Stifling defensive effort nets Cardinal O’Hara third state title in four years in 42-26 win over Spring-Ford
HERSHEY >> They say that defense wins championships — but having Molly Rullo and Joanie Quinn on your side certainly helps too.
Rullo scored 10 of her 13 points before halftime before passing the baton to Quinn, who tallied 14 of her game-high 16 points in the second half to lead Cardinal O’Hara to a 42-26 victory in the PIAA Class 6A state championship game on Friday night.
It was the third state title in four years for the Lions, who held a normally strong shooting Spring-Ford team to an 8-for-37 night from the field, including a 2-for-17 clip from downtown.
“I love these girls with everything in my being,” Quinn said. “To be able to share this experience with people that I love so much, I can’t even describe what that means.”
The Cardinal O’Hara girls’ basketball team poses with the PIAA trophy after winning the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Cardinal O’Hara’s Carly Coleman, center, and Megan Rullo, right, and Greta Miller, left, begin the celebration after defeating Spring-Ford in the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford seniors, from left, Sophia Allocca, Siena Miller, Anna Azzara, Katie Tiffan and Mackenzie Pettinelli watch as Cardinal O’Hara’s receives their championship medals after the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
The Rams had cruised through their first four state playoff games, winning by an average of 21.7 points per game.
Then they ran into Quinn and Rullo’s O’Hara buzzsaw.
“We knew that we matched up pretty well with them and that we’re also a good shooting team,” Quinn said. “We needed to focus on our defense to win this game. That’s what we hang our hat on, and that’s what we needed to do.”
Rullo scored all eight of her team’s first quarter points as O’Hara (26-4) took an 8-6 lead into the second quarter, and her and-1 conversion late in that period helped the Lions secure an 18-11 halftime advantage. The Rams never got closer than four points the rest of the game, as O’Hara’s stifling defense refused to allow District 1’s runner-up to get into any kind of offensive rhythm.
“Our start was a little slow and the game wasn’t getting anywhere,” Rullo said of her hot start. “I just did what I do best, cutting and moving without the ball looking for layups. My teammates were hitting me and once I got going, the momentum shifted and everything went from there.”
Quinn racked up five rebounds, three assists and three steals before halftime, but the O’Hara point guard missed her first six shots and knew she had to get it going in order for her team to make history. She scored a pair of buckets in the third period to keep the Rams (27-7) at arm’s length, then ended the period with a crucial and-1 conversion that gave O’Hara a 30-20 lead after three and effectively took the wind from Spring-Ford’s sails.
“I knew I had to play a little better,” Quinn said. “I was trying to take care of the ball first and play defense, because for me my offense comes from my defense. Knowing I had a great defense behind me allowed me to play better defense, and in turn shoot a little better.”
Quinn shot 5-for-14 and finished with six rebounds, four steals and three assists, while Rullo was 6-for-12 and added seven rebounds. Sophomore Megan Rullo, Molly’s younger sister, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and Carly Coleman mixed in two points, six boards, three assists and three steals. Greta Miller, the team’s fifth starter, had four points and five rebounds and was spectacular defensively, holding Aaliyah Solliday to an 0-for-7 night.
“I learned early on that defense keeps you in games,” O’Hara head coach Chrissie Doogan said. “We didn’t want to put them on the foul line or give them any second-chance points. We also didn’t want to let them catch-and-shoot, because if they’re stationary they make shots. We had to get them off their spots a little bit and make them more uncomfortable.”
Cardinal O’Hara’s Megan Rullo and Spring-Ford’s Anna Azzara (21) get tangled as Rullo looks for a pass during the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford’s Anna Azzara (21) tries to get to the basket against the tight defense of Cardinal O’Hara’s Megan Rullo in the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
For the Spring-Ford senior class — namely starters Solliday, Anna Azzara, Mac Pettinelli and Katie Tiffan — it was an upsetting end to a phenomenal four years. They won 101 games together (against just 19 losses) and made two trips to the state final in addition to winning two Pioneer Athletic Conference titles and a District 1 crown in three championship game appearances.
But Friday was a tough one for them all. Azzara scored 12 points but shot 4-for-15; Pettinelli made the team’s only 2 3-pointers but struggled to find space to create open shots for herself or her teammates; and Tiffan was 0-for-2 with four turnovers before fouling out.
“I think it had a lot to do with their pressure,” Pettinelli said. “They’re high energy and we were forcing shots that were not our best looks. They are a very well-coached team with a fluid offense that lacks height but not speed. We needed to be better on defense.”
“We didn’t rebound at all today,” Solliday added. “They out-hustled us, which allowed them to score more points.”
O’Hara out-rebounded the Rams 33-18, including nine offensive boards that led to 10 second-chance points.
“This is hurting tonight,” Spring-Ford head coach Mickey McDaniel said. “But I think when they sit back and look and say ‘We won 101 games,’ which I believe is only the third class to win 100-plus games at Spring-Ford. And that’s a lot to be proud of.
“The thing that you’ll think about and everyone will think about is the emptiness of not bringing titles home this year. We had three shots. We were in three championship games. We did what we could, it just didn’t go our way tonight.”
Cardinal O’Hara’s Megan Rullo (31) and Greta Miller (11) battle for a rebound with Spring-Ford’s Anna Azzara during the second half of the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Cardinal O’Hara’s Joannie Quinn dribbles into the frontcourt while fending off the close defense of Spring-Ford’s Christina Tiffan during the second half of the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford’s starters sit on the bench during the closing stages of the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Cardinal O’Hara senior Greta Miller celebrates upon receiving her championship medal after the PIAA Class 6A championship game on March 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Cardinal O’Hara 42, Spring-Ford 26
Cardinal O’Hara 8 10 12 12 — 42
Spring-Ford 6 5 9 6 — 26
O’Hara: Miller 0 1 1-2 4, Quinn 5 0 6-7 16, Coleman 1 0 0-0 2, Molly Rullo 6 0 1-1 13, Megan Rullo 0 0 4-4 4, Donohue 0 1 0-0 3. Totals 12 2 12-14 42
Spring-Ford: Preuss 1 0 2-4 4, Solliday 0 0 2-2 2, Azzara 4 0 4-4 12, K. Tiffan 0 0 0-0 0, Pettinelli 1 2 0-0 8, C. Tiffan 0 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0 0-0 0, Allocca 0 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 2 8-10 26
