SMITHSBURG, Md. – Motivation and confidence have been major attributes in the Smithsburg girls basketball team’s utility package this season.
But on Thursday, it was a shot of stark reality that got the Leopards on track.
“They didn’t want Catoctin cutting down our nets in our gym,” said Smithsburg coach Todd Bono of his team. “For some reason, they were just believing in that moment. I think, really, it’s just that refuse to lose.”
After 3 ½ pressure-packed quarters against Catoctin, the Class 1A West Section II region title – and the preservation of Smithsburg’s undefeated season – hung in the balance. Then something clicked.
Smithsburg responded, like a young boxer aiming for a championship – ironically like the Leopards. They came out of a fourth-quarter timeout and connected on three haymakers, followed by the knockout blow, that took out Catoctin in a 56-49 victory to grab their second straight region title belt.
Smithsburg buried three consecutive three-point shots in 81 seconds – by Skyla Mastronardi, Claire Bono and Kara Hoover in order – to ignite a decisive 15-2 run that lasted 2:38. The threes turned a precarious 37-36 lead into a 46-36 bulge with 2:55 remaining.
“It was insane, you know?” said Claire Bono. “We came out, nervous, obviously. The gym is insanely packed. It’s a playoff game at home against our rivals. It was hard to get a bucket in the first half.
“Then coming out in the second, we finally found our momentum and just knocking down those threes back-to-back helped us a lot. Getting a rhythm, you know that’s important.”
With the victory, Smithsburg (25-0) advances to the state quarterfinals. The eight remaining teams will be reseeded to create the pairings. The Leopards will likely be the top overall seed, by virtue of their unblemished record, and will host a game on Saturday.
But it wasn’t easy. Smithburg was pushed the Cougars’ sticky defense and their own off-shooting night. It was only the second time the Leopards won by less than 10 points and the fifth time by less than 20 this season.
“(Catoctin) handled our pressure very well. Credit to them,” Todd Bono said. “Their defense is some of the best we see every year. (Cougars coach Amy Entwistle) does a great job preparing them.”
The Cougars clogged the space around the basket, taking away the cracks and openings Smithsburg usually exploits. Outside shots weren’t falling for the Leopards and the inside game was well contested.
“There was no space. (Catoctin) just sagged,” Todd Bono said. “We weren’t hitting threes, so that was a great strategy. Sagging the paint and forced us to shoot, and that’s what they did. We didn’t shoot well until the end.
“But credit to our girls. I just told them in the locker room that as physical as the game was, we didn’t moan and groan to the referees. We just kept battling ourselves. They stayed focused, they stayed locked in. They stayed connected … something they’ve done every single day in practice is stayed connected.”
The lack of connections – in shooting – hurt the Leopards, though.
They fell behind by six points early, but closed to trail 17-15 after the first quarter. Smithsburg pulled into a 21-21 tie with :14.9 remaining in the half on a Mastronardi layup off an inbounds pass before following with a pair of free throws for a 23-21 advantage at the intermission.
Smithsburg nursed the lead to 37-32 by the end of three quarters, but starters Jenna Todd and Hoover were saddled with four fouls.
Catoctin’s Leah French scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to reduce Smithsburg to one and set up the Rocky-like finish, starting with Bono calling time out with 5:42 remaining.
Within 12 seconds after the pause, Mastronardi made a cross-court cut over the top of the key to the left side of the floor. She spotted up and nailed a much-needed 3, burying it to move Smithsburg’s lead to 40-36.
“Coach drew up a play for that shot, and they felt in rhythm … so, I had confidence even though I wasn’t really making shots to just keep shooting,” Mastronardi said.
One shot down. Two to go.
“We did diagram just a little bit of an Iverson cut action to get Skyla the look,” Todd Bono said. “And then the next play, Claire got that action and then Kara got that action. But they made the shots. You can draw up anything. They just hit shots.”
Half a minute later, Claire Bono hit her three from virtually the same spot as Mastronardi.
Then Hoover got hers from the right side of the floor – off the same type of play – for the 10-point lead with 4:12 remaining.
“It was the first shot in sequence, but I felt like once we saw one go in – it didn’t have to be mine – it was kind of a confidence booster for everybody,” Mastronardi said.
Olivia Hoyt broke Smithsburg’s run of threes with a layup for the Cougars, before Claire Bono, Todd and Mastronardi each scored on drives to give the Leopards a 52-38 lead with 2:55 remaining to end the decisive run.
Catoctin rallied back to within five points but could get no closer.
“When it mattered the most, Kara, Skyla, Claire, stepped up,” Todd Bono said. “Jayda (Tyler) hit some shots. Jenna played great defense and had rebounds with four fouls. We did all that.
“Really, I thought, this was the most adversary we faced all season.”
Mastronardi topped the Leopards with 19 points – but only hit on 6 of 17 shots – and added six rebounds. Claire Bono had 18 points with seven rebounds and five assists. Todd bolstered the Leopards in the paint with nine rebounds and five blocked shots.
French led Catoctin with 15 points while Brooke Williams added 14, including four three-pointers.
Now Smithsburg head to the quarterfinals, a little battered and a little wiser, but with its armor of invincibility slightly dented.
“I’m really excited. It was a really good test for us to be in a game that was closer.” Mastronardi said. “It wasn’t just us being faster and more talented than the other team. I feel like today we had a show a little bit of IQ. It was a good test for us.”
Class 2A West Section I
Final
No. 1 Williamsport 38, No. 2 Poolesville 30
Williamsport win title and advances to the state quarterfinals
