running our offense harder and faster, going back to passes. Little things change games.”
And it is the practices, according to Peyton Traina, that have been the defining difference this season.
“Our practices have been so well structured where we can work our hardest and push each other, making each other better but still being able to have that team connection,” the senior captain said. “I think sometimes in sports the competition gets really intense, and there’s a lot of tension on the team.
“For us, we’re able to kill each other at practice, get super mad, and off the court, we’re the best of friends, and we stay that way. I think it really, really helps us a lot.”
It’s been a winning formula for the Bucks, who will be playing for their first state crown.
“Whoever envisioned that we could get all the way to the state championships,” Rakowsky said. “A lot of it is luck.
“Honestly, I thought we should have been there last year and we couldn’t get out of the first round of states.”
Going with the Bucks - Abington coach Dan Marsh is the lone SOL coach whose team has played both CB West and Cumberland Valley. The Ghosts fell to West twice and saw their season end at the hands of Cumberland Valley. The veteran coach gives a slight edge to the Bucks. "I think West is too good defensively and too strong and physical," he said. "Cumberland Valley may be better offensively, but West will wear them down."
(1-1) CENTRAL BUCKS WEST vs. (3-1) CUMBERLAND VALLEY (at Hershey’s Giant Center, 6 p.m.)
Central Bucks West
- 14-0 SOL, 32-1 overall
- SOL Continental Conference champions
- Captured first ever SOL Tournament title with 51-38 win over fifth-seeded Abington
- Led by offensively Nicole Munger (17.5 ppg), Mackenzie Carroll (11.4), Corrinne Godshall (10.5) and Mackenzie Mason (8.6)
- Regular season wins over #7 Upper Dublin (63-41), #8 North Penn (60-50 & 56-44), #12 CB South (59-35, 73-29), #23 Neshaminy (61-25), #26 Pennridge (71-50, 71-39) & #32 CB East (64-38, 67-37)
- Only loss came at the hands of Lake Taylor (Va.) in the Boo Williams Holiday Classic (68-57)
How they got here:
The Bucks, who struggled with foul trouble, trailed early but took a 32-29 lead into halftime, thanks the hot hand of Mackenzie Carroll. The senior captain scored 16 of her 19 points in the opening half. Nicole Munger, who picked up a pair of early fouls, scored 12 third quarter points to send the Bucks into the final frame with a 50-40 lead. They went on to earn a 61-55 win. Munger finished with a game-high 21 points and seven rebounds while Corrinne Godshall had 11 points and 11 rebounds.- In Friday’s state quarterfinal game, West opened up a 14-6 lead after one quarter over District 12’s third place team, Archbishop Carroll, and the Bucks took a 30-16 lead into halftime on their way to a 60-45 win. Senior Mackenzie Carroll led the way with 19 points while Peyton Traina added 13 and Corrinne Godshall, 10 points.
- In second round action, the Bucks defeated a shorthanded Upper Dublin squad 57-28. Nicole Munger led a balanced attack with 13 points while Mackenzie Carroll added 12. Corrinne Godshall and Makenzie Mason both contributed 10 points.
- In Friday’s state opener, West turned a 5-4 lead into a 24-4 lead on its way to a 63-27 win over District 3’s seventh place team, Hempfield. Nicole Munger, who buried four three-pointers, scored 17 of her game-high 25 points in the first half. Mackenzie Carroll (12 points) and Makenzie Mason (11 points) also finished in double figures.
- In the district title game at Temple, the Bucks led by just four late in the third quarter but responded with an 11-0 run to seal Abington’s fate in a 59-46 win. Nicole Munger led the way with 19 points while Corrinne Godshall added 14.
- In a district semifinal win, Nicole Munger scored 19 first-half points, propelling the Bucks to a 34-23 halftime lead on their way to a convincing 69-44 win over 11th-seeded Downingtown East. Munger finished with a game-high 23 points while Corrinne Godshall (12 points) and Mackenzie Carroll (10 points) also finished in double figures.
- In a quarterfinal game featuring a pair of SOL conference champs, Corrinne Godshall had a big night, contributing 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the Bucks’ 55-40 win over Upper Dublin. Nicole Munger added 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
- In second round action, the Bucks defeated #15 Council Rock North 55-38. Nicole Munger (16 points, 12 rebounds), Corrinne Godshall (15 points, nine rebounds) and Makenzie Mason (10 points, nine rebounds) led a balanced West attack.
- In the opening round, the Bucks defeated #32 Owen J Roberts 75-31, opening up an 18-8 lead after one quarter and taking a 35-15 lead into halftime. Mackenzie Carroll (19 points), Corrinne Godshall (15 points) and Nicole Munger (15 points) led the Bucks.
Cumberland Valley
- 31-1 overall
- 14-1 Mid-Penn Commonwealth Conference champion
- Only loss of season came at the hands of Central Dauphin East (53-46) on Dec. 23. Went on to defeat Central Dauphin East in the regular season and again in the District 3 Tournament.
- Ranked 11th in the USA Today Super 25.
- Junior guard Kelly Jekot, who made a verbal commitment to Villanova University, surpassed the 1,000-point mark in December.
- Kelly Jekot leads the Eagles, averaging 19 points and 5.4 rebounds. Sophomore Katie Jekot averages 13 points and 3.2 assists while Morgan Baughman averages 7.3 points. Kelly Jekot and Baughman both have 50 three-pointers for an Eagle squad that has connected on 165 three’s.
How they got here:
- The Jekot sisters stole the spotlight in Tuesday’s 56-40 romp over District 7 champion Norwin. While senior Kelly Jekot led all scorers with 22 points, sophomore Katie Jekot added 18. It represented the 18th time this season the siblings – who account for more than 50 percent of their team’s points - have scored 30 points or more between the two of them.
- In a quarterfinal contest against Abington, the Eagles raced out of the gate to a 19-9 lead after one quarter and took a 30-17 lead into halftime. The Ghosts made things interesting in the second half before falling 46-42. Kaite Jekot led the Eagles with 16 points while Kelly added 10.
- In a second round game against Cedar Crest, Cumberland Valley led 13-5 after one quarter and stretched that lead to 34-11 by halftime on its way to a 55-28 win over District 3’s fourth place team. Kelly Jekot led the Eagles with 15 while sophomore Katie Jekot added 14.
- In a state opening round contest, Cumberland Valley cruised to a 24-11 halftime lead over Boyertown and then outscored District One’s 10th place squad 16-3 in the third quarter to go on top 40-14 on its way to a 48-23 win. Kelly Jekot led the Eagles with 20 points.
- In the District 3 title game, second-seeded Cumberland Valley needed a last-second putback by Kelly Jekot to eke out a 26-25 win over top-seeded Palmyra. Jekot led the Eagles with 15 points.
- In a district semifinal 65-26 win over third-seeded Central Dauphin East, Cumberland Valley led 30-10 at halftime and continued to add to that lead in the second half. Kelly Jekot had a game-high 19 points, and Meghan Rhoades added 12.
- Cumberland Valley trailed seventh-seeded Red Lion 11-5 after one quarter of a district second round game but rallied to go on top 17-14 by halftime. The Eagles outscored the Lions 26-13 in the second half to earn a 43-27 win. Kelly Jekot had 16 points and Morgan Baughman had 13 to lead the Eagles.
- In Cumberland Valley’s 69-29 win over 15th-seeded New Oxford in an opening round game, the Eagles led 12-0 after one quarter and never looked back. Kelly Jekot had 27 points and Katie Jekot added 13 as the siblings combined for 40 points.
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