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POTTSVILLE — Wyoming Valley West’s Nicole Boutanos ended the first quarter with a buzzer-beating layup. She started the second quarter with another layup.
The Spartans were rolling along in their PIAA Class 5A girls basketball second-round game Wednesday night at Martz Hall.
Then the roll came to an abrupt halt and Palmyra took control.
Palmyra scored the second-quarter’s final 12 points, building a lead that Valley West couldn’t overcome for a 42-24 victory.
District 2 runner-up Valley West ended its season at 17-11.
“The kids fought. I’m proud of them,” Valley West coach Gary Ferenchick said. “We have four seniors that are leaving that did a heck of a job. I’m proud of each and every one of them.”
Palmyra scored the game’s first three points and then had its offense go silent over the next four minutes. That allowed Valley West to overtake the Cougars and pull into the second quarter ahead 7-5 on Boutanos’ layup.
Boutanos then opened the second with another layup for a 9-5 advantage before Palmyra came roaring back.
Limiting Valley West to several one-shot possessions, Palmyra was able to build a 17-9 halftime lead.
Valley West made a run at the deficit in the third as its press shook up Palmyra. The Spartans were able to cut the gap to five twice, the final time 24-19 on Boutanos’ follow-up to end the quarter.
Once again, Valley West went cold to start the fourth. Unable to get into their press defense, the Spartans saw the deficit swell. Palmyra went on a 13-0 run to start the fourth, building its advantage to 37-19 before Toni Amato ended it with a pair of free throws.
“I thought that’s when we were going to make our move,” Ferenchick said. “The first quarter I was happy defensively with the job we did. The second quarter, of course, we fell off the map a little bit. We talked at halftime as said this could be our game.”
District 3 champion Palmyra (18-10) plays Saturday in the quarterfinals against D7 runner-up Thomas Jefferson (21-7).
PIAA Class 5A Second Round
Palmyra 42, Wyoming Valley West 24
WYOMING VALLEY WEST (24) — Andi Blaski 1 0-0 3, Nicole Boutanos 4 1-4 9, Toni Amato 1 4-4 6, Jessica Shaver 2 0-0 4, Trinity Johnson 1 0-0 2, Karaline Stelma 0 0-0 0, Lindsey Gruver 0 0-0 0, Aubrey Boyd 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 5-8 24.
PALMYRA (42) — Ameila Baldo 5 1-2 12, Jessica St. Clair 0 0-0 0, Olivia Richardson 5 4-4 15, Zoe Smith 1 2-4 5, Katelyn Becker 2 1-2 6, Sara Boyer 1 0-0 2, Dyllan Shuey 0 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Connell 1 0-0 2, Genieva Martin 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 8-13 42.
WVW`7`2`10`5 — 24
Palmyra`5`12`7`18 — 42
Three-point goals — WVW 1 (Blaski). PAL 4 (Baldo, Richardson, Smith, Becker).
