ST. MARYS — The game won’t be remembered for its end to end action or for its scoring.
But Coudersport’s 31-23 victory over Otto-Eldred on Thursday in the District 9 Class A consolation game still had importance in its seeding implications for the upcoming PIAA state playoffs.
The Lady Falcons (19-5) will travel to play the District 5 runner-up in the first round, while Otto’s loss sends them to a date with the WPIAL champion.
The two North Tier League foes were plenty familiar with each other coming into the game after Coudy swept the regular season series with 46-39 and 50-36 wins.
But both teams were much more eager to play at a deliberate pace with an emphasis on defense this time around.
“They obviously didn’t want to get into a running game with us,” Coudy coach Bob Tingley said of Otto’s mindset.
“I think their high-scorer had five, so you can’t ask much more from the girls. They had a bunch of girls with two or four, but I can’t complain about our defense.”
After holding onto a 7-5 advantage after the first quarter, the Falcons were able to work the ball inside to get some offense and separation on the scoreboard.
Shaelyn Black accounted for 17 of Coudy’s 31 points, with 12 of those coming in the paint.
Teammate and fellow forward Rosalyn Page also commanded the post against Otto, hauling down eight rebounds to go with her five points.
The two combined for 14 first-half points as Coudy led 18-11 after 16 minutes.
“Shaelyn did a good job and Rosalyn played hard,” Tingley said. “(Ros) gets a lot of rebounds, and even when they challenge her she rips it out of there. She is so jacked up at the beginning of the game, you almost have to give her a valium.”
Jade Spinney led the Lady Terrors (15-10) with five points. Down by 13 heading into the fourth quarter, it was Otto’s turn to play some lockdown defense.
The Terrors held Coudy to just two points — a Page layup — but still struggled to get out of their own way on the other end. O-E hit two 3-pointers, but went scoreless for the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter and struggled to capitalize on several chances down the stretch.
Tingley gave Otto credit for playing hard in the fourth quarter and for holding his team to its second-lowest point total of the season.
“They were guarding Shae and Sarah (Chambers) man-to-man and staying right with them trying to deny the ball to them,” he said. “But then the other three (girls) were just kind of zone in there. On offense, we turned the ball over way, way, way too much.”
Chambers, who averages over 13 points per game this season, was held to just six.
Both teams will now have over a week to prepare for the PIAA Tournament, which begins next weekend.
“I’m so pleased that two Class A teams are going to states from the North Tier League,” Tingley said.
“That’s 19 (wins) now, I’d like to get 20.”
AT ST. MARYS
Otto-Eldred (23)
Jade Spinney 2 0-0 5, Frederick 1 0-0 3, Smith 2 0-0 4, Greeley 1 0-0 2, Dalton 1 0-0 3, Heller 0 2-4 2, H. Cousins 1 0-0 2, Sheeler 1-0-0 2. Totals 9 2-4 23
Coudersport (31)
Shaelyn Black 7 2-2 17, Page 2 1-2 5, Chambers 3 0-0 6, Gunn 1 1-1 3, Dubots 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 4-5 31
Otto-Eldred 5 11 16 23
Coudersport 7 18 29 31
Three-point goals: O-E 3 (Spinney, Frederick, Dalton); Coudy 1 (Black); total fouls: O-E 11, Coudy 6; fouled out: None
