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Mooney wins to set up Round 3 with rival
YOUNGSTOWN
If you’re going to point to a storyline, it has to be the point guard position.
That’s where Mooney’s former point guard, junior Kelly Williams, got most of her minutes Saturday since returning from surgery and where Canton Central Catholic’s Ashley Schott was questionable to start because of a back injury.
However, when the Division III girls sectional championship game was over, the only points that mattered were on the scoreboard: Mooney 42, Central Catholic 33.
Conchetta Rinaldi had 14 points and Camden Hergenrother 11 for the winners, while Katy Farey had a game-high 17 for the visitors, who bowed out of the tournament with a 9-12 record.
Mooney (12-10) now heads for a third game against Ursuline in a district semifinal on Wednesday at Struthers Fieldhouse.
Just as Mooney beat CCC twice this season — including a 67-58 win on Mooney’s home floor on Jan. 14 — Ursuline beat Mooney twice already.
That’s why the Cardinals all want another shot at Ursuline.
“We went double-overtime in January [and lost], so we get another shot at them,” Mooney coach Erica Wilson said.
Of Kelly Williams’ ordeal over the last 14-plus months, Wilson said it’s kind of come “full circle.”
Williams tore an ACL against CCC last year and missed the remainder of the 2015-16 season, but came back to play this season before a torn meniscus injury. It required surgery from which she just returned a few weeks ago.
Saturday’s playing time — a majority of the game except for the start and the beginning of the second half — was Williams’ most since she returned from the early 2016-17 meniscus tear.
Now she complements Hergenrother, a sophomore.
As a freshman, Camden assumed Williams’ point guard position when Williams was hurt last year. Now, they alternate or Williams plays a wing spot from which she’ll receive a pass from Hergenrother.
Williams played in Mooney’s first loss to Ursuline (by nine points), but not the 2-OT game.
“I’m excited to see Ursuline again and we’re ready to get the win over them,” Kelly said.
Both Williams and Wilson had glowing comments about Rinaldi, a sophomore.
“She’s a powerhouse and we love to have her,” Kelly said. “She’s a great part of our team and one of the strongest girls I’ve ever seen.”
Despite a 12-field goal and 5-of-15 effort at the line, Central Catholic coach Gary Isler tried to make a point.
”We didn’t lose because of fouls or lack of foul calls, but, in my opinion it [the officiating] was very inconsistent. I think we should have taken a lot more foul shots. That being said, Mooney outplayed us. Their defense was really good and they shut down the driving lanes that our Kate [Farey] likes to have. She should have taken a lot more foul shots.
“But that’s not the whole thing because they out-hustled us and deserve to win. That’s the bottom line.”