Berks Catholic fends off Kennard-Dale to reach PIAA 4A quarterfinals
NEW HOLLAND>> It was not at all a comfortable verdict. But it was a positive one.
Now, the Berks Catholic Saints find themselves in the state quarterfinals.
The Saints had to fend off a spirited effort from York-Adams foe Kennard-Dale to do so, emerging with a 41-32 decision Wednesday night at Garden Spot High School in a PIAA 4A second-round clash. Saturday’s quarterfinal will be contested at a time and place to be determined.
Kennard-Dale led only once all night, at 9-8, late in the first period. But the Berks County champs and District 3 runners-up could never pull away from their Fawn Grove opponents. The game sat nervously at 34-28 with 2:18 to play until BC head coach Bob Birmingham’s crew began to buffer themselves from the foul line.
“We talked about that,” Birmingham said. “At one point I turned to Josh (Ressler, assistant coach) on the bench and said that we were letting them hang around too much. I thought we did a nice jobs knocking down foul shots at the end, and every time we knocked two down, I felt a little bit better.”
The Saints held the Rams at bay by sealing it from the charity stripe late, hitting nine of 12 free throws. Jackie Kirwan was a big part of that mix, with five freebie conversions in six attempts, for five of her eight points. A sophomore getting her first varsity exposure — with limited time at the line this winter — Kirwan came through in the clutch with flawless form and without an ounce of nerves showing — a pesky K-D still hanging around and not that far off the lead.
“I was (nervous), but I tried not to show it,” Kirwan said. “But being an underclassman playing with older girls, it’s a bit intimidating. … It definitely builds my confidence a lot. Having a game like this builds on that.”
Birmingham, having watched his team struggle to drain shots after hitting the break with a 22-15 lead, was relieved to see hit club reach the bonus, and take advantage of it, with 2:47 to play. BC was sluggish offensively in the second half, hitting just two baskets in each of the third and fourth quarters.
“That was good because I don’t think we moved the ball around real well on offense again,” Birmingham said. “Luckily, we have another game where we can work on that.”
BC senior forward Dejah Terrell was by far the best player of the floor, closing a torrid first half with 15 points on her way to a game-high 21.
“I was just in a zone (in the first half),” Terrell said. “Coach said, ‘you look locked (-in), they can’t guard you down there’. I took advantage of that a lot, just tried to play my game.”
K-D made life difficult for the 6-foot-1 Rider-bound senior after halftime, though, by applying more body in the post and moving her off it and out of her comfort zone.
But that sublime first half was enough to carry her team early and help them see it through to completion. The Rams had no real answer for her, straight-up. Help defense was required simply to keep them tethered to the contest.
“They were pushing me out of where I like to be,” Terrell said. “Then, when I did get the ball, it was a double or triple team, which blocked my view of kicking to ball out to our guards. It was definitely harder.”
Success from the free throw line offset the fact that BC’s perimeter game once again went missing, an ingredient that would help open up the paint for Terrell. The Saints had just one 3-pointer, by Kirwan, early in the second quarter, a field goal that gave them an 18-12 lead.
BC’s defense was once again stout, however. Lexie Kopko led K-D with 10 points; shifty playmaking guard Megan Halczuk was held to just five points.
“I thought our defense was great,” Birmingham said. “We thought Molly (Duncan) did a great job on (Halczuk). We showed a hand on every single thing. Normally, we don’t guard dribble penetration all that well, but I thought we did a great job on that tonight.”
