Last year, the Rochester girls basketball team had to make a long trip to Kiski Area to open the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.
The Rams, as the No. 10 seed, used a big second-half rally in that game to defeat Riverview.
As a better seed this year — No. 5 after finishing runner-up to Neshannock in Section 1 — Rochester didn’t have to board a bus and endure a lengthy ride to a first-round matchup.
The Rams, in the friendly confines of their home gym Tuesday, were able to make enough plays, especially down the stretch in the second half, to take down No. 12 Apollo-Ridge, 48-40, and advance to Friday’s quarterfinals.
“It was a really good feeling to get this win,” Rochester coach Ron Moncrief said. “Any time you are able to be in the playoffs, it is a blessing, especially when you get a game on your home court. It was a great opportunity for our team and our community. The girls played hard and did what they needed to do to get that win and move on.”
Rochester improved to 13-9 and will face No. 4 Fort Cherry on Friday at a site and time to be determined.
Fort Cherry breezed past Riverview, 55-24, on Tuesday.
“We’re going to turn our focus to Friday and control what we can control,” Moncrief said. “It’s another great opportunity for these girls. It’s going to be a great battle.”
Apollo-Ridge (12-11) kept fighting in the second half despite Rochester taking a 13-point lead on two occasions in the third quarter after leading by seven at halftime.
The Vikings closed the third on a 9-3 run, and sophomore Madison Hughley hit a long jumper to cut the Rams’ advantage to 38-33 with 6:27 left in the fourth.
“I am so proud of the girls,” Vikings coach Raevaan Mottley said. “They kept hustling and fought back. It could’ve gotten ugly when (Rochester) went up double digits, but the girls didn’t lay down. They fought hard.”
Rochester senior Tia Yellock, the Rams’ 1,000-point scorer and a Wheeling University commit, hit a back-breaking 3-pointer to extend the Rams’ lead back to eight with 5:19 on the clock. Yellock came off the bench in the second quarter and finished the game with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Senior Kamryn Newman, who led all scorers with 15 points, later drained a 3-pointer for Rochester to answer a layup from Vikings sophomore forward Mikaila Ditty. When Rams sophomore Shae Smalley hit a pair of free throws with 2:33 left, the hosts led by 12.
“We understand basketball is a game of runs,” Moncrief said. “We are battle-tested with going through a tough section and our nonconference schedule. The girls were ready, and they didn’t panic. Apollo-Ridge is a very good team, and we knew they would keep fighting and make a run. We did some good things to help stop the bleeding, and we hit some good shots to make it a little more comfortable.”
Ditty scored seven points in the fourth quarter and led Apollo-Ridge with 13 overall. Senior Mya McClain was held off the scoreboard in the fourth, but before that, she scored 12 points and added nine rebounds.
“We missed some shots in the fourth that we could’ve and should’ve made, and we lost them in transition a couple of times where they hit those big 3s to help them break open that tug-o-war game,” Mottley said.
Rams sophomore Neveah Squires scored 10 points, all of them coming in the first half.
Rochester held the rebounding edge, and sophomore forward Syrin Crosby led the way with 15 rebounds in addition to six points inside.
“She’s a warrior,” Moncrief said. “She plays so physical. She got a little banged up (bloody nose) with the play inside. She’s a tough kid, and she had a big game for us tonight.”