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By Ron Musselman
For The Mirror
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The Hollidaysburg girls basketball team is 25-0 this season and has won 49 of its past 51 games.
Not many programs statewide can lay claim to those lofty totals the past two years.
But the Lady Tigers still feel like they don't quite get the respect they deserve.
"A lot of people do doubt us, even at 25-0," sophomore guard Bella Vent said after Saturday's 64-44 victory over visiting Lower Dauphin in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A playoffs.
"A lot of people don't think that we have as much potential as we think we do, but I think we're really good."
Hollidaysburg is ranked No. 1 in the state in the latest Trib HSSN girls basketball poll entering Wednesday's 7:30 p.m. second-round PIAA matchup against WPIAL runner-up Oakland Catholic (23-4) at Armstrong High School in Kittanning.
The Eagles drubbed Manheim Central 65-39 Saturday in their PIAA opener behind Halena Hill's 20 points.
"We've previewed their film a little bit," Lady Tigers coach Deanna Jubeck said. "They're a very good solid team, very well-coached. They're very athletic and they're gonna pressure our guards. We're going to have to make sure we control the perimeter."
Oakland Catholic also is a program steeped in tradition. The Eagles have won six WPIAL titles and four PIAA championships (1993, 2001, 2003, 2005) since the school, located right down the street from the University of Pittsburgh, opened in 1989.
Oakland Catholic's first three state championships came with former Penn State All-American guard and two-time Olympic medalist Suzie McConnell Serio as the coach.
The Eagles also finished second twice in the state under her leadership and nearly a dozen players earned Division I scholarships.
"It's impressive, for sure, but every game is a new start," Jubeck said.
Senior guard Sydney Lear is not worried about her team's preparation for Oakland Catholic.
"We're going to have to come out really strong and make sure we know every person on their team and their tendencies," she said.
A year ago, the Lady Tigers were down by only four points with two minutes left in the third quarter of their PIAA second-round matchup against perennial WPIAL power Chartiers Valley, then coached by Tim McConnell, Suzie's brother.
The Colts pulled away in the fourth quarter, cruising to a 70-47 victory that ended Hollidaysburg's season. That game, which was the Lady Tigers' last loss, also served as a springboard to Chartiers Valley's third PIAA championship game appearance in four seasons.
"We're looking to play a more complete (second-round) game this year," Lear said.
On Saturday, Lear scored a season-high 24 points and Vent matched her season high with 18 for the Lady Tigers, who overcame a scoreless first half by senior center Alison Hatijik.
Lower Dauphin blanketed Hollidaysburg's leading scorer and rebounder, using 6-foot post players Shannon Angerer and Lauren Wahlers to apply tight defense.
"We had a 14-day layoff, so we thought from the tip that we would be a little tight and that's what we showed in the first half," said Jubeck, whose team led 26-21 at halftime. "The nerves of the state playoffs, the nerves of being off for 14 days, we weren't as sharp as we needed to be in the first 16 minutes.
"At halftime, we made some adjustments and challenged our guards to get up and defend a little bit harder. We knew once we got rolling, we would be able to get Alison some touches and roll off of that."
Hatajik scored her first basket on an easy layup off a feed from Lear 30 seconds into the second half and Hollidaysburg was off and running. She finished with nine points overall.
Vent contributed 10 points in the third quarter on three field goals and four free throws as the hosts led by as many as 21. Lear poured in 13 points in the final 16 minutes, including seven in the fourth quarter when the Lady Tigers led by as many as 25 against the Falcons, the No. 6 seed team from District 3.
"Sydney Lear is probably the hardest working kid in the area," Jubeck said. "She is constantly in the gym and when she hits her first couple shots, we know we can rely on her the rest of the game.
"And Bella is just a tremendous athlete. She can get out and run and push the ball up the court. Her speed, once she takes off, is just tough to teach."
Lilli Knudsen led Lower Dauphin (19-8) with 13 points, while Angerer added 10. Wahlers, a Gettysburg College recruit and Mid-Penn Conference All-Star, was held to just two field goals and six points.
"We're on a roll right now," Vent said. "We just have to keep playing well."
LOWER DAUPHIN (44): Knudsen 4 2-5 13; Eismann 3 2-2 9; Wahlers 2 2-2 6; Angerer 4 2-3 10, Swartz 1 2-4 4, Hess 0 0-0 0, Irwin 1 0-0 2, Plegzik 0 0-0 0. TOTALS - 15 10-16 44.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (64): Hatajik 4 0-0 9, Lear 7 6-7 24, Stitt 3 0-0 7, Vent 7 4-5 18, Stevenson 2 0-2 4, Shoemaker 0 0-0 0, Yohn 0 0-0 0, Weimert 1 0-0 2, Steiner 0 0-0 0, DiPangrazio 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 24 10-14 64.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Lower Dauphin 10 11 7 16 - 44
Hollidaysburg 12 14 21 17 - 64
3-point field goals: Lower Dauphin 4 (Knudsen 3, Eismann), Hollidaysburg 6 (Lear 4, Hatajik, Stitt).
Records: Lower Dauphin (19-8), Hollidaysburg (25-0).
Officials: Chris Sherkell, Martin Martell, Chris Taylor.