Trinity advances to final

Hillers will make title game debut

There was one person standing in the way of South Fayette making its first trip to the state championship. Enter Sierra Kotchman.

Trinity’s dynamic senior erupted for 30 points to lead the Hillers to a 61-51, comefrom-behind, victory Tuesday against the Lions in the PIAA Class 5A semifinals at Peters Township. The win earned the Hillers (26-3) their first trip to Hershey for a state championship game.

“This has been our number one goal once we got out of the WPIAL [playoffs],” Kotchman said. “We just wanted to make it to states. It is an amazing feeling.”

It was a rough start for the Hillers, who fell behind, 12-2, halfway through the first quarter. The Lions (20-7) started the game by knocking down their first five shots. Trinity fought back, ending the quarter on a 10-3 run to cut the deficit to 15-12.

“I said all along that this is a resilient group of kids,” Trinity coach Bob Miles said. “They find ways to win basketball games. They get down but they don’t give up.”

Trinity continued to claw back until they took their first lead at 37-36 with 1:28 left in the third quarter. It seemed like South Fayette would go into the final quarter down by one. Again, enter Kotchman.

With time running out, she raced down the court and floated a shot from well beyond the 3-point line at the buzzer. As the shot banked in, the pro-Trinity gymnasium erupted as if they knew the game was over.

“I was feeling it,” Kotchman said. “My teammates got me the ball, and that [shot] put us in good position into the fourth quarter.”

Miles had a good feeling the shot would go in just like they practiced it.

“We practice those everyday,” Miles said. “At the beginning of practice, all the seniors and varsity players take one from half court. I thought she had a good chance of making it.”

Kotchman scored 17 of her game-high 30 points in the first half. Senior Rachel Lemons finished with 12.

South Fayette’s season didn’t end without the team making some history. The PIAA semifinal appearance marked the furthest the Lions have ever gone.

Leading the way for them was junior Jordyn Caputo with 16 points. Junior Maddie Gutierrez and senior Carlee Kilgus chipped in with 11 and 10.

Trinity will face District 12 champion Archbishop Wood for the state championship Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Giant Center in Hershey.