HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) - While it took Bethlehem Catholic that third time to get things right, the Golden Hawks moved into some heady company Thursday night in Hershey.
Yep, you can call Jose Medina’s club state champions.
Picking up 13 points from slick freshman Taliyah Medina and 11 more from Hope Brown, Bethlehem Catholic overwhelmed Erie’s Villa Maria 46-27 in the championship game of the PIAA’s Class 4A girls basketball tournament Thursday night at Giant Center.
Quintessa Zamolyi added nine points and eight rebounds for the Golden Hawks (30-2), while Neila Luma chipped in with eight points and nine boards.
Add it all up and Bethlehem Catholic captured its first state title after falling twice before in championship games, in 1993 and 2013.
While the Golden Hawks led just 19-12 at the halftime break, they really opened things up down the stretch, pulling away from a Villa Maria squad that was playing in a second straight final after falling to Archbishop Wood in last year’s Class AAA final.
Madison Demski netted 11 points for Doug Chuzie’s Victors (22-6), who were outscored 16-4 at the free throw line. Villa also picked up seven points apiece from Julia Casella and Andrea McCormick.
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Bethlehem Catholic 46, Villa Maria 27
Villa Maria (22-6) 27
Addy Cross 1 0-0 2; Julia Casella 3 0-0 7; Madison Demski 4 3-4 11; Molly Mraz 0 0-2 0; Andrea McCormick 3 1-2 7. Totals: 11 4-8 27.
3-point goals: Casella.
Did not score: Molly Mraz, Sydney Palerno, Carly LaZar, Autumn Byes, Emily Bauer, Hannah Rogers, Megan Howe, Rachel Brown.
Bethlehem Catholic (30-2) 46
Natalie Rhine 0 5-6 5; Hope Brown 3 3-8 11; Quintessa Zamolyi 3 3-3 9; Taliyah Medina 5 1-1 13; Neila Luma 2 4-4 8; Solei Rodriguez 0 0-2 0. Totals: 13 16-24 46.
3-point goals: Brown 2, Medina 2.
Score by quarters
Villa Maria’4’8’10’5 - 27
Bethlehem Catholic’12’7’13’14 - 46
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