The Dock Mennonite Pioneers, who were not expected to return, seemed to be completely in control.
At least for the first quarter.
The Pioneers took a 17-11 lead in the beginning against Holy Cross, the team that eliminated them last year. However, they were surpassed by the Crusaders and lost 61-51 in a crowded arena at Easton Area Middle School on Saturday afternoon.
Pioneers coach Mike Fergus stated that despite doubts, the team excelled, winning the BAL tournament and district, but eventually lost to Holy Cross. He mentioned that the team's success was due to their unity and desire to win.
While Dock was doing well in the early part of the game, Fergus noticed Holy Cross making progress and called a timeout.
Fergus explained that he called the timeout to address the need to stop the ball in transition, as Holy Cross was repeatedly bypassing their defense. He also asked the players to focus less on rebounding and more on defending.
Caught between attempting to rebound and getting back down the floor, Dock couldn't keep up with Holy Cross, who went on a 12-3 run and widened the lead to 14 points.
Holy Cross's junior guard Mike Hughes scored 22 points, leading his team to victory. Junior center Matt Lyons and freshman guard C.J. Thompson also contributed 13 points each.
By halftime, the Crusaders were ahead by four and by the end of the third quarter, the lead had extended to 44-30. They had outrebounded Dock 17-8 in the first three periods.
Hughes expressed determination, stating that despite the early setback, Holy Cross remained united and committed.
Senior Anthony Washington Jr. scored 17 points for Dock, while senior Vaughan Martin and junior Tony Martin added 15 and 10 points, respectively.
Dock managed to narrow the gap to seven near the end of the game, but Holy Cross quickly regained control.
Fergus acknowledged the team's loss of six seniors but emphasized the achievement of reaching this stage of the state tournament. He noted that with a strong team and program, there can be either great joy or disappointment, and winning a state championship is the only path to great joy.
Fergus expressed deep pride in his team, emphasizing their perseverance and his love for coaching them.
Holy Cross 61, Dock Mennonite 51
Dock 17 7 6 2 — 51
Holy Cross 11 17 16 17 — 61
Dock: Anthony Washington 4 3 0-0 17, Vaughan Martin 6 1 0-0 15, Tony Martin 1 2 2-2 10, Ethan. Parr 2 0 0-0 4, Brian Dorneman 0 1 0-0 3, Michael John 1 0 0-0 2. Totals — 15 6 2-2 51.
Holy Cross: Mike Hughes 8 1 3-4 22, Matt Lyons 6 0 1-4 13, C.J. Thompson 3 1 4-4 13, Adam Badyrka 2 1 2-2 9, Mario Matrone 2 0 0-2 4. Totals — 21 3 10-16 61.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
