Mechanicsburg runs away from Red Lion girls

LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP >> Despite a 59-35 loss to Mechanicsburg in the District 3 Class AAAA fifth-place game at Central Dauphin East, the Red Lion girls' basketball team is still going to the PIAA tournament.

Still, the loss didn't sit well with Red Lion head coach Don Dimoff.

"It wasn't just the third quarter, it was the whole game," Dimoff said. "(Mechanicsburg) was just much better. They gave us fits. A couple of their kids made shots that we weren't prepared for as well."

An 11-0 third-quarter run by Mechanicsburg allowed the Wildcats to extend their 10-point halftime lead and break the game open.

Point guard Jordan Hertz started the run with a driving double-clutch layup just under two minutes into the third.

Two free throws by Cecily Carl as well as a put-back layup kept the run going.

Kourtney Landis then barged to the basket in transition and finished a layup before falling awkwardly and being helped off the court. She returned in the fourth quarter.

Finally, Rachel Deveney knocked down a corner 3 on a kick-out by Carl to make it 41-20.

"At half, we talked about handling (Red Lion's) press, and I thought we were strong in the third quarter," Mechanicsburg head coach Clay McAllister said. "We got to the middle of the floor and the big thing we did was attack."

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Hertz was a big part of the transition offense. She pushed the tempo, dished out six assists and finished at the rim a couple of times.

"I love when my teammates can score," Hertz said. "Getting them the ball is a great feeling."

After Mechanicsburg took a 4-0 lead 1:30 into the game, Red Lion's Amy Maciejewski responded with a right-wing 3 that touched off a 7-0 run for the Lions.

After four straight defensive stops by Red Lion, Mechanicsburg scored in transition to take the lead, 5-4.

Natalie Reba slapped away a pass in the lane and fed it to Courtney Dimoff at halfcourt.

Dimoff raced in for a breakaway layup.

LeDena Eames made it 7-4 with a baseline jumper, but Mechanicsburg scored nine points in 56 seconds to take over.

Mechanicsburg 59, Red Lion 35

RED LION (35)

Eames 1 0-0 2, Reba 1 0-0 2, Amy Maciejewski 4 0-0 11, Shepherd 0 0-0 0, Courtney Dimoff 7 0-0 16, P. Shingler 0 0-0 0, J. Shingler 0 0-0 0, Wolf 0 0-0 0, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Wanbaugh 0 0-0 0, Hollingshead 0 0-0 0, Hunt 0 0-0 0, Matthews 1 0-1 2.

Totals — 15 0-1 35.

MECHANCISBURG (59)

Skurcenski 2 0-0 5, Hertz 4 0-1 8, Badorf 3 0-0 8, Landis 2 5-5 9, Cecily Carl 7 7-7 22, Gelnett 1 0-0 2, Deveney 1 0-0 3, Fullard 0 0-0 0, Campbell 0 2-2 2 , Patterson 0 0-0 0, Huggins 0 0-0 0.

Totals — 21 14-15 59.

Red Lion99413—35Mechanicsburg14141813—59

3-point goals — RL 5 (Maciejewski 3, Dimoff 2). Mech. 5 (Badorf 2, Skurcenski, Carl, Deveney).