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It’s amazing the difference one player can make.
Kailani Hardy didn’t play the first time Dallastown played Wilson this season. That resulted in an 11-point Wildcat win.
The junior guard played the whole time in their District 3 Class 6A girls basketball final at Manheim Twp. H.S. on Thursday, Feb. 26. She scored a dozen points, including a bucket in overtime, as the Bulldogs avenged that early loss, 42-37, to deny the Wildcats back-to-back district titles.
“Wilson played a heck of a game,” first-year coach Molly Day said. “They have great players, great experience and obviously a really good coach who got them there. And them having Hardy tonight was a big difference.”
There for a while it seemed like Hardy and Dallastown freshman Denyla Handy were trying to see who could convert the most impressive drive or pull off the most fantastic steal. It started from the opening tip as they each scored their teams’ first buckets.
Handy scored seven of Dallastown’s first 11 points – she finished with a game-high 16 points – as the Wildcats took an 11-6 lead into the second quarter.
The game turned in the second quarter when the Bulldogs started to find their shot and senior Ava Jamison was the only Wildcat who could find their bucket. Laura Crocona hit a jumper just inside the arc to give the Bulldogs an 18-17 lead at the half.
And then it was back to the Handy and Hardy show in the third quarter. Hardy scored half her points in the third quarter and Handy had five as Wilson increased their lead to four points.
Things got really interesting in the fourth quarter.
Sophia Scovitch hit a 3-pointer to cut Wilson’s lead to one, but Hardy and Ryan Leaman moved it back to five within minutes. Handy was called for her third and fourth fouls on offensive charges with 5:18 remaining, and went the rest of the way plus overtime playing careful defense.
It didn’t look like the Wildcats were going to get any closer than five the rest of the way, but then Handy hit a short jumper and fellow freshman Natalie McClane knocked down a three with a minute remaining to tie the game at 37-all.
A Dallastown steal gave the ball to the Wildcats with 49.9 remaining. They worked the ball around, but Wilson denied a good look at every turn and they never got a final shot.
Leaman’s 3-pointer with 3:19 left in overtime gave the Bulldogs the points they needed for the win, but Hardy’s bucket made it a two-possession game.
The loss was bittersweet for Day, who knows her team quieted the naysayers just by reaching the final, but she would have liked gold instead of silver.
“I know we’ve said it a few times, but nobody expected us to get here,” she said. “And to fight the way we did, and come back every single time, I’m really, really proud of my kids. Do the results stink? Yes. But, Wilson played a heck of a game.”
It’s not the end of the road for the Wildcats. They will host a PIAA first-round game on Friday, March 6 against the seventh seed from District 1. Spring-Ford and Garnet Valley are playing for that spot on Feb. 27.
But even though they aren’t done, Day took some time to reflect on this year’s senior class, who she worked with since they were in seventh grade. Those seniors, Jamison, Scovitch, Olivia Cleaver, Abigail Lintz and Marleigh Blasser were on the teams that won three straight YAIAA tournament titles, two District 3 silver medals and the first gold medal in program history.
“This senior class is such a special one,” an emotional Day said. “They work diligently every single day. They care about each and every one of their teammates, and they wanted to share these things with their teammates.
“This group of seniors have had a lot of perseverance, a lot of ACL tears, and to come back the way they have and fight the way they’ve fought, it’s really something to be proud of.”
Shelly Stallsmith covers York-Adams high school sports for GameTimePA and the USAToday Network. Connect with her by email [email protected] or on X, formerly Twitter, @ShelStallsmith.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Wilson denies Dallastown second District 3 girls basketball title
Continue reading...
Kailani Hardy didn’t play the first time Dallastown played Wilson this season. That resulted in an 11-point Wildcat win.
The junior guard played the whole time in their District 3 Class 6A girls basketball final at Manheim Twp. H.S. on Thursday, Feb. 26. She scored a dozen points, including a bucket in overtime, as the Bulldogs avenged that early loss, 42-37, to deny the Wildcats back-to-back district titles.
“Wilson played a heck of a game,” first-year coach Molly Day said. “They have great players, great experience and obviously a really good coach who got them there. And them having Hardy tonight was a big difference.”
There for a while it seemed like Hardy and Dallastown freshman Denyla Handy were trying to see who could convert the most impressive drive or pull off the most fantastic steal. It started from the opening tip as they each scored their teams’ first buckets.
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Handy scored seven of Dallastown’s first 11 points – she finished with a game-high 16 points – as the Wildcats took an 11-6 lead into the second quarter.
The game turned in the second quarter when the Bulldogs started to find their shot and senior Ava Jamison was the only Wildcat who could find their bucket. Laura Crocona hit a jumper just inside the arc to give the Bulldogs an 18-17 lead at the half.
And then it was back to the Handy and Hardy show in the third quarter. Hardy scored half her points in the third quarter and Handy had five as Wilson increased their lead to four points.
Things got really interesting in the fourth quarter.
Sophia Scovitch hit a 3-pointer to cut Wilson’s lead to one, but Hardy and Ryan Leaman moved it back to five within minutes. Handy was called for her third and fourth fouls on offensive charges with 5:18 remaining, and went the rest of the way plus overtime playing careful defense.
It didn’t look like the Wildcats were going to get any closer than five the rest of the way, but then Handy hit a short jumper and fellow freshman Natalie McClane knocked down a three with a minute remaining to tie the game at 37-all.
A Dallastown steal gave the ball to the Wildcats with 49.9 remaining. They worked the ball around, but Wilson denied a good look at every turn and they never got a final shot.
Leaman’s 3-pointer with 3:19 left in overtime gave the Bulldogs the points they needed for the win, but Hardy’s bucket made it a two-possession game.
The loss was bittersweet for Day, who knows her team quieted the naysayers just by reaching the final, but she would have liked gold instead of silver.
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“I know we’ve said it a few times, but nobody expected us to get here,” she said. “And to fight the way we did, and come back every single time, I’m really, really proud of my kids. Do the results stink? Yes. But, Wilson played a heck of a game.”
It’s not the end of the road for the Wildcats. They will host a PIAA first-round game on Friday, March 6 against the seventh seed from District 1. Spring-Ford and Garnet Valley are playing for that spot on Feb. 27.
But even though they aren’t done, Day took some time to reflect on this year’s senior class, who she worked with since they were in seventh grade. Those seniors, Jamison, Scovitch, Olivia Cleaver, Abigail Lintz and Marleigh Blasser were on the teams that won three straight YAIAA tournament titles, two District 3 silver medals and the first gold medal in program history.
“This senior class is such a special one,” an emotional Day said. “They work diligently every single day. They care about each and every one of their teammates, and they wanted to share these things with their teammates.
“This group of seniors have had a lot of perseverance, a lot of ACL tears, and to come back the way they have and fight the way they’ve fought, it’s really something to be proud of.”
Shelly Stallsmith covers York-Adams high school sports for GameTimePA and the USAToday Network. Connect with her by email [email protected] or on X, formerly Twitter, @ShelStallsmith.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Wilson denies Dallastown second District 3 girls basketball title
Continue reading...
