Sophia Bonner and her Neshannock teammates had a vital and unorthodox meeting during the morning of a PIAA Class 2A class semifinal Monday night at Armstrong High School.
The Lancers battled a virus together before taking on Bishop McCort. Neshannock needed every ounce of energy to sink the District 6 champion Crushers, 61-57, and advance to the state championship game for the first time since 2022.
“We all got IVs this morning, the starting five and our sixth man,” Bonner said. “It was a little bonding.”
Neshannock will play the winner of Tuesday’s semifinal between District 5 champion Berlin Brothersvalley and District 4 runner-up Southern Columbia for the state crown Thursday. The other semifinal was delayed a day due to the weather.
The Lancers’ togetherness shone through in the second half. Neshannock, which won the WPIAL title, saw leading scorer Payton Newman pick up her fourth foul 90 seconds after the half.
Newman, who scored 13 of her team-high 16 points before halftime, was then glued to the bench for a long stretch.
Bishop McCort (20-9) took advantage by stretching its five-point halftime lead to 35-26 midway through the third quarter after a 3-pointer from Reese Bair.
Zoey Ferguson led the Crushers with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Emma Preuss also scored 13 points.
Neshannock coach Luann Grybowski said it has been a tough week for illness.
“What all of you don’t know is that Payton was sick today,” Grybowski said. “My kids have all that Virus B or whatever, sore throat, congestion, head. Everybody had it. It went through the whole team. She didn’t get it, and Payton called me this morning and said my throat hurts so bad. Let’s get you through this and see what you can do for Thursday.”
Bonner and freshman Lily Cain picked up the mantle. Bonner scored all 15 of her points after halftime. Twelve of those came in the third quarter.
The Lancers closed the quarter on a 13-3 run to tie the game at 39.
The Crushers had a hard time handling the press. When Bishop McCort did get to the free-throw line, the Crushers missed 10 of their attempts.
“We’re usually a good foul shooting team,” Bishop McCort coach John Hahn said. “That killed us today. We had too many turnovers. We had shots at the basket, and we were passing the ball. I don’t know if the pressure got to us.”
In the fourth quarter, Cain, who finished with 15 points, scored on a 3-point play to open the quarter. That gave Neshannock a 42-39 lead it never lost.
The Lancers employing Cain caught Bishop McCort off guard. Especially when the forward buried two treys.
“That (Cain) who came in, we never saw her on film and she was banging 3s,” Hahn said. “She was the difference. She came in and made a difference.”
Neshannock stretched the lead to seven points down the stretch several times. While Bishop McCort narrowed the lead to two late, the Lancers never gave the lead back.
Being sick and tired made no difference.
Neshannock found a path back to Hershey.
“We’ve played nine kids all year,” Grybowski said. “Those kids have experience and they aren’t nervous or afraid.”