Feb 26, 2015 4 min read

McMURRAY – A lot of time and effort went into preparing the strategy for Thursday night’s WPIAL Class A playoff game between California and Serra Catholic.

The coaching staffs from both teams – familiar with each other’s players because of a previous meeting this season – probably went over every type of scenario for the game that was played at Peters Township High School.

Except one.

Neither Chris Minerd of California nor Bill Cleary of Serra Catholic discussed how to handle a 27-point deficit midway through the first half.

It just wouldn’t come up in conversation.

But that’s what both coaches faced in a game that would determine the fifth and final berth in the PIAA Championships.

The Trojans played about as well as any Class A team could in the first 10 minutes and held a 31-6 lead with 2:24 left in the half. While Serra Catholic did not turn over like a dead fish in water, the Eagles attempted to claw their way back and managed to get to within seven in the fourth quarter.

But Kylie Huffman sank four consecutive free throws and that allowed California to come away with a 48-35 victory that sent the Trojans into the state tournament.

Serra Catholic saw its season come to an end with a 15-9 record.

California, which moved to 24-2, will open PIAA play against the District 9 champion, either Venango Christian or Clarion. Interestingly, the team most thought would win District 9, Elk County Christian, lost to Venango Catholic (19-6) in the third round. That was Elk County Christian’s first loss in 26 games this season.

“I just told the girls to go out and have fun,” said Cal head coach Chris Minerd. “I told them there was no pressure on them. I said just play like it was their last game and they did.”

If Cal plays like that more often, then watch out.

Serra Catholic got its first and only lead of the game when senior guard Katie Sieg sank a free throw a minute into the game. California rattled off eight straight points before Sieg would stop the run with a tradition three-point play. Then the Trojans erupted for 14 straight points to end the quarter with a 22-4 lead, and scored the first basket of the second to take a 22-point lead.

Shock had settled into the Serra Catholic bench at this point. This was nothing like the last meeting between the teams, a 49-41 victory by California.

“They had a great start and we didn’t,” said Serra Catholic Bill Cleary. “It’s hard to come back from that. You have to give Cal credit; they hit their shots.”

And the Serra Catholic players missed on their attempts. The Eagles went nearly eight minutes – the final 4:16 of the first quarter and the first 3:01 of the second – without a point.

When Bailey Vig broke free for a layup with 2:24 left in the half, Cal led 31-6.

“Our execution was good,” said 6-0 senior center Lyndsey Huhn, who finished with a team-high 18 points that pushed her career total to 999. “Once we started (the run), we didn’t want to let up.”

But Minerd understood Serra Catholic was not going to quit.

“I told them that at halftime,” he said. “When you play a good team, they are going to make some shots.”

And Serra Catholic did make that run.

Sparked by Sieg’s nine points, the Eagles turned a 16-point deficit after three quarters into a seven-point game, 42-35 with 2:06 to play. The Eagles fouled Huffman twice and she sank the four free throws to ice the game.

“I’ve been in that situation before,” said Huffman, a 6-2 sophomore. “You just try to keep your composure.”

It also helps to have a smooth, sweet stroke.

In the final moments, Cal tried to get Huhn over 1,000 points but she missed two shots close in and didn’t get a third chance before the buzzer set off a celebration. The win helps to alleviate the disappointment of a 42-38 loss to Riverview in the quarterfinals, a game Minerd believed was winnable.

“Being in the state tournament is a great honor,” said Minerd, making his second straight foray with this team. “A lot of teams want to be where we are right now.”

Huffman finished with nine points and nine rebounds and Vig, a 5-8 freshman guard, had 13 points and four rebounds.

Senior forward Kat Pankratz, assigned to cover Felicia Moon for Serra, earned Minerd’s praise for holding the 6-4 junior center to just six points and five rebounds.