By BILL ALBRIGHT

ESPNWilliamsport.com Staff Writer

MILTON -- It was a beautiful sun-drenched day outside the Milton High School gymnasium, but inside the complex, the tornado winds were gusting.

Coming out of the locker room at the outset line a set of gangbusters, the Mount Carmel Lady Tornadoes scored the first 23 points of the game as they cruised to a 52-32 win over the Troy Lady Trojans (13-11) in a District 4 Class AA consolation game.

“We thought our guards were quick and we felt we could get out on them (in transition),” said Mt. Carmel coach Lisa Varano. “We have a lot of very athletic people on our team and with that, we felt we could also come out and press them into making mistakes so that is kind of what we went with.”

While Varano was happy with the win and the way her team performed, Troy coach Erik Marhefka felt that his team was hit squarely in the face by Murphy’s Law.

“We had a lot of in-and-outs and if we make a couple of them early in the game, it might have been different,” said Marhefka. “But instead, it was like Murphy’s Law where whatever can go wrong, did go wrong. We turned the ball over a lot and the shots we have been making all year were not going for us today. I really feel that if we would have cut that 23-point (Mt. Carmel) lead to a 12-point lead, we would have been in it right at the end.”

Trailing by a 23-4 margin at the end of the first period, Troy was only on the short end of the final three periods by one point.

“Other than the first quarter, we played three pretty good quarters against a very good team,” said Marhefka. “It was a very physical game and I am proud of the way the girls played. For three quarters of the game, I thought we did an excellent job. We just came out a little flat today in the beginning of the game.”

Not only while building up the 23-point lead at the beginning of the game, but for most of the 32 minutes, the Lady Tornadoes not only ran and pressed, but they also won most of the loose balls on the floor.

“All of our girls play very hard and they are very aggressive,” said Varano. “They go after every ball and they are not about to let a ball roll by them without diving on the floor for it.”

In racking up the 52 points, the Lady Tornadoes also showed a lot of offensive balance by spreading the scoring wealth throughout the lineup as five players scored at least eight points led by Heather Bolick with 10.

Following Bolick were Kim Andruscavage and Danielle Bernini with nine each and Marisa Farronato and Ranotta Ahrensfield followed with eight apiece.

“We have a lot of unselfish players on our team and all of the girls can score individually when the opportunity is there,” said Varano. “If they need to, they can and will get the ball up.”

For Troy, no player hit double figures, the Trojans led by Meghan Manning with nine points followed by Lauren Gustin with eight in the book.

With the win, Mount Carmel (17-8) now enters the PIAA playoff picture, facing Tamaqua next Saturday at a site and time to be determined by PIAA officials.

“We have seen them before so we know a little about them,” said Varano. “They are a nice team out of the Schuylkill League which is a tough league, but we also played a tough schedule. I think we’ll be ready for them.”

While Mount Carmel continues on the playoff trail, the loss meant the end for the line for the Trojans.

“This group of seniors has been with us since seventh grade,” Marhefka said. “We thought when they were in seventh grade they would be something special and just to win two district games for girls basketball at Troy High School is very special. It has been over 15 years, and I am guessing at that, since that has happened at Troy so they are something very special and I am very proud of them.”

Troy 32

Courtney Mattocks 1 0-2 2, Amanda Goodwin 1 0-0 3, Lauren Gustin 4 0-0 8, Auburn Jones 2 0-0 6, Meghan Manning 4 0-0 9, Kayla Shedden 2 0-0 4. Totals 14 0-2 32.

Mt. Carmel 52

Heather Bolick 4 1-2 10, Alyssa Palewicz 2 0-0 4, Danielle Bernini 4 1-2 9, Marisa Farronato 4 0-2 8, Kayla Shamus 0 2-2 2, Christine Mrozek 1 0-0 2, Ranotta Ahrensfield 4 0-1 8, Kim Andruscavage 4 1-3 9. Totals 23 5-12 52.

Troy 4 9 12 7 -- 32

Mt. Carmel 23 10 11 8 -- 52

3-Point Goals: Troy 4 (Amanda Goodwin 1, Auburn Jones 2, Meghan Manning 1). Mt. Carmel 1 (Heather Bolick).