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Mooney seniors celebrate comeback victory
Neither team shot well before the Cardinals prevailed, 33-31.
By Tom Williams
Photo
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Mooney’s Taylor Woytek (34) eyes the basket after making a rebound while defended by West Branch’s Andrea Wingett (40) during Wednesday’s game at Mooney. The Cardinals won, 33-31, and will play the Warriors again on Feb. 24 in the tournament.
YOUNGSTOWN — Dominique Zordich saved her best for last in capping the Cardinal Mooney High’s girls basketball team’s Senior Night festivities.
With 43 seconds remaining, West Branch’s Katie Sellaroli tied the game after a steal and assist by Brandi Snyder.
Zordich immediately drove down the court and scored the game-winning basket — her only one of the game — for Mooney’s 33-31 victory.
“The second half was really intense,” Zordich said. “Everybody really hustled. They were really aggressive. It should be a really good rematch.”
On Feb. 24 at the Division II sectional tournament, Mooney (9-10) opens against West Branch (11-8) at Austintown Fitch High School.
Mooney coach Jack Bermann credited Zordich for switching roles this season.
“Dominique has had to handle the ball because we haven’t been adept as we should be,” Bermann said. “Because she’s been handling the ball, she’s been sacrificing her scoring. She’s done everything we asked her to do as have seniors Angela Stana and Vickie Farris.”
The Warriors came close to forcing overtime as Rebekah Zets took a shot with four seconds remaining that hit the rim and bounced to Zordich.
“They are very good,” Zordich said. “Both teams were shooting pretty badly in the first half.”
Both teams struggled for points in the first half. The Cardinals made one of their six shots in the first quarter while the Warriors were 2 of 13.
“We shot about 20 percent from the floor and you’re not going to win too many games shooting like that,” West Branch coach Walt DeShields said. “It all comes down to not being able to finish strong at the basket.”
Bermann describe the contest as “a tournament game, basically. Both teams had a ton of good looks. A lot of it had to do with the defense, a lot of it had to do with the intensity of the game.”
West Branch senior Michele Sosnick scored 14 points and had five steals, 12 rebounds and a block. Junior Andrea Wingett scored six points and had six rebounds.
For the Cardinals, sophomore Taylor Woytek scored 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Stana scored 10 points including the game’s only 3-pointer. That shot came midway through the fourth quarter and gave Mooney a 28-27 lead.
After Woytek’s free throw doubled the lead, Sosnick tied the game with a spin move underneath the basket that set up a lay-in.
Stana’s layup put Mooney back in the lead, 31-29.
“On the road, you have to be able to make some plays inside and create some shots,” DeShields said. “We didn’t make a 3.
“With young players, you can lose a little confidence if you aren’t making shots,” DeShields said.
williams@vindy.com