Berlin Brothersvalley too much for Aquinas Academy; punches ticket to PIAA quarterfinals

NORTH HUNTINGDON -- Berlin Brothersvalley met Aquinas Academy for a second straight season in the PIAA Class 1A girls playoffs, when the teams collided in the second round on Wednesday at Norwin High School.

The Mountaineers edged the Crusaders 42-41 in a first-round overtime thriller last season.

Led by senior Grace Sechler's game-high 19 points, Berlin broke open a 4-point halftime advantage, soundly taking care of Aquinas Academy 49-35, and advancing to the state quarterfinals for only the second time in program history.

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"Recently, our saying right now for our seniors is, 'This is not our last game,'" said Sechler. "The deficit was there, but in the end, we knew this wasn't our last game. We wanted to come out and just play our hardest. We picked it up a little bit and pushed through."

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Berlin (21-5) stormed out to a 9-2 lead following an old-fashioned 3-point play by Leah Miller. The Mountaineers held a 12-8 advantage after one.

Aquinas Academy (17-10), the District 7 No. 2 seed, battled back and took its first lead of the game, 17-16, with 4:25 left in the quarter on a bucket by Elliot Keverline. The Crusaders went on a 5-0 run and held their largest lead of the contest, 22-17.

However, Sechler, a Seton Hill University recruit, recorded the next seven points, including a huge three to stop the Aquinas Academy run, giving the Mountaineers the lead for good. Fellow senior Jenny Countryman netted a bucket before the break as Berlin took a 26-22 lead into the locker room.

"I think they really want to do well all of the time. We were a little bit uptight in the first half," Berlin coach Rachel Prosser said. "I think we loosened up and played more of our game in the second half. Our defense was there the whole time. We just sometimes get a little bit turnover-happy. We settled that a little bit more in the second half."

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Berlin controlled the third quarter and stretched its lead to eight, 37-29. The District 5 champs recorded the last five points of the frame, including three by Taylor Hillegass.

A 6-0 spurt, including a bucket and three made free throws by Sechler, gave Berlin its biggest lead of the night, 42-31. The Mountaineers went 7-for-8 at the charity stripe, scoring the final seven points of the game to seal the deal.

Countryman finished the game with 13 points. She also did a commendable job on the defensive end. One of five senior leaders on the team, Countryman is excited that her high school career with continue for at least one more game.

"We're very happy to be heading to the state quarterfinals," Countryman said. "We're just ready to go. This is history for our team. We've only been to the Elite 8 one other time. We're ready to go, just high energy."

Berlin will take on District 9 champ Otto-Eldred, a 49-37 winner over Bishop Guilfoyle, in the quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Clarion University. The last time Berlin advanced this far in the state playoffs, the Mountaineers went on to win PIAA gold in 2019.

Coach Prosser's crew is a tight-knit unit. The Mountaineers will need their best in the quarterfinals if they are to keep their dreams of another state title alive.

"We have good senior leadership, good junior leadership and a great overall chemistry," Prosser said. "These girls have been practicing hard, all 19 of them. We're just looking forward to getting to have a few more days of practice together."

Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on Twitter @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Defense leads Berlin Brothersvalley past Aquinas in PIAA second round