By: John Knebels
Photos: Donna Eckert
Videos: John Knebels
RADNOR, PA – The starters and top substitutes stood together in the middle of the bench, taken out of the game by their head coach.
They couldn’t have been happier.
With anticipation building to a crescendo as the clock approached all zeroes Sunday afternoon at neutral venue Archbishop Carroll High School, they watched sophomore Delaney Finnegan issue a textbook box out and sophomore Allie Fleming snare the rebound.
It took Fleming 13 dribbles before the final buzzer officially declared Archbishop Wood the 2020-21 Catholic League champions, victorious over an outstanding Cardinal O’Hara squad, 56-48, in a combat that featured four ties and eight lead changes.
Later labeling the moment “easily one of the best experiences I have been lucky enough to ever have” and recognizing “how much of an honor that is” to protect the basketball on the last play of a Catholic League championship triumph, Fleming jumped into the arms of sophomore Campbell McCloskey while the rest of the team bounded onto the court to celebrate.
The Lady Vikings probably couldn’t feel their feet, just like they probably couldn’t feel the hardwood as they subsequently tumbled into one big green and white ball of festive humanity.
“Bliss,” said feisty senior Noelle Baxter, referring to the moment she realized that Wood had wrapped up its first title since 2016 and fourth overall. “I was just so happy. I was already crying on the side . . . happy tears obviously. I was just so happy.”
Ever since losing a heartbreaking overtime final to West Catholic last year at the Palestra – Wood’s second straight overtime championship loss – this was the moment the Lady Vikings had longed for, the main reason why they never complained about rugged practices and tiring workouts and tough coaching over the past four months.
Despite mountains of challenges that started last March when their post-season run to a state title was severed in the quarterfinals, and continued throughout the next 12 months with realistic fears of possibly not even playing basketball this year, then having to defeat upstart rival Archbishop Carroll in a semifinal that hadn’t been part of the plan until just a few days before, the Lady Vikings persevered.
Archbishop Wood vs. Cardinal O'Hara - 2021 PCL Championship Highlights & Net Cutting Ceremony - by John Knebels & Donna Eckert:
Wood coach Mike McDonald extends shoutouts to numerous contributors - both on the court and behind the scenes.
“Coach Mike (McDonald) has been saying that it’s the little things that win championships,” said senior Kaitlyn Orihel, who scored all 12 of her points in the second half – six each in the final quarters. “We did enough of them today.
“We just worked so hard every day. Everyone had the same goal in mind. To be able to celebrate it and know that everyone put their heart into this game and to be able to lift that plaque . . . we are very proud of ourselves.”
When the top-seed Lady Vikings (13-2) needed offense in the first half, juniors Ryanne Allen and Bri Bowen delivered. As she had done with two free throws in a last-second semifinal win over Carroll two days earlier, Allen came up clutch. Aided by four treys, she finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Bouncing back from a scary ankle injury in the semis, Bowen swished three treys and dealt 15 points, four rebounds, and three steals while causing two-seed O’Hara (12-4) fits because of her trademark splendid defense.
“I made sure I always had a hand up,” said Bowen, referring to O’Hara’s lethal three-point shooting. “We went over guarding each individual player closely at practice. This prepared us really well for the game because we were so focused on the defensive end and were all on the same page.
“It was not that challenging. I can guard one-five on the court, and staying focused on defense allows me to flow into my offense.”
Kaitlyn Orihel has waited four years for this moment.
Bri Bowen and the “best moment” of her life.
An 11-2 run in the second quarter turned a 14-13 Wood deficit into a 24-16 lead midway through the second quarter. Spearheaded by junior Maggie Doogan’s six points, three rebounds, and block, O’Hara responded with an 8-0 blitz to tie the game at halftime. The budding star would finish with a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds.
Three lead changes and two ties kept the crowd glued to their social-distanced seats during a riveting third quarter. With Wood leading 39-36, a minor scramble left the ball in the capable hands of junior Shannon Morgan, whose buzzer-beating three ended the first quarter. Morgan calmly tossed a short pass to Allen, who has developed into one of the league’s best ever sharpshooters
Guarded closely, Allen stepped back and fired a three-point missile at the buzzer. The Lady Vikings piled on top of a fallen Allen, but a 42-36 lead was far from secure.
Ryanne Allen’s prediction three years ago finally came true.
Noelle Baxter now understands the meaning of the word “bliss."
In the fourth, Wood took control. A basket by O’Hara senior Siobhan Boylan (eight points, three rebounds) made it 42-38, but two free throws by Bowen and a bucket by Allen supplied the Lady Vikings with their largest lead at 46-38. From that point until McDonald emptied his bench, Wood’s defense was superb, holding O’Hara’s starters to nine points.
“I really think it would have taken a near flawless game on our part to beat Wood today,” said O’Hara coach Chrissie Doogan, whose Lady Lions had captured their previous nine bouts and were trying for their 19thteam title. “They came out on a mission. Ryanne Allen came out and played like the star that she is. Bri Bowen really stepped up for them. We talked about limiting their three-point field goals, but in the end, they were able to convert too many threes. I give them a lot of credit.
“I’m proud of our kids for competing as hard as they did. I am hoping we can regroup this week and get ready to make a run in the state tourney.”
Like her coach/mom, Maggie Doogan was also classy in defeat.
“It obviously was a disappointing ending,” said Doogan. “It just wasn’t our day and we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but I’m proud of our team battling until the end.”
With Doogan manning O’Hara’s inside game, the Lady Vikings needed to take away the perimeter – not an easy feat with a threesome such as senior Amaris Baker (14 points), junior Sydni Scott, and Boylan.
Morgan explained Wood’s strategy.
“We played man-to-man the whole game,” said Morgan. “We chased over screens because they were such good shooters and so good at running their offense. We were just trying to pressure the ball as much as possible so they couldn’t get set in their offense.”
2021 PCL Championship - Wood vs. O'Hara - Photo Gallery by Donna Eckert:
Pointing out that it was “super important” for Wood seniors Orihel, Baxter, and Dana Kiefer to complete their odyssey as Catholic League champions, Allen recalled a conversation she had with Orihel three years ago.
“I remember telling Kaitlyn as a freshman that we were going to win a PCL championship, and we did that,” said Allen. “To do that for them going out is pretty amazing.”
Draped in the net that the players and coaches elatedly snipped off the rim adjacent to the Wood bench, McDonald waxed effusive when describing some of his players. He labeled Bowen “awesome on both ends of the floor … just making plays.” Allen, he said, is “just special. She works at it. She has the confidence . . . has a great attitude toward everything.”
And Orihel?
“She’s Kait Orihel,” he said. “When the game’s on the line, and it’s tough time, Kait usually steps up and figures a way to make it happen. It’s her will, her desire, her competitive nature . . . I wouldn’t doubt her ever.”
The Lady Vikings pause for a team selfie amidst the celebration - PSD Photo by Donna Eckert
But, McDonald acknowledged, “there was a point when people were doubting us.” The Vikings appeared scattered in a 49-45 regular-season finale loss at West Catholic and then out of sync in a 38-37 semifinal victory over Carroll.
Over the final eight minutes of the most important game of the season, however, the Lady Vikings arguably played flawless basketball.
“I couldn’t be prouder,” said McDonald. “I’m grateful that my seniors get to finish with a Catholic League championship.”
Those words were a long time coming – five years to be exact. Now a two-time champion, McDonald enjoyed every syllable.
(Contact John Knebels at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)