Mirror photo by Michael Boytim Williamsburg’s Brynn Lower goes for the ball against Serra Catholic’s Bella Dumbroski.

McKEESPORT — Williamsburg girls basketball coach Angela Detwiler gathered her team in just before the Lady Blue Pirates took the court against WPIAL champion Serra Catholic on Saturday in the first round of the PIAA Class 1A playoffs and told them to take it to the Lady Eagles from the first tip of the ball.

Her players got the message.

Williamsburg opened the game by scoring the first 19 points and got the mercy rule going just seconds into the second half in a 60-36 victory at William J. Cleary Court.

“I was really happy with how we came out and played,” Detwiler said. “It was really good team basketball. We really attacked them on defense. In the first half — (Bella Dumbroski) is their main player — and we held her to three in the first half. We came up with a plan to shut her down, and I felt like the girls executed that really well.”

The Lady Blue Pirates used a full-court press and forced eight first-quarter turnovers while getting scoring from almost everyone. Bella Royer, LeeAnna Royer, Faith Detwiler, Regan Prough, Brynn Lower and possibly most importantly — Levada Gorsuch — all scored during the 19-0 run to start the game.

Gorsuch was playing in her first game since suffering an ankle injury in the District 6 semifinals against Bishop Guilfoyle Academy and had been on crutches the last couple weeks.

“I’m thrilled,” Coach Detwiler said. “I feel like our team is complete now. Going into the state playoffs, we were so happy to have her back. She hasn’t missed a single practice or a single film session. She’s been at everything, but I love that she’s back on the court.”

Despite not playing as many minutes as usual, Gorsuch led Williamsburg with 17 points and eight rebounds.

“It feels really good. I am super excited that we get to keep moving on,” LeeAnna Royer said. “We had been struggling in some past games, and I feel like we’re finally at our full capacity of how we should play.”

Williamsburg will play District 9 runner-up Elk County Catholic in the second round of the PIAA tournament at 6 p.m. in Clearfield on Wednesday.

Coming into Saturday’s game, Williamsburg was just 1-3 over its last four games and entered the state playoffs as the fourth-place team out of District 6 for the second year in a row. But the Lady Blue Pirates responded by knocking off the WPIAL champion in both of those seasons, beating previously unbeaten Union in last year’s opener.

“All of our district and ICC games playing against Berlin, Blacklick, BG and Saint Joe’s helped us learn a lot,” Coach Detwiler said. “I feel like we’re a stronger team because of those tough games. I think we were a little bruised and banged up, and I think we got some calluses these last two weeks, and we’re a tougher team than we were a couple weeks ago.”

Perhaps the game that shifted the momentum the most was a two-point loss to Saint Joseph’s Academy in the consolation game in which Williamsburg was much more competitive than it was in the regular-season meeting despite not having Gorsuch on the court.

“I just thought that was one of the best games we played together all season,” LeeAnna Royer said. “We had good teamwork, we moved the ball well and we played really good defense. Even though we lost right at the end, we knew we could do something big in the playoffs.”

Williamsburg’s other senior starter, Regan Prough, agreed.

“We have come so close in past years,” Williamsburg senior Regan Prough said. “I feel like this year, it could be our year. I feel like going into the (St. Joe’s) game, going in without basically our only post player, we knew we needed to focus and play really hard. I think that’s what we did, and it really showed our team what we are capable of and that we can do this. It proved we can be a contender.”

After falling behind 19-0, Serra Catholic did not have much of a chance against an inspired Williamsburg team. The Lady Eagles lost star freshman Lexi Pearce to an injury in their WPIAL title win over Geibel Catholic and it proved too much to overcome.

“We’re really down three starters,” Serra Catholic coach Mike Voit said. “Mia Brush, who has been a starter all season, isn’t eligible for the playoffs. Lexi tore her ACL in the championship game, and Niki (Sfanos) got hurt today and sat the entire second half. It’s challenging being down three starters. Some of the other girls had to try and step up into roles they haven’t been in.”

Voit was quick to say Serra Catholic’s injuries were not the reason it lost Saturday’s game, however.

“We knew whether we were fully healthy or not, that (Williamsburg) was very good and that they would be very aggressive,” Voit said. “We wanted to play our style and not their style, but they made us play their style, and obviously they got the result they wanted from it.”

Dumbroski led Serra Catholic, which finished 18-7, with 17 points — 14 of those in the second half, and Abby Genes added 14 points.

Williamsburg got 13 points from Bella Royer and 10 points from Brynn Lower and shot well from 3-pointer range.

If Williamsburg is able to beat Elk County Catholic, there is a good chance it will get a rematch of last year’s PIAA quarterfinal matchup against Bishop Carroll Catholic on Saturday.

“It’s very important to keep winning, and I didn’t want this to be my last game,” LeeAnna Royer said. “I’m really excited and happy to continue.”

WILLIAMSBURG (60): R. Prough 1 1-2 3, L. Royer 3 0-0 7, Gorsuch 8 1-2 17, B. Royer 5 2-3 13, Lower 4 0-0 10, Detwiler 3 0-0 8, Colbert 1 0-0 2, Alexander 0 0-0 0, Houck 0 0-0 0, Parks 0 0-0 0, M. Prough 0 0-0 0. Totals — 25 4-7 60.

SERRA CATHOLIC (36): Dumbroski 7 0-0 17, Ward 0 0-0 0, Kinard 0 0-0 0, Genes 5 1-4 14, Fettis 1 0-0 2, Sfanos 1 0-0 3, Antonio-Delgado 0 0-0 0. Totals — 14 1-4 36.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Williamsburg 25 16 10 9 — 60

Serra Catholic 5 8 7 16 — 36

3-point goals: Williamsburg 6 (Lower 2, Detwiler 2, L. Royer, B. Royer); Serra Catholic 7 (Dumbroski 3, Genes 3, Sfanos).

Records: Williamsburg (23-5); Serra Catholic (18-7).

Officials: Brandon Ballard, Jeremy Sabo, Harry Rourke.