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York Catholic overcame 10-point deficit, despite Dunmore’s rebounding.

POTTSVILLE – Kady Schrann lifted the York Catholic Fighting Irish to one state title, and she showed Friday night that she’s prepared to show the way again, if needed.
Schrann never missed a shot from inside the three-point arc while scoring 24 points and leading York Catholic back from a 10-point deficit in the final 15 minutes of a 59-50 victory over Dunmore in the PIAA Class 2A girls basketball quarterfinals.
“Dunmore should be very proud,” York Catholic coach Kevin Bankos said. “They have two kids who are as good as any we’ve seen.
“I thought our side of the bracket was very tough. I thought we were going to be challenged before the eastern final and we were.”
Dunmore had its 23-game winning streak come to an end while finishing 26-2.
York Catholic won its 18th straight state playoff game and moved within two wins of matching Allentown Central Catholic (2001-04) as the only school to win four straight girls basketball state championships in PIAA history.
“That pays huge dividends,” Banko said. “That’s why we don’t panic.
“Our kids are used to this whole environment. They’re used to it and they adapt to it very well. They like playing under the big lights.”
Schrann earned first-team Associated Press all-state honors last year as a freshman for her role in leading a program that had lost four starters back to its third straight title.
On Friday night, Schrann had 14 points after Dunmore moved in front, 32-22, early in the third quarter on the fifth three-pointer of the night by sophomore Ashley Murray.
After Murray, who scored 20 points, hit her sixth three-pointer to bring the Lady Bucks within two, Schrann hit six straight free throws in the final 1:01. Dunmore did not score again.
“Schrann’s terrific,” Dunmore coach Ben O’Brien said. “It’s nice when we have the lead, I can hand the ball to Lauren (Carra), so I know what that’s like.
“She’s a tremendous ball handler and she has great vision.”
And, she can shoot.
Schrann was 7-for-9 from the floor, including her 1-for-3 effort on three-pointers, and made all nine free throw attempts.
York Catholic got the lead by making the most of its fourth-quarter possessions after the game was tied through three quarters.
The Fighting Irish were 5-for-7 from the floor and 9-for-12 at the line while outscoring the Lady Bucks, 20-11.
Before that, York Catholic fought back on the boards.
Dunmore got four straight offensive rebounds on the first possession of the second half before finally getting a basket by Nicole Korgeski, who had a game-high 14 rebounds.
Corinna Palko grabbed the next offensive rebound and hit Murray for the three-pointer that gave Dunmore a 32-22 lead with 6:52 left in the third quarter.
At that point, Dunmore had a 25-13 rebounding advantage. York Catholic grabbed two-thirds of the rebounds the rest of the way, including an 11-3 edge the rest of the quarter while fighting back to tie.
York Catholic got six of its points off rebounds, four by Brittany Hicks, then two more by Karli McFatridge off a loose ball to force the 39-39 tie with 1:01 left in the third.
“They did a terrific job rebounding the basketball,” O’Brien said. “They’re a handful on the boards.
“With Tayler (Pallotta) out and Lauren out, those are two of our better rebounders.”
Pallotta sat out 4:13 at the ends of the second and third quarters with foul trouble. Carra picked up her fourth foul and sat out the final 49 seconds of the third quarter and the first 2:37 of the fourth.
Korgeski, who led the team in rebounds, assists (four), steals (two) and blocked shots (two) tried to pick up the slack. Her three-point play with 6:35 left gave Dunmore its last lead, 43-42.
Hicks scored the next five points to put York Catholic ahead to stay.
Carra finished with 15 points and three assists, and Pallotta had eight points and seven rebounds in their final game of careers that saw them start on four straight Lackawanna League Division 2 and District 2 Class 2A champions while also winning five state tournament games.
All-state guards Schrann and Carra matched each other in the first quarter.
Schrann and Carra, a second-team pick a year ago, each had seven points.
The teams were tied as well until Pallotta converted an offensive rebound with a second left in the quarter for a 12-10 lead.
Carra scored on drives from each side in the opening minute for a 4-0 lead. Schrann had five points in an eight-point streak to an 8-4 York Catholic lead.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Murray and Carra put Dunmore ahead before Schrann’s pull-up, 15-footer tied the game.
Murray heated up in the second quarter, making three straight three-pointers while scoring 11 points to help the Lady Bucks to a 27-22 halftime lead.
While Murray was giving Dunmore a second offensive option, the York Catholic lineup other than Schrann was missing its first 11 shots. That same group bounced back to hit more than half its shots the rest of the way.
Murray had eight points in the first 3:20 of the quarter, completing an 18-4 run to the biggest lead of the half, 22-12.
After Murray’s last three-pointer of the half, with 2:40 left, the Fighting Irish scored the final four points to get back within five.
The Fighting Irish took charge in the second half behind Schrann, Hicks and McFatridge, a freshman sub.
Hicks had 12 of her 15 points and nine of her 10 rebounds in the second half. McFatridge had six of her seven points and all five of her rebounds in the second half.
“We were fighting a very good basketball team,” O’Brien said. “They were very aggressive.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our team or more proud of our seniors for the way they have played and the way they have conducted themselves off the court.”

YORK CATHOLIC (59): Schrann 7-9 9-9 24, M. McGann 3 0-1 6, J. McGann 1 0-0 2, Hicks 5-11 3-3 15, Mark 1-7 3-4 5, McFatridge 2-3 3-6 7. Totals 19-52 18-25 59.

DUNMORE (50): Palko 1-2 0-0 2, A. Murray 6-18 2-2 20, Pallotta 3-7 2-4 8, Korgeski 2-5 1-1 5, Carra 6-15 2-2 15, Gerchman 0-0 0-0 0, Melnick 0-4 0-0 0, C. Murray 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-51 7-9 50.

York Catholic
10
12
17
20

59

Dunmore
12
15
12
11

50

3-point shooting: York Catholic 3 (Hicks 2, Schrann). Dunmore 7 (A. Murray 6, Carra).