Regardless, there was…
By Anthony Bosco
With three key players out of action, the Christ the King girls’ basketball team faced a tougher challenge than it would have normally expected Saturday night in the CHSAA Class ‘A’ city championship game against St. Francis Prep.
Regardless, there was no upset, as the Royals overcame a shaky start en route to a 52-45 win at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. The victory locked up the 17th consecutive CHSAA city crown for the Royals, who improved to 26-1 on the season.
“You don’t lose three senior players and not lose something,” Mackey said of Clare Droesch, Jennifer Dawson and Melanie Mangone, all of whom were suspended by the school after a fight with students from nearby Cleveland High School and were forced to miss the game. “We missed a lot of shots inside. you got to give [St. Francis] credit. They played tough defense.”
Prep was able to hang with the Royals throughout much of the game, thanks in large part to the play of junior point guard Dawn Gorynski, who consistently went hard to the basket to shoot or dish.
The lead went back and forth throughout the first quarter, with St. Francis taking the lead into the second courtesy of Elizabeth Yuneman’s basket with 1:23 left.
The Royals briefly retook the lead early in the second, but a three by Gorynski and a basket by Yuneman gave Prep a four-point advantage, 16-12, midway through the second. Kristen Lee nailed a three with 28 seconds remaining before the half to give the Terriers a six-point advantage at the break.
“One player doesn’t make a team,” said St. Francis Prep coach Tom Finn about the absence of the All-American Droesch. “We knew they were going to be tough. When you play a better team you can never relax.”
Prep tried to maintain its lead in the opening moments of the third, as Gorynski answered Candice Lindsay’s bucket to make the score 24-18, but the Royals finally started to get their game together.
Lindsay hit 1-of-2 from the line at the 5:35 of the third, starting a 9-0 run that ended with 2:51 remaining in the quarter and CK up by two, 27-25. St. Francis responded with four quick points, all from the line, to retake the lead, but Cigi McCollin hit two free throws to start a 6-0 run to end the third.
“What we focus on is staying together,” said McCollin, who finished with 23 points. “A couple of players don’t make up the team. We all do. The first couple of minutes we were a little nervous. We were questioning whether we could pull it off or not. We just had to settle down.”
Prep came back to retake the lead at the start of the fourth as Gorynski scored five straight points in the opening 30 seconds, but that would be Prep’s last gasp.
The Royals went on a 9-0 run led by Tracy Ann Hollness, Christine Catalanotto and McCollin to go up by seven, 42-35, with 4:45 to go. The lead ballooned to 10, 51-41, in the final minute, with the Royals hitting just enough of their foul shots to stay comfortably ahead.
“We were in it,” said Finn, whose team advanced to the semifinals of the CHSAA ‘B’ state championships with a record of 20-7. “I’m proud of my kids. We certainly didn’t embarrass ourselves.”
Mackey, whose team has dealt with some adversity on the court this season, said he had no doubt his girls would shake off the halftime deficit.
“We’ve been in those situations before,” Mackey said. “That’s why we play the schedule we do.”
Lindsay added 11 for the Royals and Gorynski was the lone Terrier in double figures with 20.
St. Francis was to play Holy Trinity Wednesday for the right to compete for the CHSAA Class ‘B’ state championship Sunday. Christ the King automatically advanced to the CHSAA Class ‘A’ state finals with the win and will take on St. Peter’s Sunday. Both the ‘B’ and ‘A’ finals will be played at St. Francis College at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
Bishop Ford 47, The Mary Louis Academy 42. The Hilltoppers’ season came to an end Saturday after falling to Bishop Ford in the CHSAA Division I Class ‘D’ title game at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. The team finished with a 12-9 record.
Fontbonne Hall 43, St. John’s Prep 36. The Red Storm could not repeat its two regular season wins over Fontbonne Hall in the CHSAA Division II championship game, which kicked off four games at St. Francis College. The team, which cruised to the regular season title, finished up 16-5.
Reach Sports Editor Anthony Bosco by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
