With only a minute left to play, Holy Redeemer’s McKenzie Chimock gets hugged by Kira Millard while Gillian Parsons reacts behind them as they are called to their bench.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hughesville’s Vivian Draper knocks the ball from Holy Redeemer guard McKenzie Chimock in the fourth quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer center Gillian Parsons aims for the basket as Hughesville defenders Vivian Draper (left) and Casey Schultz close in late in the fourth quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer players react to the final buzzer as they advance to the PIAA 3A championship with a 39-27 victory over Hughesville.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer players, from left, McKenzie Chimock, Tessa Cegelka and Kearney Quinn celebrate after defeating Hughesville in the semifinals to send them to Hershey for the championship game Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
HAZLE TWP. — History wasn’t going to repeat itself Monday night.
Holy Redeemer’s defense made sure of it.
The Royals smothered Hughesville’s offense in the fourth quarter, seizing control for a 39-27 victory that send them to the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball championship game for the first time in school history.
“I think this game was definitely all defense,” Redeemer senior guard Tessa Cegelka said. “We really didn’t come out strong with our offense and our defense really carried us this game.”
District 2 runner-up Redeemer (22-8) will play District 7 runner-up Greensburg Central Catholic (23-7) for the state title at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey. Greensburg Central Catholic routed District 7 champion Shady Side Academy 49-27 in the other semifinal.
A year ago, District 4 champion Hughesville (27-4) stopped Redeemer’s season with a strong fourth quarter to prevail in a first-round game. The Spartans never came close to matching that comeback.
Yet, that memory lingered slightly.
“A little bit but we were honestly trying to forget about it,” Redeemer senior guard Kearney Quinn said. “We tried to come into this game with a fresh mindset that we were going to win.”
Despite trailing just 23-22 entering the fourth, Hughesville shot 0-of-14 from the field in the final eight minutes. Redeemer’s defense was menacing throughout, holding the Spartans to 14% shooting (8-of-56) for the game.
Redeemer also struggled shooting, but Hughesville’s offensive drought led to the Royals outscoring the Spartans 16-5 in the fourth quarter and holding them to a season-low in points.
Kira Millard, a backup freshman inside player, steered the game in Redeemer’s direction. She scored all of her six points in succession and then recorded a block and rebound, leading to a pair of free throws by McKenzie Chimock.
“The beginning of the fourth quarter we kept telling ourselves eight more minutes, 32 minutes for the game,” Cegelka said. “The fourth quarter we really got it going.”
That 10-point outburst gave Redeemer a 35-23 lead with 1:25 remaining.
Hughesville’s last field goal of the game came with 57 seconds left in the third quarter. The 3-pointer by Kendall Hamm gave the Spartans a 22-21 lead, but it was erased 10 seconds later on a rebound basket by Redeemer’s Bella Boylan.
Chimock finished with a game-high 14. Gillian Parsons scored nine and had seven rebounds. Boylan, Cegelka and Millard all had six rebounds. Hughesville’s Vivian Draper scored 10 and had 12 rebounds while Maddie Smith added eight points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
Redeemer failed to win semifinals games in 2014 and 2015.
“Tonight we’re going to celebrate and tomorrow we go back to work,” Redeemer coach John Jezorwski said. “It means a lot. The whole school was here celebrating tonight. The run for Redeemer is special.”
PIAA Class 3A Semifinals
Holy Redeemer 39, Hughesville 27
HUGHESVILLE (27) — Kylie Temple 0 2-2 2, Maddie Smith 2 4-4 8, Allysa King 0 0-2 0, Anna Easton 1 0-0 2, Vivian Draper 4 2-4 10, Casey Schultz 0 0-0 0, Kendall Hamm 1 0-0 3, Tori Morgan 0 0-0 0, Regan Sellers 0 2-2 2, Aubrey Arrigonie 0 0-0 0, Jordyn Temple 0 0-0 0, Georgia Randall 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 10-16 27.
HOLY REDEEMER (39) — Kearney Quinn 0 0-0 0, Tessa Cegelka 0 2-2 2, Bella Boylan 3 2-6 8, McKenzie Chimock 2 7-9 14, Gillian Parsons 3 3-4 9, Kira Millard 2 2-3 6, Elizabeth Bilbow 0 0-0 0, Kourtney Jezorwski 0 0-0 0, Amara Makarczyk 0 0-0 0, Izzy Wasley 0 0-0 0, Liv Sweet 0 0-0 0, Irelyn Curley 0 0-0 0, Cali Glaser 0 0-0 0, Olivia Dutko 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 16-24 39.
Hughesville`4`9`9`5 — 27
Holy Redeemer`9`4`10`16 — 39
Three-point goals: HUGH 1-16 (Hamm), HR 1-9 (Chimock). Overall shooting: HUGH 8-56, HR 11-42.
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