Trailing by just six points, 30-24 early in the third quarter, Central Cambria was done in by ice-cold shooting in the second half, and particularly in the third quarter, as Shady Side broke the game open with a 17-2 third-quarter run en route to a 59-32 victory at the Armstrong High School gymnasium.

Central Cambria won its second consecutive District 6 Class 3A championship this year, tied the girls’ basketball single-season school record with 22 wins, and came within two victories of punching its ticket into next week’s state championship game in Hershey.

Central Cambria closed the books on a 22-7 season, while Shady Side Academy advances into Monday’s state semifinal round and a matchup with Greensburg Central Catholic at a site to be determined. Greensburg Central Catholic defeated District 3’s Trinity, 65-51, Friday night in a quarterfinal-round game played at the Altoona Area High School Fieldhouse.

A rough shooting second half in which the Lady Devils made only four of 24 shots — two of 12 in both the third and fourth quarters — proved to factor heavily in Friday’s game unraveling for Central Cambria.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Central Cambria's Katie George puts up a shot by Shady Side's Kate Benec.

“I thought we played a great first half,” said Central Cambria coach Brittany Bracken, whose Lady Devils trailed by only six points, 27-21 at the break. “In the third quarter, I felt that we went pretty cold shooting the ball.

“I loved the effort from the girls on the offensive boards but we needed to convert more of those shots against a team of Shady Side Academy’s caliber,” Bracken added. “This one definitely stings. It did not end up the way that we wanted it to end, but we still had a lot to celebrate this season.”

The celebration ended for the Lady Devils in the third quarter on Friday as Shady Side Academy (26-2) gained wide separation with the 17-2 third-quarter bulge.

After junior Katie George — who led Central Cambria with 13 points — hit a 3-pointer to pull the Lady Devils to within 30-24, a field goal by senior guard Karis Thomas and two straight field goals by junior forward Leah Buford put the Lady Bulldogs in front, 36-24.

Sophomore Gianna Grimaldi scored from inside for Central Cambria to make it a 36-26 game, but Shady Side went on to score the last 11 points in the third quarter and the first six points in the fourth quarter to balloon its lead to 53-28.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Central Cambria's Rowyn Ruddek puts up a shot by Shady Side's Laila Banner.

Senior post Cassie Sauer’s putback got the run rolling, and Buford — who scored eight of her game-high 20 points in the third quarter and added six more in the fourth — nailed a baseline jumper to give Shady Side a 40-26 lead.

Field goals by Sauer and Buford, along with another field goal and free throw by sophomore Kate Benec, staked Shady Side to a 47-26 lead entering the fourth quarter, which started with field goals by Buford, Thomas, and sophomore Laila Banner.

Shady Side Academy coach Jonna Burke said that her team — which made 15 of its 22 floor shots in the second half, including nine of 14 in the third quarter — switched to a zone defense in the third quarter.

“We had three players with at least two fouls and we had to adjust a little bit,” Burke said. “We had to play a little bit of zone defense and I was pretty leery about doing that, because Central Cambria is such a good 3-point shooting team, but (the strategy) was successful.”

Buford had one of her best games of the season for Shady Side, grabbing a game-high six rebounds to go with her 20 points.

“We got out in transition in the second half, and Leah Buford stepped up for us tonight,” Burke said. “She’s had other good games this season, but that was probably her best game of the year, and it came at a time when we needed it.”

Central Cambria graduates only one senior, four-year starting guard Alaina Long, whose graduation this spring will leave a big void.

“It’s been a great four years — I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Long said. “I’ve had great teammates and great coaches. We definitely set a standard for winning championships here, and I was glad to have been a part of it.”

Bracken is also looking forward to the future with the Central Cambria program.

“Making it into the state tournament has now become an expectation for Central Cambria,” Bracken said. “Alaina Long’s graduation will definitely leave big shoes for us to fill, but I think that as a senior this year, she has done a good job of preparing our younger girls.

“We’ve got a good group of players returning next season, and it’s definitely going to be exciting to get back at it.”

CENTRAL CAMBRIA (32): Long 3 2-2 9, Alexander 0 0-0 0, George 4 4-5 13, Ruddek 2 0-0 5, Grimaldi 1 0-0 2, Snyder 1 0-2 2, Matlin 0 1-2 1, Hite 0 0-0 0. Totals – 11 7-11 32.

SHADY SIDE ACADEMY (59): Thomas 4 0-0 9, Banner 4 0-1 9, Long 0 2-2 2, Sauer 4 0-0 8, Buford 10 0-0 20, Kane 3 2-3 8, Benec 1 1-2 3, Kelley 0 0-0 0. Totals -26 5-8 59.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Central Cambria 14 7 5 6–32

Shady Side Academy 12 15 20 12–59

3-point goals: Central Cambria 3 (Long, George, Ruddek); Shady Side Academy 2 (Thomas, Banner).

Records: Central Cambria (22-7); Shady Side Academy (26-2).

Officials: Tim Lavan, Lisa Lavan, Scott Johnson.