ADAMS TWP — Kylee Lewandowski nearly outscored the entire Mars team in the fourth quarter as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic overcame a four-point deficit en route to a 65-59 girls basketball victory victory Monday night.

With leading scorer Dani Short on the bench for the majority of the fourth quarter with four fouls, Lewandowski, took over, scoring 10 points in the quarter, as CWNC (19-3) outscored Mars (17-5) 18-11 to pull out the victory.

Tess Myers scored 26 points to pace the Trojanettes.

“The last couple games, Tess has really stepped up and come into her own,” CWNC coach Molly Rottmann said.

The first half was a back and forth battle in which both teams had 8-0 runs. The Lady Planets scored the last eight points of the half to cut a 10-point deficit to just two, as the teams went into the break with the Trojanettes leading 29-27.

Myers scored 14 in the first half, while Short scored nine of her 15 before the break for CWNC. Lauren Wasylson led the way for Mars in the first half with 12 of her 20 points.

The Trojanettes broke a 29-29 tie early in the third quarter by going on a 9-0 run, but the rest of the quarter belonged to the Planets' Tai Johnson. Johnson scored 13 points in the quarter to give Mars a one-point lead heading into the fourth period.

After a three-point field goal by Alek Johnson early in the fourth quarter gave Mars a four-point lead, the CWNC defense stepped up and limited Mars to just eight points the rest of the way to seal the victory.

“In the third quarter, they were killing us with the pick-and-roll,” Rottman said. “In the fourth quarter, we made some personnel changes and were able to defend the screen better.”

Tai Johnson led the Lady Planets with 21 points. Lewandowski ended the game with 15 points.

“Despite the loss, we are still playing well heading into the playoffs,” Mars coach Dana Petruska said.

Both teams will now look toward the playoffs, as CWNC will make its 45th consecutive postseason appearance.

“This was a positive way for us to end the regular season,” Rottmann said. “We lost a tough game to Bethel Park on Saturday in a game we could have won. This was a good game for our mental state.”

CW NORTH CATHOLIC 65

Dani Short 7 1-3 15, Kylee Lewandowski 5 5-5 15, Tess Myers 9 4-4 26, Ashley Robbins 0 0-0 0, Kari Karanikos 0 0-0 0, Amanda Bucklew 0 0-2 0, Cassie Foster 2 1-2 5, Emma Pospisil 1 0-0 3, Lucy Waskiewicz 0 1-2 1. Totals: 24 14-20 65.

MARS 59

Lauren Wasylson 4 11-11 20, Tai Johnson 9 2-2 21, Alek Johnson 1 0-0 3, Bella Pelaia 3 1-2 7, Ellie Coffield 2 0-0 4, Nichole Sommers 1 0-0 2, Daria Hockenberry 1 0-0 2. Totals: 21 14-15 59.

CWNC 17 12 18 18 — 65

Mars10 17 21 11 — 59

3-point goals: Myers 4, Lewandowski, Pospisil; Wasylson, T.Johnson, A.Johnson