WARMINSTER — When the going got tough, Emily Knouse got going Saturday.
Specifically, the Archbishop Wood junior got going downhill toward the rim to start the fourth quarter of a state playoff opener with Radnor. The Raptors had been physical, scrappy and resilient all afternoon, and Knouse knew it was time to change the tune.
Wood’s strong fourth quarter powered the three-time defending champions to a 55-43 win in the first round of the PIAA 5A tournament.
“My shots weren’t falling as much as I’d like them to be and Coach Mike (McDonald) told me ‘she’s chasing you over (screens) so have space, go ahead and rip,’” Knouse said. “I had to be strong, if you’re strong enough then you’ll get finishes.”
Radnor, the sixth seed out of District 1, knew it had nothing to lose and played like it. The Raptors scored the game’s first eight points, were within four at the half and still had the deficit below double digits going to the fourth.
“We knew we had absolutely nothing to lose, they’re the best team in the state,” Radnor senior guard Kate Gallagher said. “We all worked really hard the past couple days. We were going to come in here and put every ounce of effort we had into this game and not back down, not be afraid.”
Wood connected on 5-of-9 from three in the first to answer Radnor’s 8-0 start. When the shots wouldn’t fall as consistently after, the Vikings vets made sure that lead never went away.
Guard Ava Renninger scored 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Knouse credited Renninger’s two off-the-dribble 3-pointers late in the third as crucial shots with Radnor fighting to hang around.
Wood senior Lauren Greer shared the team scoring lead with Knouse at 15 points, although it was her energy that elevated the Vikings. Greer had four offensive rebounds in the first half, three steals and always seemed to be in the right place as either a passer or an outlet for an open shot.
“She’s a total workhorse,” Knouse said. “She never stops. It’s honestly annoying that she just keeps on going. Even if she has to sit for eight minutes because of foul trouble, she’s going to come back more aggressive and more angry because she wasn’t in.”
Gallagher, Caroline Monahan and Blaise Jennings, Radnor’s seniors, helped the team withstand Wood’s first-quarter run.
“If they kept getting hot, then the more we backed off, the more they were going to put on us,” Gallagher said. “It’s what we wanted to do all season, prove we’re a team that’s never going to give up no matter what we faced.
The fourth quarter opened with Knouse taking going for a drive which ended with an and-one. She followed with another strong take, almost laying out while airborne for a finish as she hit the deck. Renninger found Greer for a three and Knouse capped the run with a third drive and a finish that rolled all the way around the rim and down.
Even when Wood capped that run for a 52-31 edge, the Raptors came back with the next nine.
“They didn’t back down, they’re a really tough and strong team,” Knouse said. “But for our seniors, we didn’t want this to be their last game. It was their last home game and we weren’t going to end on a low note.”
Radnor wraps up its season. But with a solid underclassman backcourt of Anna Reger and Nyah Yao returning, Gallagher hoped the program would keep taking steps forward.
“I hope they see how fun it is playing so far into the season,” Gallagher said. “Against a great team like this, it’s such a unique opportunity to play against one of the best teams in the state so I hope they see that and work hard to get back here.”
