Tigers flex their muscles in win
WEXFORD — North Allegheny showed why it is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 6A.
The Tigers' girls basketball team jumped out to a 15-0 lead just three minutes into the game against Butler, led 36-14 at the half and ballooned the lead to 51-14 late in the third quarter before taking their foot off the gas on the way to a dominating 56-24 win Friday night over the Golden Tornado.
“That's a great team,” said Butler coach Mark Maier, shrugging. “That's a program.”
Inside. Outside. On defense and in transition. It didn't matter. NA was virtually unstoppable.
But Maier wasn't pleased with his team's effort against North Allegheny (13-0, 6-0), especially early.
“That's a reflection of us,” Maier said. “That starts with me. That's an embarrassing loss.”
Rachel Martindale scored 10 of her game-high 15 points in the first quarter as NA stormed ahead 25-8.
By the half, Butler had just five field goals — four of them 3-pointers.
Butler (6-6, 2-4) also received a blow when senior forward Julia Gibson left the game with an ankle injury in the first half. She did not return and could not put weight on her leg after the game.
Things got worse in the third quarter.
Butler's only point of the frame came on a free throw by Jordan Kauffman, who led the Tornado with seven points.
“They blew the doors right off us at the beginning of the game,” Maier lamented.
Sydney Hanratty and Makenna Maier each added five points for Butler. Makenna Maier's points came in the fourth quarter — a much better frame for the Tornado — but it was far too little and far too late.
“I don't even want to watch the tape,” Mark Maier said. “It's one of those where you bury it and move on to the next one.”
The next one is Monday at home against Seneca Valley to close out the first half of the section schedule.
BUTLER 24
Jordan Kauffman 2 1-2 7, Sydney Hanratty 2 0-0 5, Emilee Altman 1 0-0 3, Sarayne Forbes 2 0-0 4, Makenna Maier 2 0-0 5. Totals: 9 1-2 24.
NORTH ALLEGHENY 56
Paige Morningstar 2 2-3 7, Brynn Serbin 2 0-0 6, Rachel Martindale 6 0-0 15, Emma Fischer 1 0-0 3, Taylor Rawls 2 0-0 5, Lizzy Groetsch 4 2-2 10, Katerina Balouris 2 1-2 6, Abby Glass 1 0-0 2, Maddie Chevalier 1 0-0 2. Totals: 21 5-7 56.
Butler 8 6 1 9 — 24
North Allegheny25 11 15 5 — 56
3-point goals: Butler 5 (Kauffman 2, Hanratty, Altman, Maier); North Allegheny 9 (Martindale 3, Serbin 2, Morningstar, Fischer, Rawls, Balouris).
Monday: Seneca Valley at Butler
