Trending
TYRONE -- The Tyrone girls basketball team started the playoffs trying to make a statement with an 11-0 run on Penns Valley in the teams' District 6 Class 3A quarterfinal game Thursday.
The Lady Eagles' response to the Lady Rams' counter punch of a 9-0 run might have been even more impressive.
Tyrone connected on 11 3-pointers, forced 18 turnovers and had four girls score at least 13 points in a 69-42 triumph that clinched not only a spot in the semifinals but a berth in the PIAA playoffs.
"Coach (Luke) Rhoades was telling us we're the first Tyrone girls team to go to the state playoffs three years in a row in a long time," sophomore point guard Stephanie Ramsey said. "That's a pretty good achievement. Our main goal is to win a district title and then make a run at a state title."
The next step for Ramsey, who led the top-seeded Lady Eagles with 20 points, will be against either Central Cambria or United, which had their quarterfinal game moved to tonight. That semifinal game will be Tuesday at a site to be determined.
"I think the bracket is really tough," Rhoades said. "I really believe that a lot of these teams are tough. It just depends who is hot the night you're playing."
The team that was hot Thursday was certainly Tyrone.
Ramsey made four 3-pointers followed by Shannon Shaw and Jaida Parker, who each connected on three.
"It's Tyrone," Penns Valley coach Terrance Green said. "They are a great shooting team and always have been. When they get hot, they get hot. Our effort was there. We played hard for 40 minutes, but when a team gets hot like that, there's not much you can do."
Kennedy Welshans and Kailen Winkelblech led the Lady Rams with 14 points each. Tyrone held star senior Hannah Montminy to just seven points.
The victory was Tyrone's third over Penns Valley this season.
"Penns Valley has a great program," Rhoades said. "Montminy is a heck of a player and has a good surrounding cast. It was a nerve-wracking kind of day, because you're worried about this one. If you get this one, you get into the state tournament. So this one was the one you want to make sure you come out and execute."
After the Lady Rams had closed an 11-point deficit to four going into the second quarter, the Lady Eagles outscored them 22-12 going into the half, including a pair of 3-pointers by Shaw and Ramsey in the final 30 seconds.
"The rebounding was a problem early, and we cleaned it up a little bit," Rhoades said. "We didn't clean it up as good as we need to, but to be honest, we got up early, and I think we got a little lackadaisical and they went on a 9-0 run. That's when we stressed that we had to finish every quarter, every possession."
Tyrone recovered enough to finish with a 31-27 rebounding advantage.
"We really moved the ball well and got it to girls for open looks," Rhoades said. "They were able to knock them down. We have to continue that."
PENNS VALLEY (42): Collison 1 0-0 2, Montminy 2 2-4 7, Romig 1 1-1 3, Beben 1 0-2 2, Welshans 7 0-1 14, Winkelblech 6 0-0 14, Martell 0 0-0 0, Ulmanic 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 18 3-8 42.
TYRONE (69): Ramsey 5 6-6 20, Fusco 1 0-0 2, Shaw 5 0-0 13, Getz 6 2-6 15, Parker 7 0-0 17, Gibbons 0 1-2 1, Saltsgiver 0 0-0 0, Brodzina 0 1-3 1, Kohler 0 0-0 0, Lewis 0 0-0 0, Weston 0 0-0 0, Dry 0 0-0 0, Johner 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 24 10-17 69.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Penns Valley 9 12 9 12 -- 42
Tyrone 13 22 17 17 -- 69
3-point goals: Penns Valley 3 (Winkelblech 2, Montminy); Tyrone 11 (Ramsey 4, Parker 3, Shaw 3, Getz).
Records: Penns Valley (11-13); Tyrone (19-3).
Officials: Justin Fraker, J.T. Thompson, Drew Pellman.