Pirates set sail to state finale

TROY — The beginning of the end for Section 4's Davenport came when Harrisville's Kathleen Coloney started the fourth quarter by hitting a halfcourt shot that she might make in a game of Horse one in 1,000 times.

"When she made that I said, 'This isnotwhat's supposed to happen!'" said Davenport coach Ray Preston.

The Pirates earned their first trip to the state Class D girls basketball championship game with a 33-29 victory over Davenport on Saturday afternoon at Hudson Valley Community College on a series of long-distance shots, highlighted by Coloney's heave. Harrisville will play Section 6's Clymer (18-4) in the championship game today at noon.

Davenport (20-4) took control of Saturday's game early, holding the Pirates to just one point in the first quarter and forcing Harrisville to shoot just 5 of 24 from the field in the first half.

The Pirates (19-4) trailed 20-11 early in the third quarter but started to cut into the lead. Then senior Patty Coloney, Harrisville's leading scorer, picked up her fourth foul with 2 minutes, 6 seconds remaining and the Pirates down 20-16.

But Coloney's younger sister, Kathleen, started the Pirates comeback with her crazy shot, which came from midcourt with one second left on the shot clock 53 seconds into the fourth quarter. She heaved a one-armed shot that hit nothing but net to tie the game 23-23.

"I was shocked that it went in," said Kathleen Coloney. "I was a little nervous when I put it up, because there was only a second left. I think it helped make our team work harder. We thought we had a chance to stay in it."

Said Patty Coloney, "That was amazing. She's really stepped up during the playoffs and done a good job for us. It really excited us and I think it pumped up our adrenaline and it made us more focused on winning, because we were back in it."

After watching his team miss many easy shots in the first half, Harrisville coach Pete Wood had to think luck was finally on his squad's side after Coloney's basket, though he also empathized with Preston.

"It gave us a tremendous uplift," Wood said. "I'm sure it had to hurt (Davenport) quite badly. The shot clock is running down, you play tough defense for 30 seconds and you are pretty much assured of a turnover, then somebody comes out and wings one of those up there. Hey, luck was on our side today."

The game was tied 25-25 with 3 minutes remaining when Preston called a time-out. He said after the game that he told his team they had to go out and win the final three minutes.

Instead it was the Pirates who did that, starting with another 3-point basket, this one of the more conventional variety by Taylor Wood, the coach's niece, who hit a shot with 2:44 left to give the Pirates their first lead of the game, 28-25.

Davenport cut the lead down to 28-27 when Sam Meyerhoff was fouled and made two free throws with 2:20 remaining.

But the Wildcats followed that basket with two straight turnovers and a missed 3-point basket, which gave Harrisville the ball after the rebound resulted in a jump ball.

Then, with just 43.3 seconds remaining, Wood hit another 3-point basket to give the Pirates a 31-27 lead and put the game out of reach.

"They were crazy," Wood said of her two 3's. "It just felt so good to hit them. We came right back into it."

Harrisville also demonstrated some tough defense, holding the Wildcats to only two field goals in the second half, one of which came unguarded by Meyerhoff just before the final buzzer. Harrisville made 12 steals, led by four from Katie French.

Both Coloneys finished with nine points, and Patty also grabbed nine rebounds and had three steals. Meyerhoff led Davenport with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

Now the Pirates will prepare to face another team with the same nickname who played a similar semifinal game. Clymer trailed Section 9's John A. Coleman, the defending state champion, for most of their semifinal, before rallying for a 31-26 victory.

Jenn Rhodes led Clymer with 10 points and Andrea Lictus grabbed 10 rebounds.

"I think we have a good chance of winning," said Patty Coloney. "We're all confident. We're going to come out and play. We made it all the way."

Said Taylor Wood, "I think we can do it. We need to play as a team. We've worked so hard and we just need to keep working (Sunday). It's going to be crazy."