State quest ahead for Bethel Park girls
After a bitter 54-50 overtime loss to North Allegheny in the WPIAL championship game, the Bethel Park girls basketball team is moving on and commencing its quest for a state title.
The Black Hawks (21-3) will challenge Governor Mifflin March 7 in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs.
“The WPIAL is just the first step of states,” said Olivia Westphal. “The WPIAL isn’t the biggest accomplishment that we needed to do this year. We won our section. We lost this game, but states is the biggest thing that we want to do.”
Make no mistake, however, the loss of the district title hurt.
For the second time in four years, Bethel Park lost to NA in the championship game played Feb. 29 at University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center.
“I’m proud of all my teammates for just getting here,” said Maddie Dziezgowski, “but I wish the outcome would have been different.”
NA has won four of the past five WPIAL Class 6A championships. The Tigers lost last year’s title game to Peters Township.
Lizzy Groetsch scored 19 points to lead the Tigers to a win over the Black Hawks. The junior scored the go-ahead layup in the final minute of overtime for her 1,000th career point.
“Can’t figure out how that kid can get in the lane with two and three kids on her, but she still finds a way,” said BP head coach Jonna Burke. “She is just the most proficient driver that I have seen in a long time, if ever. She just slithers her way in there.”
Lauren Mullen nearly led Bethel Park to a victory with 10 points, including four straight free throws in the final 38.3 seconds to tie the game at 44.
“She’s done that all year,” Burke said. “To me, having her at the line I think, ‘oh, we got this.’ That is how confident I am in her at the end of games. Of course, at this big stage you never know how a kid is going to react, but she’s money at the line.”
Westphal, who fouled out, scored a team-high 19 points for BP.
The Black Hawks relied upon Mullen and Dziezgowski, who finished with 17 points, down the stretch.
Juliana Carbone, Riley Miller, Sophia Nath and Mallory Locke also pitched in for the Black Hawks, who led 13-9 after the first quarter, but trailed 27-25 at halftime.
BP would go ahead 32-29 on a 3-pointer from Westphal, but NA tied the contest at 36 after three quarters.
Although BP overcame a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play, in the end, NA proved to be too much to handle.
“NA is a different beast. They have more weapons,” said Burke.
“Really though I am so proud of my team,” she continued. “To be down (and come back) shows the character and heart of my team. We did what we didn’t feel we could do in pressing them. Because of our effort and desperation, we were able to force some turnovers.”
The Black Hawks are still working toward their ultimate objective – winning their school’s first state title in girls basketball.
“I’m proud of this team and proud to wear Lady Hawks gear in Bethel Park,” said Mullen. “We have so much heart and love for each other that I know this isn’t the end. We have way bigger things ahead for us.”