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By JOE PETRUCCI jpetrucci@leader.net
Thursday, March 13, 2003 Page: 1B
OREFIELD – The Dallas girls basketball team has grown used to comebacks
this season.
The Mountaineers clawed back to beat North Pocono in the District 2
semifinals, Bishop Hoban in the district final and came back again against
Palmyra in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A tournament.
When Mountaineers leading scorer Jackie Hardwick scored with one second to
play in regulation to force overtime against Nazareth Academy on Wednesday at
Parkland High School, the trend appeared ready to continue. Four turnovers in
the four-minute extra session, however, were too much for Dallas to overcome,
as the Fighting Pandas escaped with a second-round 54-52 victory.
“I’m so crushed for these girls,” said a distraught Joe Noon, Dallas’
coach. “They never gave us a chance. They never thought we’d get past North
Pocono. What can you say? We had a great season.”
That season, however, comes to a heartbreaking end for the Mountaineers
(23-6), the D-2 champs. Nazareth Academy (21-8) will face District 11 gold
medalist and two-time defending state champ Allentown Central Catholic (29-1)
on Saturday.
Five-foot-five sophomore guard Cory Patton came up big for Dallas in the
overtime, scoring all six of her team’s points in the extra session on
impressive drives to the hoop.
Nazareth Academy, which got a combined 25 points from senior post players
Lauren Wixted and Katie Quintus in regulation, also relied on its guards in
overtime.
Dallas led three times in overtime, 48-46, 50-48 and 52-51, but Fighting
Pandas sophomore guard Mary Kate McDade scored on a drive inside and hit one
of two free throws with 15 seconds left to seal the win. Dallas missed a
layup, got the rebound, but missed again as time ran out.
The Fighting Pandas took the contest’s largest lead, 41-36, two minutes
into the fourth quarter. After two Patton free throws cut the lead to 42-38,
Shannon Thomas scored her first points of the game on a three-pointer to pull
the Mountaineers within 42-41 with 2:25 to play in regulation.
“We hit a three when we needed it. That’s what great players do,” said
Noon. “They shut her down, but when it came down to it, she did it.”
Wixted then hit one of two free throws before two Dallas turnovers resulted
in McDade hitting two of three free throws for a 45-41 lead with 1:19 to play.
Again, Dallas came back with a long ball, as Meredith Lacey knocked down a
trey to pull within one.
“We came back and fought hard,” said Noon. “It was a tough game. But I’m
proud of this team.”
Dallas missed on its next two trips down the floor, but Nazareth Academy
could only hit one of four foul shots and the game was still within reach.
With one second left, Hardwick grabbed her own rebound and converted the layup
to tie the score 46-46 and force overtime.
Quintus tied for game-high scoring honors with 16 points, while McDade
added 15 and Wixted had nine. Nazareth Academy’s frontcourt play surprised
Dallas.
“When we saw the tape of them, they had no inside game at all,” said
Noon. “What a difference. I thought we played them tough.”
Hardwick led Dallas with 15 points and Patton finished with 12. Nazareth
Academy attempted 21 free throws to Dallas’ six.