HEMPFIELD TWP — A-C Valley's historic run ran into Kaitlyn Maxwell.

Playing in the state quarterfinals for the first time ever, the Falcons were unable to keep up with District 5 champion Everett, which received 26 points from its star junior guard, in a 59-36 Class 2A girls basketball victory Friday night at Hempfield High School.

“Everett is a good team, but it's all centered around her,” said A-C Valley coach Dave Sherman. “She's a good athlete. She's legit.

“At this level, you have to earn everything. You get this far, this is the big time.”

After an early lead, the Falcons were forced to play catch-up the rest of the game.

Maxwell scored 10 points in the first quarter to help the Warriors build an 18-11 lead.

Everett tallied five field goals from five different players in the second period as the team's supporting cast helped push the lead to 33-19 by halftime.

“Kaitlyn is averaging 24 points per game because she is able to create for herself and your best player is going to take a lot of shots,” said Everett coach Keith Moyer. “But all of the girls on the team can shoot.”

The Falcons managed one uprising in the second half that put the game in doubt. They pulled to within 39-32 late in the third quarter before Everett senior guard Brooke Colledge beat the buzzer with a trey, taking the lead back to 10 points.

“We believe if we have the lead entering the fourth quarter, Kaitlyn will close it out for us,” said Moyer.

And she did, scoring 12 points, including six from the free throw line. A-C Valley's slim chances took a major hit when senior guard Olivia Boocks, the team's top scorer, fouled out of the game with 4:28 left. Everett led 46-34 at the time and the Falcons managed just two points the rest of the way.

“We changed some things up offensively and we were able to cut it to seven points,” said Sherman, “but turnovers hurt us and we were late getting back in transition.”

“They're well-coached and have hard-nosed kids,” Moyer said of the Falcons. “They're good defensively, but we were better on defense tonight. We're a quicker team and I think that hurt them.”

The Warriors (24-3) will likely be without senior forward Madison Hicks in Monday's state semifinal. Hicks scored eight points Friday before leaving the game with a right ankle injury following a collision with Boocks in the third quarter. The former was unable to put weight on the foot.

Seniors Kylee Eaton (nine points), Cami McNany (eight) and Boocks (eight) paced the Falcons, who finish the season 22-5. They won 14 of their last 16 games.

“I told the girls before the game to enjoy this,” said Sherman. “This was their moment in the sun and we don't know if we're ever getting back. What we accomplished this year, it pulled the community together.”

EVERETT 59

Elizabeth Jay 1 0-0 2, Brooke Colledge 4 0-0 11, Kristen Ewing 1 2-4 5, Madison Hicks 3 2-2 8, Kaitlyn Maxwell 10 6-10 26, Gabby Bulger 1 1-2 4, Ashlyn Hicks 1 0-0 3, Alex Iseminger 0 0-2 0, Annie Nave 0 0-0 0, Lainie Treece 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 11-20 59.

A-C VALLEY 36

Cami McNany 3 2-2 8, Rachel Cullen 2 0-1 5, Emily Wetzel 1 0-0 2, Andrea Meals 1 2-2 4, Olivia Boocks 3 0-0 8, Kylee Eaton 4 1-2 9, Meah Schiberl-Ielase 0 0-0 0, Paige Klingler 0 0-0 0, Baylee Blauser 0 0-0 0, Rylee Bowser 0 0-0 0, Summer Redmond 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 5-7 36.

Everett 18 15 9 17 — 59

A-C Valley11 8 13 4 — 36

3-point goals: Everett 6 (Colledge 3, Ewing, Bulger, A. Hicks); A-C Valley 3 (Boocks 2, Cullen).