DANVILLE — Shenandoah Valley can be a deadly 3-point shooting squad.
When the Blue Devils learned state-playoff opponent North Penn-Mansfield typically defended with a zone, the hope was those 3-point shooters could take aim.
Shenandoah Valley took aim, but at the most inopportune point of its season, the Blue Devils were off target.
The cold shooting helped lead to a 42-22 loss to Mansfield in the second round of the PIAA Class A playoffs that closed Shenandoah Valley’s season.
“Usually, we’re foaming out of the mouth when we see a zone because we have a lot of kids that
can shoot,” Shenandoah Valley coach Chris Conroy said. “They’re long. Their guards are long. They got out to us, got a hand up. It just seemed to bother us a little bit. We just never could get in a rhythm.”
Shenandoah Valley (22-5) shot just 2-of-24 from beyond the arc as the Tigers (22-5) extended a six-point lead at half to seven through three quarters and finished the game with a 15-2, fourth-quarter flourish.
The Blue Devils have the potential to get hot from beyond the arc at any moment. That never happened against an athletic Tigers club that played a sagging 3-2 zone to defend the perimeter.
“You just kept thinking, ‘Oh, we’re going to make a run. We’re going to make a run.’ The shots were there,” Conroy said. “They just didn’t go … all night long. It’s tough. It’s just one of those things that you feel bad for the kids because we just couldn’t get going.”
After leading 9-8 through a quarter, the Blue Devils struggled to find the bottom of the net.
Marcella Creasy drilled a 3-pointer at the 3:45 mark of the second quarter for Shenandoah’s only bucket of the frame.
The Devils and Tigers traded buckets for most of the third quarter as Mansfield led 27-20 entering the fourth.
Eventually, Mansfield’s rebounding edge and athleticism wore on the Devils. The Tigers finished with a 36-19 advantage on the glass, including 16 offensive rebounds.
Sara Wolbert finished with a game-high 13 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. The junior battled after free throws on the offensive end to give Mansfield extra possessions that led to seven second-chance points in the fourth quarter alone.
“They definitely hurt us on the boards, even some missed free throws,” Conroy said. “We can’t get it out of there. They were just a little more physical and bigger than we were.”
Kaitlyn Garverick led Mansfield offensively with 13 points, while Alysa Davey-Bostic added 12 points as the Tigers were able to hit from distance and drive to the basket for buckets.
“They have four kids that can put it on the floor and attack the basket,” Conroy said. “The big girl just hangs out down there and tries to clean up misses, or if you don’t help or rotate, she’s there.”
The loss ends the careers of Shenandoah Valley seniors and four-year starters Kristina Nieddu and Abigail Snitzer, a 1,000-point scorer who was among the area leaders in scoring and 3-point shooting.
The seniors leave with the Blue Devils’ first District 11 championship in tow after reinvigorating the program, which returns the rest of the roster intact.
“Helluva ride. Great group of kids,” Conroy said. “It starts with the seniors, my four-year players, and that got us over the hump. That kind of leadership having four-year players. Then bringing along Marcella, Alaina (Demalis) and those kids. We had some young kids like Carly (Teaschenko), Molly (Michalik), Ali Wargo … just a special group that really wanted it, went out and worked for it every day and brought such a positive experience to our school and our community. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Game Summary
PIAA Class A Second Round
At Danville H.S.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY (22) — Demalis 0 0-0 0, Nieddu 1 4-4 6, Teaschenko 1 0-0 2, Creasy 3 0-0 7, Wargo 1 0-0 2, Snitzer 2 0-0 5, Najera 0 0-0 0, Michalik 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 4-4 22.
NORTH PENN-MANSFIELD (42) — Montefusco 0 0-0 0, Wolbert 3 1-4 7, Smith 0 0-0 0, Buchanan 0 0-0 0, Davey-Bostic 5 1-2 12, Garverick 5 3-4 13, Berguson 2 3-4 9, Weiskopff 0 0-0 0, Dinan 0 0-0 0, Hillson 0 1-3 1. Totals 15 9-17 42.
Shen (22-5) 9 3 8 2 — 22 Mans (22-5) 8 10 9 15 — 42
3-point FGs: Creasy, Snitzer, Davey-Bostic, Berguson 2