EASTON — Archbishop Wood’s plan was good, and the Vikings executed it well.
The Vikings coaching staff did a lot of planning for Saturday’s PIAA 5A quarterfinal matchup with Scranton. The players needed to follow the plan for it to be effective. Likewise, without the right plan, all the energy and effort from the players wouldn't have been effective against the Knights.
Wood turned in a strong performance on both sides, defeating Scranton 48-35 at Easton Area Middle School to advance to the state semifinals.
Wood coach Mike McDonald expressed confidence in the players and praised their execution against a strong team.
The plan focused on Scranton’s Zya Small, a skilled 6-foot-1 forward. Despite Small's impressive performance, Wood made her work hard for her scores.
It was challenging for Scranton to get Small the ball. The Vikings aggressively sent an extra defender at the ball, leading to a disruptive flow on defense.
“Coach Mike always has a gameplan for every game,” senior Alexa Windish said. “It’s our job to execute, and as a team, we executed really well.”
Lauren Greer dominated the offensive glass, grabbing eight of her 11 rebounds on the offensive end. This helped Wood get off to an 11-1 start despite Small’s presence.
Greer scored only five points, all in the first quarter, but her performance on the offensive glass contributed to the win.
“I think it’s just how much I care about the game,” Greer said. “It’s a big part of my game.”
Emily Knouse led Wood with 14 points, adding seven rebounds and playing as the first defender against Small. Ava Renninger and Windish each scored 11, doing most of their damage after halftime.
Windish, who also drew a charge defensively, was among several Vikings who came in as extra defenders against Scranton’s guards.
“We all had individual roles, so doing our job that way was a really big reason we got our win today,” Windish said. “Everyone stepped in and did their part, which led to our strong defense.”
Wood used the outside shot effectively in the first half before going on the attack in the second half, securing a 22-12 lead before halftime. The team made a strong start in the third quarter.
The Vikings did not focus on one person, but used many screens and movement to create opportunities throughout the game.
"The first five players are a close-knit group who are willing to play for each other," McDonald explained. "We're lucky that no one is solely focused on scoring points; they just want to win as a team."
Wood's need for a well-prepared plan was justified. McDonald praised Scranton and mentioned that if the Knights had shot better, the outcome could have been different.
The Vikings aim to win their fourth consecutive PIAA title on Tuesday, when they will compete against District 11 champion Bethlehem Catholic for a chance to go to Hershey. While Wood's seniors are aware of their approaching end, they are not ready to end their careers just yet.
Seems like they have a plan.
"It's been a long season leading up to this point, and we knew we had to dig deep and give our all," Renninger stated. "We were determined not to get eliminated in the quarterfinals. We had a detailed scouting report on them and we followed it effectively."
Archbishop Wood 48, Scranton 35
Archbishop Wood 17 5 17 9 — 48
Scranton 8 4 12 11 — 35
Archbishop Wood: Ava Renninger 4 2-2 11, Sophia Topakas 1 0-0 2, Emily Knouse 5 2-2 14, Lauren Greer 1 0-0 5, Alexa Windish 4 3-4 11, Makayla Finnegan 2 0-0 5. Totals: 18 7-8 48.
Scranton: Chrissy Jacklinski 2 2-2 8, Finley Bittenbender 1 0-0 3, Kamryn Alers 1 0-0 2, Zya Small 8 4-5 20, Maggie O'Shea 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 6-7 35.
3-pointers: AW-Knouse 2, Greer, Finnegan, Renninger; S-Jacklinski 2, Bittenbender.
