HERSHEY, Pa. - New class, same result for Mercyhurst.

Mashea Williams scored 15 points, Chelsea Gordon had 13 and both players grabbed nine rebounds to lead Mercyhurst Prep to a 57-33 win over St. Basil in the Class AAA state championship game on Saturday night.

Mercyhurst won the Class AAAA championship last year, but dropped into the enrollment parameters for Class AAA this season.

It made little difference, as the Lakers (28-3) became the first team in Erie County to win consecutive state titles.

"There's a little more pressure this year, we thought," said coach Randy Bowers. "It's not automatic. All you have to do is look around and see how many teams ever repeat any title, let alone a state title."

Erin Kerner scored 11 points for the Lakers, who had a 40-21 rebounding edge.

Sam Thompson scored 16 points and Allie Fedorowicz had eight for the Panthers (26-5), who played a competitive first half, with Mercyhurst only holding a six-point halftime lead.

Sara White, though, opened the third quarter with a couple of 3-pointers and Kerner scored on a driving layup for a 10-point lead. The Lakers held the Panthers to only four third-quarter points and 22 percent shooting.

"I thought we did a nice job of attacking their defense in the first half," St. Basil coach Dennis Fiandra said. "In the second half, we gave up too many easy baskets."

The Lakers - who have three Division I recruits in Gordon (Illinois), Williams (Penn State) and Kerner (Quinnipiac) - shot only 47 percent, but never let St. Basil make more than four baskets in a quarter.

"It was all about defense in the second half," Bowers said. "That's really what basketball boils down to. We switched a few matchups and the girls took over, like they always do."

With their fans dressed as if it was still St. Patrick's Day, the girls from Mercyhurst Prep showed that the Lakers really didn't need any luck to repeat.

Last year, Gordon scored 20 to lead Mercyhurst to a 57-41 victory over previously unbeaten Harrisburg.

"Last year, it was sheer excitement," Bowers said. "We came in a little bit under the radar. We got ranked No. 1 in February and held it up to the end. This year, we were No. 1 right out of the chute."

The pressure never got to the Lakers this year en route to their fourth state championship.

"Everybody's expectations weighed on the kids a little bit," Bowers said. "We answered a lot of questions today."

Bowers, still beaming with his gold medal draped around his neck, said it was too hard to compare the championships.

"They're the same," he said. "Gold is gold. I think it weighs the same as the one last year and I'm not going to take it off all night."