Burrell girls’ WPIAL basketball playoff streak in danger

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, January 18, 2018 | 10:45 AM

The Burrell girls basketball team has an active streak of six consecutive WPIAL playoff appearances.

The current Bucs players would love to extend that streak, which includes deep WPIAL runs and PIAA playoff trips from 2013-16.

But at the same time, coach Meaghan Volek said, they don't dwell on those recent seasons. There is plenty on their current plates.

“We just concentrate on the moment and what is right in front of us,” Volek said.

“A lot of the girls were put in new roles coming into the season, and it's been a growing process. It's pretty cut and dry that we need as many wins as we can get in the second half (of section play).”

Burrell picked up a much-needed 55-30 victory in Section 1-4A on Monday at Valley that bumped its record to 2-4 in conference play, one game behind Deer Lakes for the fourth and final playoff spot.

“We came into that game (with Valley) pretty confident,” senior Brittany Dunn said. “It was obviously an important win. We had let a few slip away.”

Dunn scored 18 points and pulled down 15 rebounds, and junior Grace Omecinski scored 10 points. The teams were tied at nine at the halfway point of the first quarter before the Bucs used a 15-0 run to seize control.

Burrell will try to make it two in a row Thursday against a Highlands team it beat twice already this season, including 56-46 in a section matchup Dec. 14.

“We need to carry the momentum (from the Valley win) over to (Thursday),” Omecinski said. “Our focus has to be strong. We have to work hard for it. It won't be easy.”

The Golden Rams, one game behind the Bucs in the section standings at 1-5, got sophomore starter Alex Marasco back in the lineup last week after she missed a month with an ankle injury.

Senior Aliseea Branch also is working her way back in the lineup after recovering from an injury.

But fellow starter Jaharee Holt, a junior center, was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury against Shady Side Academy at the West Shamokin holiday tournament.

“It's hard to beat a team three times in the same season,” Volek said.

“It will be even harder having to go down there. Highlands will have a lot of motivation. We just have to come prepared to play our game, which is team basketball and getting everyone involved. Hopefully, we can get out to a big lead like we did last time.”

The Bucs take on undefeated and Class A No. 1 Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic on Monday before a rematch with Knoch on Jan. 25.

The first game with the Knights ended in frustrating fashion for Burrell, as it led 21-15 at halftime before turnovers and missed shots combined to allow Knoch to rally for a 35-32 win.

“We got frustrated and panicked (against Knoch),” said junior forward Kaylen Sharrow, who had a team-best 16 points in that contest. “They made plays when it counted the most, and we didn't.”

More than 30 turnovers in losses to Freeport and Deer Lakes, Volek said, hurt the Bucs' chances for victory in those contests.

“The girls are excited to get second chances at those teams,” Volek said.

“We didn't play our best in some of those games the first time around, but we saw what happened and tried to learn as much as we could from them. We did show we could compete with them.”

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

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