Regina again ends Ursuline's season

For the third time in four years, the Irish lost in the regionals to the Royals.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CUYAHOGA FALLS -- Another year, another group of seniors left heartbroken by the South Euclid Regina High girls basketball team.
For the third time in the past four seasons, Ursuline was bounced by Regina in the regional.
The Irish's early nine-point lead vanished in minutes as Regina prevailed 70-50 in a Division III semifinal Wednesday at Cuyahoga Falls High.
"Not to take away anything from the kids I've had in the past, but this was by far the most competitive we have been with [Regina]," said Ursuline coach Sean Durkin, whose team suffered 74-34 and 64-34 losses to Regina in earlier meetings.
Following the game, Ursuline players wept. After all, the end is never easy to take.
"This is my family, my home," Ursuline senior Ashley Parry said. "This is all I do. If I'm not at home, I'm at basketball."
High hopes: This was the season in which the Irish brought hope into their game against the two-time defending state champion.
"This was the year to beat them," Ursuline senior Sarah McKelvey said. "We had everything possible that we wanted, all the excellent players."
Although they remained strong, the Royals were not the same team coming into the 2001-02 season. They had just one senior and lacked a balance of height.
With the momentum Ursuline built in winning its second straight district title and the possibility that Regina senior standout Sarah Burgess would not play Wednesday because of a knee injury, you could understand why the Irish felt they could finally get past their nemesis.
"We came in pretty confident," Durkin said.
That's why it wasn't a surprise to see Ursuline take an 11-2 lead five minutes into the game as Burgess sat. Senior Mahogani Graves and sophomore Courtney Davidson combined for nine straight points for the Irish.
"We were on top of the world," McKelvey said.
Durkin said, "But I think we woke a sleeping giant."
Burgess takes over: Proving it remains the class of Div. III, Regina quickly changed the complexion of the game, with Burgess running the show.
"As soon as Burgess came onto the floor, her leadership was evident and they became an entirely different team," Durkin said.
With 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in the first quarter, the 5-foot-10 Burgess, headed to South Carolina on a basketball scholarship, checked into the game.
"It was unbelievably dramatic," Regina coach Pat Diulus said.
Just days ago, Regina believed Burgess may have suffered a torn ACL in its district title game victory. Instead, tests revealed, what Diulus described as, "a bad contusion of the knee and hematoma on the shin."
Wearing a brace on her right knee, Burgess wasted no time in rallying Regina.
She sank a 3-pointer upon entering and scored again with 15 seconds remaining as the Royals closed the first quarter by reeling off 10 straight points and taking a 14-12 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"That was a huge boost for [Regina] and maybe a mental block for our kids," Durkin said.
Diulus said, "From that point on, you could just see that Ursuline was deflated."
Burgess, who scored 16 points, played nearly the rest of the game as Regina broke Ursuline down and kept the Irish from getting free for open shots.
"They force you out a lot farther from the hoop than you're used to," Durkin said. "That's from their strength and athleticism."
Aiding the cause: Sophomore Simone Redd complemented Burgess' presence as she scored 19 of her 24 points in the first half to put Regina ahead 34-21 at the break.
"That sure didn't help us either," Durkin said of Redd's play.
Regina junior Siedah Williams added 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Davidson scored a game-high 25 points. The rest of the Irish, however, were held in check as the team couldn't cut its deficit below 17 points in the fourth quarter.
Whether Ursuline (18-6) and Regina (20-5) meet in the regional next season is hard to predict. The Irish must overcome the loss of three senior starters in Cathie Walsh, Graves and McKelvey.
richesson@vindy.com