PA. GIRLS Blackhawk ends Sharon's season

By JOHN BUTERA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
AMBRIDGE -- While many people were spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon doing outside activities, the Blackhawk High girls basketball team spent most of their day at the foul line.
And despite going just 15-for-33, the Cougars' effort was good enough to vault them past Sharon 57-44 in PIAA Class AAA tournament action at Ambridge High School.
Sharon, which ended its season with a 22-6 record, scored the game's first two field goals.
But after Gina Fragle's basket at 6 minutes, 58 seconds gave her team a 4-0 lead, the Tigers wouldn't another score field goal the rest of the first quarter.
Each Blackhawk starter scored as the Cougars went on a 14-1 run.
Blackhawk, which went to the foul line 20 times in the second half, started to show a pattern in the second quarter, making 6-of-11 free throws.
Tigers: Sharon hung tough despite putting Blackhawk in the double-bonus situation with 1:44 remaining. With 2:56 remaining in the first half, Sharon had nine fouls and just 12 points.
The Tigers managed to hang around and when Shelly Goodpastor banked a 3-pointer at 1:35, Sharon was down just 22-18.
Blackhawk again regrouped and parlayed a 6-0 run into a 28-18 halftime lead.
Second half: Erin Leyde's 3-pointer early in the third quarter pulled Sharon to 28-21, but within a minute, Blackhawk scored eight more points. From that point, the Tigers never seriously challenged again.
"It was just catch-up after that and against a good team it's hard to do that," Sharon coach Mary Jo Staunch said.
"Then we didn't have some shots fall and we had some turnovers and we couldn't get over the hump," Staunch said.
Blackhawk was in the double bonus in both halves, but Sharon never shot a 1-and-1 during the contest.
Nicole Valentino, who led the Tigers with 14 points, said, "We've been aggressive on defense all season, but today I don't think they [officials] liked that, but you just have to play that way anyhow.
"I think we could have beaten them," Valentino said. "I don't think they were the better team, but some things just didn't go our way."
Julie Bell was the only Tigers player to score in double figures as she finished with 10 points.
Michelle Hoffman paced the Cougars, who continue along the tournament trail and will play Wednesday night, with 15 points. Keri Bisceldlia chipped in with 11, seven of them from the charity stripe.