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PIAA Class 4A: Lansdale Catholic girls advance to semifinals

03/17/2022, 12:00am EDT
By Jason Guarente

Jason Guarente (@JasonGuarente)
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An important conversation took place between Lauren Edwards and her coach before the season’s first game. It included a change in position and an apology.

Lansdale Catholic’s 5-foot-9 senior was about to become a post player for the first time. She has always been a wing. Edwards is one of the tallest girls on an undersized roster. There was no choice.

Coach Eric Gidney said he was sorry. He knew it wasn’t fair. But this was how the Crusaders could be their absolute best. Edwards, feeling a little nervous, accepted the role.

“It was kind of like, ‘OK, you’re in charge,” Gidney said. “‘I’ll guess I’ll do it.’”

Months later, there’s no arguing with the results. Lansdale Catholic has reached its potential and then some. It held off Delone Catholic 40-36 in the PIAA Class 4A girls basketball quarterfinals at Garden Spot on Wednesday night.

Four teams are still standing. The Crusaders, to the surprise of many, are one of them. They’ll face District 10 champ Villa Maria in the semifinals Saturday at a site and time to be determined.

“I don’t think anyone really thought we could make it here,” junior Gabby Casey said. “Believing in each other is really our key to being successful.”

Lauren Edwards stands in a gym

Lauren Edwards (above) has excelled in her new role as a post player this season. (Photo: Jason Guarente/CoBL)

Every winning team seems to have someone like Edwards. Someone willing to put personal ambition aside for the betterment of all. It can’t be fun tussling with 6-foot centers for rebounds. That’s the job she was handed.

Twenty-five games have made Edwards more comfortable playing closer to the rim. She blocked three shots, including a drive by All-State selection Giana Hoddinott, and pulled down three rebounds against Delone.

Edwards, who scored in every quarter and finished with 10 points, looked like she has been in the paint her entire life.

“I think I stepped into the role pretty well,” she said. “I’m the last one in front of the basket. I don’t want anyone getting by. I don’t want that on me. We have players working hard and playing one-on-one on defense. I want to be there to help as much as I can.”

Gidney quickly recognized that Edwards presented matchup problems for opponents who had a strong post player. The way she can handle the ball and pull it outside for jumpers created headaches.

Whatever ground Edwards gave away because of her height, she gained back with her versatility.

“She’s physically tough enough and mentally tough enough to play with her feet in the paint,” Gidney said. “To pull down important rebounds. Defend post players. The fact that she was willing to do that speaks to the makeup of a lot of girls on this team.”

Lansdale and Delone collided 11 weeks ago in a holiday tournament. The Squirettes won that meeting 54-48. The District 3 champs navigated the regular season undefeated before falling to Bermudian Springs in the York-Adams County final.

The rematch was different. Lansdale was ahead for almost the entire second half. An all-everything performance by Casey and four huge 3-pointers by Olivia Boccella put the Crusaders in prime position. They were ahead 37-32 heading into the final minute.

Delone (28-2) unleashed its attacking half-court pressure and nearly forged a comeback. The Squirettes forced seven fourth-quarter turnovers and cut the deficit to one point.

Sanyiah Littlejohn, one of two freshmen in Lansdale’s starting lineup, hit two pressure free throws with 32 seconds left. One danced on the rim several times before falling. The other swished home.

Casey’s steal ended Delone’s last-chance possession. Her subsequent foul shot put the game out of reach. That final minute was a white-knuckle ride for the Crusaders.

“I just turned 50 on Monday,” Gidney said. “Now I feel like I’m 80. It was a little stressful. Somehow, some way we found our way back to our poise and our patience.”

It’s impossible to overstate what Casey means to Lansdale. She can be a point guard, a rebounder, a 3-point shooter and a slasher. Her tenacity is contagious. The 5-8 junior collected 14 points and 13 rebounds through sheer will.

So much is put on Casey’s shoulders. She does everything but drive the bus home.

“She can take it all,” Gidney said. “If we didn’t put stuff on her, I think that would be more of a problem. She wants it. She demands it. She commands it. She wants the ball in her hands at crunch time like any really strong player does.”

Lansdale (18-7) is ahead of schedule in many ways. A team starting a sophomore and two freshmen usually isn’t playing deep into March.

Edwards deserves her share of the credit. She has received the greatest reward of all for her sacrifice: A chance at a state title.

“It’s crazy,” Edwards said. “Just knowing we have more time to spend together, I think is awesome for all of us. I love these girls to death. I wish I was never leaving them.”

That conversation, that acceptance is why Edwards and the Crusaders have at least one more game to play.

By Quarter

Delone Catholic:    12 | 7 |  4  | 13 || 36
Lansdale Catholic: 13 | 5 | 10 | 12 || 40

Scoring

Delone Catholic: Makenna Mummert 17, Giana Hoddinott 13, Emily McCann 4, Abigail Vingsen 2.

Lansdale Catholic: Gabby Casey 14, Olivia Boccella 14, Lauren Edwards 10, Sanyiah Littlejohn 2.


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