Senecas get revenge, top Warriors for sectional title

Everything went according to plan for Calvert coach Aaron Sheets. For Mohawk coach Natasha Mullholand … not so much.From the first meeting between the Warriors and Senecas earlier this month (63-42 Mohawk win), Katie Woodland and Mara Haynes dominated the Senecas. That did not happen Saturday in a Division VII sectional final as Haynes was hampered with foul trouble all game and Woodland was limited to just two points until three minutes left in the game.In the meantime, the Calvert 2-3 zone swarmed the Warriors, accounting for a plethora of steals and turnovers, which held Mohawk to only 24 points through three quarters as the Senecas claimed the sectional title in a 55-45 victory."Our whole gameplan was to get those two big girls in foul trouble, it worked pretty well. The first time we didn't get them into foul trouble and they dominated us," Sheets said. "We're not physical … so I'm kind of surprised it happened, but we preached it all week about getting Haynes in foul trouble, (Chloe) Miller in foul trouble and we'd win the game."We scouted so much this week and we did a good job with the gameplan. The first time we played their freshman (Haynes) had three offensive rebounds and they're up 6-0. Today, we jumped on them early (15-6 first quarter). They beat us by 21 and then they came after us (in the tournament bracket), because they weren't scared of us, which I knew they weren't. But we were hungry."Mohawk (9-14) led 4-0 to begin the game as Haynes and Woodland each scored in the first two minutes, but then Calvert (16-7) finished the period on a 15-2 run as Kaleigh Concepcion, Megan Rombach, Mya Steyer, Carleigh Meier, Kate Coleman and Sofia Lee all scored.Mohawk got to within 15-9 to begin the second, but then Calvert responded again – this time with a 6-0 spurt capped by a Coleman 3-pointer. The Senecas led 25-16 at the half."All season we've been preaching that we have to start from the jump … this time in particular waits almost until it's too late and today it was with two or three minutes left to go, which we got it down to 10 (point lead)," Mullholand said. "By then, it's too late. We say we have to at least win three quarters to win a game, and I feel like that's true. "We watched film, read scouting reports, changed some things up, but unfortunately, we didn't display any of that today. We've been practice for almost a week and a half, and we didn't do any of that what we did in practice."There was a glimpse of hope for the Warriors to begin the third as the Warriors got within 27-23 after a Sam Yarger trey with 5:29 left in the period.But then the Senecas dominated with a 17-1 run, capped off by a Lee NBA-range buzzer-beating triple to give Calvert a demanding 44-24 advantage with only one quarter left."A 17-1 run … I didn't know we actually did that, but it was fun during that run because the girls were smiling, having fun. When they're having fun their patience is a lot better," Sheets said. "Our girls are very impatient because whenever we get any pressure our girls just throw the ball away. I called a timeout there late just because I was so paranoid about us turning the ball over. They just have to know that they can hold the ball for four seconds. Right now, they hold it for one second and get rid of it."Mohawk tried to make things interesting in the fourth quarter that saw 24 total free throws as Calvert went 4 for 8 to close it out.Overall, the game featured a combined 52 free throws and 45 turnovers.Woodland got going late in the game as she finished with a team-high 15 points, followed by Summer Haubert with nine and Yarger with eight.The loss surely stung for the Warriors, but they don't lose anyone to graduation for next season."My JV coach Aubrey Margraf said it well – one positive out of this is that we don't lose anybody, graduate anyone, so our girls will be another year older. I'm excited for that," Mullholand said. Concepcion paced the Senecas with 18 points and three steals, while Coleman (5 rebounds, 4 steals) and Steyer (5 boards) each added nine points and Carleigh Meier finished with eight points, six blocks and five steals.With the win, the Senecas will take on Arcadia (18-5), who beat Crestline 54-28 in a sectional final Saturday, Wednesday at Willard at 6 p.m. Calvert has knocked out the Redskins the last two postseasons."Our goal is to win districts this year," Sheets said. "You know a lot of people laughed at us because we lost Alyssa (Rishty) the player of the year, they said there's no way we could do it, but we're 16-7, back in districts. We get to go to Willard now, prepare for some good teams." Calvert 55, Mohawk 45Mohawk (9-14): Summer Haubert 2-5-9; Sam Yarger 2-3-8; Sam Haubert 0-0-0; Mara Haynes 2-3-7; Mara Lease 1-0-2; Katie Woodland 5-2-15; Sam Shock 0-0-0; Chloe Miller 2-1-5. Totals: 14-14-45.Calvert (16-7): Sofia Lee 1-1-4; Kaleigh Concepcion 7-4-18; Megan Rombach 0-5-5; Carleigh Meier 4-0-8; Bella Steyer 0-2-2; Rachel Spaun 0-0-0; Addison Sheets 0-0-0; Grace Wood 0-0-0; Kate Coleman 4-0-9; Mya Steyer 3-3-9. Totals: 18-15-55.Mohawk&emsp;&emsp;6&emsp;&emsp;10&emsp;&emsp;8&emsp;&emsp;21&emsp;&emsp;– 45Calvert&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;15&emsp;&emsp;10&emsp;&emsp;19&emsp;&emsp;11&emsp;&emsp;– 553-point goals: Mohawk 3 (Woodland 2, Yarger); Calvert 4 (Concepcion 2, Coleman, Lee).Foul shots: Mohawk 14-26; Calvert 15-26Turnovers: Mohawk 22; Calvert 23