Kayla Robinson, St. Anthony’s defeat St. Mary’s in CHSAA ‘AA’ final
St. Anthony's guard Kayla Robinson is fouled by St. Mary's Victoria Sacramone in the CHSAA Class AA final on Tuesday, March 7, 2017. Robinson had 15 points and was named MVP. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
St. Anthony’s Kayla Robinson could not believe what was happening.
The Friars girls basketball team did not score a single point in the third quarter against St. Mary’s in the CHSAA Class AA final Tuesday night. The Gaels turned a 12-point halftime deficit into a one-point lead after three quarters.
“I was thinking, ‘How hard is it to score,’ ” Robinson said. “ ‘Can someone please make a basket?’ ”
The junior guard answered her own question and scored six of her 15 points in the fourth quarter as defending ‘AA’ champ St. Anthony’s rallied over a gritty St. Mary’s, 48-45.
Robinson was named championship game MVP. Lauren Hackett added 13 points and league MVP Maia Moffitt had 12 points for St. Anthony’s (15-1), which won despite being outscored 13-0 in the third quarter.
“I’ve never been in a situation like that,” said Moffitt, who was 5 of 6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. “But we stayed together and kept positive.”
Ashia Smith’s only points of the game were huge — a runner 14 seconds into the fourth quarter that helped St. Anthony’s retake the lead, 37-36. The fourth quarter had four more lead changes and one tie (45-45), which came with 1:01 left on two free throws by Kadaja Bailey (21 points).
St. Mary’s (14-3), in its first year at the ‘AA’ level, would miss its last three shots from the field, and could not get off a potential tying shot near midcourt at the buzzer.
Meanwhile, the Friars connected on 3 of 4 free throws in the final 52.8 seconds and advance to a state CHSAA semifinal against Monsignor Scanlan at St. John’s Prep at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Calabro leads Kellenberg. Clare Calabro scored six of the Firebirds’ first eight points of overtime, as Kellenberg opened the extra session with an 8-0 run and held off St. John the Baptist, 68-63, in the Class A final before a crowd of 700.
Calabro ended up with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, and was named the championship game’s MVP. Kellenberg senior center and league MVP Morgan Staab added 17 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks.
Alyssa Boll chipped in 10 points for Kellenberg (12-7), which plays a state CHSAA semifinal at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Holy Trinity. Freshman guard Cara McCormack had 28 points for St. John the Baptist (16-6).
