By: John Knebels
Photos: Mike Nance
SPRINGFIELD, PA – Because their uniform numbers look alike from a distance, it’s sometime tough to determine which Cardinal O’Hara player just corralled a rebound.
Maybe it was number 44, Maggie Doogan. No, wait. Perhaps it was number 43, Annie Welde.
While a headache for statisticians, it’s quite delightful for the Lady Lions.
“In practice we beat each other up,” said Welde. “We work together. We push each other, and I think that shows when we’re against other people.”
In O’Hara’s 55-37 win Saturday afternoon over visiting Archbishop Carroll, Doogan grabbed a game-high 10 boards while Welde added six. Both juniors finished with nine points. Welde also dished three assists, blocked two shots, and stole a pass; Doogan was credited with three blocks.
Whenever Carroll put up a shot, numbers 43 and 44 imitated hungry sharks.
“Our coaches told us we have to use our height advantage, keep them from getting second chances,” said Doogan. “They are so strong. Posting up against them is really hard.”
Cardinal O'Hara vs. Archbishop Carroll Highlights by John Knebels
The Lady Lions’ received double digit scoring from each of their guards. Senior Amaris Baker, who last week scored her 1,000thcareer point, finished with 11 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Junior Sydni Scott collected 13 points and three assists. Senior Siobhan Boylan added 10 points, three boards, and two assists.
“In practice we built up this plan, and being able to execute it with five people all working together is huge, and we saw that tonight,” said Welde. “With that comes excitement, and everything falls into place.”
O’Hara started early. A three-pointer by Baker – one of seven treys by the Lady Lions – at the buzzer provided a 15-5 lead after one quarter. A three by Doogan increased O’Hara’s lead to 22-5 before Carroll junior Grace O’Neill stopped the bleeding with a three.
Leading at halftime by 28-11, O’Hara coach Chrissie Doogan made sure her players would not become comfortable.
“I told the girls, it’s not going to be over,” said Doogan. “Carroll is not going to give up. They’re relentless. They play their butts off. They really play hard.
“We just wanted to be in attack mode. First time we played them, we really didn’t attack their press at all. We played their style, their speed.”
Chrissie Doogan reminded her players that Archbishop Carroll never gives up.
Annie Welde explained that rebounding is an essential part of her game.
Maggie Doogan was impressed with Archbishop Carroll’s physical strength.
The Lady Lions listened.
Just 26 seconds into the third quarter, Scott drilled a three as part of a 15-6 O’Hara run. Despite being up by 26, the Lady Lions made Carroll work for every basket.
Sophomore Meg Sheridan (team-best 13 points), sophomore Taylor Wilson (six points, four rebounds, two steals, two blocks), freshman Brooke Wilson (eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal off the bench), senior Karli Dougherty (eight rebounds, two steals), and the aforementioned O’Neill (eight points, seven rebounds, steal) played well, but the Lady Lions were completely on their game.
On Tuesday night, O’Hara was once again in a dominant role, defeating Archbishop Ryan, 67-22, on what was also O’Hara’s Senior Night. Behind Doogan’s 10 points and solid contributions from seniors Boylan (eight points), Julia Stellebotte (nine points), and Kait McPeak (nine points), every Lady Lion scored, thus clinching a berth for the Class 5A champ Lions in the PIAA state tournament that begins later this month.
Right now, however, O’Hara’s focus is on gaining one of two spots available for the Catholic League championship, a date or venue of which has yet to be determined (the Catholic League boys’ final is scheduled for 4:30 March 13 at Cardinal O’Hara).
With Archbishop Wood in front of them at 7-1, the Lady Lions (6-3) are fighting with Carroll (5-3) and West Catholic (4-2) for second place.
“I told the girls, we want O’Hara to win, that’s what we’re worried about right now,” said Coach Doogan. “It’s O’Hara closing out our last five games and seeing what happens. We do the best we can and make a run – then so be it. We can’t worry about what other teams are doing.”
O'Hara Senior Day vs. Archbishop Ryan - PSD Photos by Mike Nance
According to Welde, O’Hara’s players are heeding Doogan’s approach.
“Coach likes to say, ‘One game at a time . . . win this one, and then we will move on,’” said Welde. “That helps a lot. Every game, we kind of come in with a chip on our shoulder, that we have to win this one no matter who it is we’re playing.”
According to Jake Serfass, chairman of the Catholic League athletic directors, a deadlock in the final standings would necessitate a series of tiebreakers. The first would be head-to-head competition; then record vs. higher seed to lower seed. If still tied, then would come “total points earned by a point system” that the Catholic League has already devised, then “fewest points against” in games involving tied teams, then “most points” in games involving tied teams.
Looking at the remaining regular season schedule, it is unlikely that the third tie-breaking tier would need to be executed. But these days, nothing would be considered surprising.
(Contact John Knebels at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)