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Kendra Pfeil: Scores 23 points for Lady Cougars

WRIGHT TOWNSHIP For the majority of the first three quarters Friday, the Hazleton Area girls basketball team had momentum on its side in front of a rivalry crowd at Crestwood.

That was until Riley Magins lone bucket of the game put the Lady Comets up one with under two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

On its ensuing offensive possession Hazleton Area looked confused with three players in the same area, and at that point Kendra Pfeil took matters into her own hands. The senior pulled the trigger on a contested 3-point shot from well beyond the line that caught nothing but net to put the Lady Cougars back on top.

Hazleton Area would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest despite a gritty Crestwood squads best effort to hang on, giving the Lady Cougars a 61-59 road win that avenged a loss to the Comets during the first half of the season.

We knew it was going to be tough but we just wanted to get on a good flow going into the playoffs, so it was a good week for us, Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio said. It was a good hard-fought game. Its a good rivalry we have.

Pfeils third-quarter 3-point shot was arguably her biggest shot but certainly not her only one as she finished with a game-high 23 points, with 14 coming in the second half. She hit five 3-pointers.

Kendra has been known to do that for three years, shes unconscious, Gavio said. Shes a player, and she came up big when we really needed her.

Gavio was quick to admit that this wasnt the cleanest game hes seen his squad play but noted that his team played hard throughout and did enough to win despite committing 19 turnovers.

The Lady Cougars will now look to tune-up for their District 2 Class AAAAAA semifinal matchup with Delaware Valley.

Maddie Mrochko scored 12 points and knocked down three late free throws while the Trivelpiece sisters, Megan and Marissa were effective on both ends throughout the game. Marissa Trivelpiece notched a double-double with 10 points to go with 10 rebounds and two blocked shots while Megan Trivelpiece scored 10 of her own to go with nine rebounds.

We made a lot of goofy mistakes but you cant substitute hustle and you cant substitute heart, Gavio said. A lot of kids made plays. Winning a game like this is going to help us going into the playoffs. Both teams played hard.

The Lady Cougars led by as many eight points on five separate occasions including late in the fourth quarter, but were never able to put the game away thanks in part to Crestwoods three-headed scoring machine of Julia Makowski, Sarah Richards and Sara Hopkins. Makowski led the Lady Comets with 21 points to go with eight rebounds, Richards scored 13 points in the first half and Hopkins added 12.

They are the grittiest, most determined bunch of young ladies in the entire division I think because they never gave up, Crestwood head coach Ed Stepanski said. They fought their way back right up until the end. Its disappointing that we lost by two but I cant ask for more out of them. Several times this season weve been down and dug our way back.

Entering the season many wrote off Crestwood after losing five key contributors including the schools all-time leading scorer in Maddie Ritsick. Stepanski has seen his young squad grow throughout the season and now thinks theyre peaking at the perfect time despite the loss.

The expectations for this team were so low coming into the season but they worked hard and they dont give up, Stepanski said. Im happy with where were at and were not even thinking about next year right now. Although we are young, we have this year to finish we want to make it to the arena.

Game Summary

HAZLETON AREA (61) Pfeil 8 2-2 23, Ma. Trivelpiece 3 3-4 10, Mrochko 4 3-6 12, Sheeto 0 0-0 0, Book 0 2-2 2, Lipinski 0 0-0 0, Yurchak 2 0-0 4, Me. Trivelpiece 3 4-4 10, Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 14-18 61.

CRESTWOOD (59) Magin 1 0-0 2, Shipton 4 0-0 8, Hopkins 4 3-4 12, Snipas 1 0-0 3, Richards 4 4-11 13, Makowski 6 6-8 21, Muse 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 13-23 59.

Haz (14-8, 10-6) 14 15 14 18 61 Cre (14-8, 10-6) 9 12 20 18 59

3-point FGs: Pfeil 5, Ma. Trivelpiece, Mrochko. Makowski 3, Richards, Snipas, Hopkins.

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