North Penn rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit to defeat District 3 champion Wilson 56-49 in Tuesday’s PIAA Class AAAA second round game. To view photos of all the action, please visit the Photo Gallery. To view PhillyBurbs.com video journalist Jen Wielgus’ video highlights of the game, please click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h63ye_Ez3WI&feature=youtu.be
By Mary Jane Souder
COATESVILLE - Adversity is nothing new to the North Penn Maidens, so when they found themselves staring at a 24-14 halftime deficit in Tuesday night’s PIAA Class AAAA second round game at Coatesville High School, it was hardly cause for concern.
“We were still in it,” said North Penn coach Maggie deMarteleire, whose team connected on just 3-of-17 shots in the opening half. “We missed a couple of layups, we didn’t have anything going. We were a little bit intimidated with how aggressive they were.
“I just said – ‘We need to be a more physical,’ and I said, ‘We’re going to make more than three shots in the second half. Just keep playing good defense.’”
deMarteleire also made the decision to start Jackie Bilotti in the second half. It turned out to be a stroke of genius as the sophomore guard scored eight straight points to open the third quarter, lighting a fire under the struggling Maidens.
“She’s fearless,” deMarteleire said. “She’s a great competitor. Being a softball pitcher, she definitely has that mental toughness, just like Vicky Tumasz.
“When I went to put in my starters in the second half, I was like, ‘She played pretty well in the first half, so we’re going to go with her.’ She just really stepped up.”
Bilotti’s tear – which included a conventional three-point play as well as a three-pointer - made it a 26-22 game, and the Maidens were just getting started.
“Jackie came out and had some great, aggressive hustle plays for us, and that’s what we needed to pick up the intensity and get us going,” Crisler said of Bilotti. “She also did that the last game. She had a big play at the end of the first half, and that kind of gave us momentum.
“Just having players coming off the bench and playing so well helps us out a lot because we know everyone is there to back us up.”
When Jenn Halcovage hit nothing but net on a three-pointer, it was a 26-25 game. A Lauren Crisler steal set the stage for a short jumper by Tumasz that gave the Maidens their first lead of the night.
Jessie Wallace, who led Wilson with 16 points, put the Bulldogs back on top with a bucket, but that lead was short lived as Tumasz buried a three at the other end to give the Maidens a 30-28 lead. Again, Wallace answered to knot the score, and the Bulldogs went on top by two after a putback by Ivory Bailey.
Brianna Cullen’s bucket on a drive knotted the score, and after a Wilson miss, Erin Maher buried a three-pointer. Another Wilson miss set the stage for a Cullen three at the buzzer – the fifth three of the quarter for North Penn, and this one sent the Maidens into the final quarter with a 38-32 lead.
“Just the kids in this kind of an atmosphere – for them all to step up and play so well, I couldn’t be more proud of them,” deMarteleire said.
The Maidens gave their coach more reasons to be proud in a fourth quarter that saw them fend off every Bulldog comeback by connecting on 14-of-14 shots from the foul line.
The Bulldogs’ fate was all but sealed when – with 3:24 remaining – they were whistled for a technical for having six players on the floor. Crisler, who was a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe, buried both foul shots. She was fouled on the Maidens’ ensuing possession and sank two more to put the Maidens on top 46-37.
Down but now out, the Bulldogs made it a 46-43 game with 1:40 remaining, but Maher sank both ends of a one-and-one to stretch the Maidens’ lead to five.
A bucket by Wilson’s Avery Marz made it a 48-45 game, but this time it was Crisler connecting on both ends of a one-and-one. Maher blocked a shot on the defensive end and then connected on both ends of another one-and-one to stretch the Maidens’ lead to 52-45. A win was all but assured.
“Bri and Vicky came up really big in the second half too, and Lauren and Erin hit all their foul shots,” Bilotti said. “I think it basically was a team effort.”
The Maidens, who were 14-of-26 from the foul line in their win over Pocono Mountain West, connected on 23-of-25 foul shots for the game in a dazzling performance.
“To me, that’s just a sign of mental toughness,” deMarteleire said. “I think the kids are starting to wash away the memory of our district playoffs and realize this is a new season, and when we play up to our potential, we can play with anyone.”
Crisler led all scorers with 18 points, which included a perfect 12-for-12 showing at the foul line. She also had five rebounds and five assists.
“We were really, really focused for this game, and I think that’s what helped us make our foul shots,” Crisler said. “We were mentally tough out on that line.”
Maher also had a big night for the Maidens, scoring 12 points – which included a 7-of-8 effort at the line – and pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. Bilotti finished with nine points and five assists while Cullen and Tumasz both had seven points.
The Maidens will return to action on Friday night when they will face Cumberland Valley, the fifth place team out of District 3. The Eagles routed Manheim Township 55-39 in a second round game Tuesday night.
EXTRA SHOTS: The Maidens extended their season for at least three more days, which means the softball team is without four of its starters. “We’re going to go as far as we can,” said Bilotti. “I would love to make it to the state championship. That would be the best feeling.”
NORTH PENN (56) – Erin Maher 2 7-8 12; Jenn Halcovage 1 0-0 3; Mikaela Giuliani 0 0-0 0; Lauren Crisler 3 12-12 18; Vicky Tumasz 3 0-0 7; Brianna Cullen 2 2-2 7; Jackie Bilotti 3 2-3 9; Leiana Dean 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 14 23-25 56.
WILSON (49) – Avery Marz 6 0-0 12; Megan O’Brien 0 1-2 1; Ivory Bailey 4 0-0 8; Jessie Wallace 5 5-6 16; Carley Brew 3 0-0 6; Karis Poore 2 0-0 4; Mikayla Lea 0 0-0 0; Shannon O’Brien 1 0-0 2; Taylor Deane 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 21 6-8 49.
NORTH PENN 6 8 24 18-56
WILSON 10 14 8 17-49
Three-point goals: NP-Maher, Halcovage, Bilotti, Cullen, Tumasz; W-Wallace.
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