Boyertown wins first state championship
HERSHEY>> Her teammates were out of control. The moment was just too much for them. “Guys! We haven’t even gotten the trophy yet,” said Abby Kapp with a bright smile pointing to the shining trophy still yet to be presented at midcourt.
Behind Kapp, Boyertown overcame a slow start Friday night and claimed the program’s first PIAA Class 6A Championship with a 46-35 win over North Allegheny at the Giant Center in Hershey.
“No one could contain their excitement,” said Kapp with a laugh of the postgame cel-
game Friday night, scoring four blocked shots. Boalton Trailing by as many as 11 10 of her team’s 14 first-half scored nine points while points with 5:32 to go, the points as Boyertown took a Webb added nine more on Tigers pulled to within four five-point deficit into the a pair of 3-pointers. The jupoints at 38-34 after sopholocker rooms. North Alleghnior guard closed it out with more guard Rachel Martineny, the District 7 chama clutch trip to the freedale converted a bucket in pion, was hardly dominant, throw line, calmly sinking a the paint. but looked plenty in control pair with nearly 40 seconds Junior guard Piper Mornearly on. remaining in regulation. ingstar led the charge with
That all changed during Katie Armstrong scored five a team-high 10 points while the second half. Boyertown, points and grabbed eight Martindale followed with the sixth seed out of District rebounds. nine and senior Hailey 1, utilized an eight-minute, “It took us some time,” Zeise had eight. 18-2 advantage between the said Webb, “but once we got The Bears’ run, mixed in third and fourth quarters to on that roll, we were feeling with some late poise at the ultimately seal it. really good. Our confidence free throw line, proved to be
The opening 16 minutes definitely went up when we just too much. looked to be anything but came out and stopped them Boyertown finished 10the team that played its way early on. From there our for-12 from the line during through the district and shots started dropping.” crunch time over the final state playoffs earlier this “We started shaking off three minutes, Kapp with a month. Boyertown comthe nerves,” said Bucknell clean 4-for-4 showing durmitted 13 turnovers and University-bound Kapp. ing that stretch to close it out.shotjust4-for-18fromtheing.Itcanalteryourshot,secondhalf,postinga12-2“Everyonewasnervous field in the first half, that efso I think we got to the basadvantage over North Alplaying in such a big arena Once they got their fort polished a bit by Kylie ket well in the second half legheny in the third quarand I think we just talked hands on the PIAA ChamWebb’s 3-pointer a minute and that started opening up ter which was capped by to each other, calmed each pionship trophy during the before the halftime buzzer the outside shots.” Tori Boalton’s score off a other down and told each postgame, the moment may sounded. The second half proved back- door feed from Alli other that we believed in have officially sunk in.
“We were settling for outto be the Boyertown team Marcus with 20 seconds each other. That’s what gave Tears streamed and medside shots,” the standout that over 700 fans and sturemaining. us the confidence to go on als clanged together as cries Kapp said of the first half. dents took the trip to see. Kapp finished with a that run.” of ‘ Lady Bears’ echoed “Playing at the Giant CenThe Bears used an allgame-high 17 points to go North Allegheny got back throughout the Giant Center is definitely intimidat- out team-effort during the along with 13 rebounds and on its feet late, though. ter. ebration. “That was such a special moment.”
Similar to the postgame festivities, Kapp kept the Lady Bears level throughout the early goings of the
AUSTIN HERTZOG - DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA