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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
WILLIAMSBURG -- Williamsburg and Berlin Brothersvalley nearly met in the PIAA Class 1A semifinals a year ago, and there's a good chance the teams could meet in this season's state playoffs.
The area was treated to a preview of that possible contest Thursday night, and the game did not disappoint. The Lady Blue Pirates jumped ahead early, Berlin stormed back to hold the lead for the majority of the second half before Williamsburg scored the final seven points of the game in a 46-42 victory.
"I have been looking forward to having Berlin here all season once I knew they were going to be on the schedule," Williamsburg coach Amy Hileman said. "It definitely brings in the level of competition that we need to see and prepare for the postseason. I'm pretty sure we'll see them again somewhere along the line."
Elsie Barna's layup with just under five minutes to play put the Lady Mountaineers up, 42-29, but Williamsburg held Berlin scoreless the rest of the way.
Anatasia Ranalli got her own rebound and made a putback to start the final Lady Blue Pirate run, and LeeAnna Royer's runner in the paint with 3:47 left put Williamsburg ahead, 43-42.
Ayla Hileman, still working her way back from an ACL injury and on a minutes restriction, made three free throws in the final minute to ice the game.
"It feels awesome, especially to do this as a team," Ayla Hileman said. "It wasn't just one person, and that feels great."
Even when Hileman wasn't playing, she was often standing by the bench cheering her teammates.
"It's pretty tough (not always being out there), but it's my fourth game back," Ayla Hileman said. "I need to still remember that I'm just coming back and take it easy. It's hard not being in there. I can't even begin to tell you how good it feels to be back though. Recovery took so long. It's hard to think I hadn't been playing games since March. It's just crazy."
Hileman finished with a game-high 19 points and made four deep 3-pointers. Williamsburg, though still very talented, is a different team than when Hileman last played. Jayla Woodruff, Kendel Norris and Jade Carper, who all played critical roles on last year's team, have graduated. But LeeAnna Royer, Regan and Laney Prough and freshman Levada Gorsuch have taken on larger roles, and now they are working to reintroduce Hileman into that mix.
"This is the third week that she's back," Amy Hileman said. "Definitely, it's better than the first week she was back. There's an adjustment to where the girls need to learn how to flow, but I'm sure we'll get there by playoff time."
Berlin Brothersvalley took a 33-29 lead late in the third quarter but missed two free throws with a chance to extend the lead. Regan Prough, who had missed several shots while being dared to shoot and left open by the Berlin defense, got Williamsburg back into the game by drilling a 3-pointer and pumping her fist.
"Regan has been struggling the last few games," Amy Hileman said. "I keep telling her, it's not about the shot you miss, it's that next shot that you're going to make. You want to see that in the growth of a player that they are not giving up, and she didn't give up tonight."
Foul trouble plagued both teams as Berlin star freshman Coral Prosser played limited minutes in the fourth quarter after picking up her fourth foul on a charge with 45.2 seconds left in the third quarter.
"A lot," said Berlin Brothersvalley coach Rachel Prosser when asked how much Coral's foul trouble impacted the game.
Royer and Gorsuch also played the majority of the fourth quarter with four fouls.
"I was nervous, because I knew if I fouled, I would be out of the game," Royer said. "I needed to stop on defense and think about what I was doing."
One of the major factors in Berlin not scoring down the stretch was that it was limited to one shot thanks to a monster game from Gorsuch, who finished with 11 points and 21 rebounds.
"Levada played really strong for a freshman tonight," Amy Hileman said. "She played like a true big is supposed to play with true physicality. I was very proud of her. In my opinion, from where she left off in junior high last season, she's a completely different player. Definitely stronger on her feet, and she's getting used to the physical play of the varsity level. She's figured out that she's going to get that kind of contact, and each game she's getting better and better."
Despite improving to 14-1, Williamsburg is looking up at undefeated Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic and Saint Joseph's in the District 6 Class 1A rankings, so every game is critical.
Berlin (11-4) came into the game with three losses, but to competition like Class 5A Oakland Catholic and Shady Side Academy.
The Lady Mountaineers, who were led by Ashley Brant's 12 points, had two shots at the basket in the final minute down two, but Riley Lauer's hook shot missed off the front of the rim.
"We were looking for something going to the basket," Prosser said. "Whew, I don't think we've seen anything like this before as far as atmosphere. What a fun day."
BERLIN BROTHERSVALLEY (42): Lauer 2 0-0 4, Hillegass 2 3-8 7, Brant 4 2-4 12, Sechler 1 2-2 4, Prosser 2 2-2 8, Barna 2 0-0 4, Walker 0 0-0 0, Ritchey 1 1-4 3, Foor 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 14 10-20 42.
WILLIAMSBURG (46): Hileman 4 7-11 19, R. Prough 1 0-0 3, Royer 2 4-5 8, Gorsuch 3 5-6 11, L. Prough 1 1-4 3, Ranalli 1 0-0 2, Carper 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 12 17-26 46.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Berlin Brothersvalley 12 12 12 6 -- 42
Williamsburg 17 3 13 13 -- 46
3-point goals: Berlin Brothersvalley 4 (Brant 2, Prosser 2); Williamsburg 5 (Hileman 4, R. Prough).
Records: Berlin Brothersvalley (11-4); Williamsburg (14-1).
Officials: Tracy Cornelius, Klayton Heffner, Ed Habbershon.
JV: Williamsburg, 35-27. High scorers--Elena Ritchey, BB, 10; Raina Alexander, W, 10.