Wolfe's 32 leads Seneca Valley girls to state final
Screaming Eagles defeat Largo, 69-65, will play Saturday against Baltimore's Western
Six months from now, Kelsey Wolfe will be preparing for her freshman season at the University of Virginia. But with one game remaining in her prep career, the senior guard is showing how she landed a Division I scholarship by playing the best basketball of her career.
On Thursday, in the Class 3A girls basketball state semifinals, Wolfe guided undefeated and top-ranked Seneca Valley to a resounding 69-65 victory over Largo (22-4, Prince George's County) at the Retriever Athletic Center on the University of Maryland-Baltimore County campus.
The four-year varsity starter scored 20 of her game-high 32 points in the second half while dishing out seven assists, collecting six rebounds and recording two steals. Classmate Audrey Cunningham contributed 19 points.
"[Wolfe] did nothing different from what I saw on the film," said Largo head coach Ayana Ball-Ward, who has guided the Lions to the state tournament in three of the past four seasons. "She's a great ball player. She gets to the basket and can score at will."
The Eagles (26-0) will play for their first state title in school history Saturday at 8 p.m. against Western (Baltimore city), which beat Centennial in Thursday's other semifinal.
"I just want to give something back to the school," said Wolfe. "To end your high school career as a winner ... the coolest thing ever."
Playing in their first state tournament game since 1978, the Eagles showed no signs of early jitters as they led 23-16 after eight minutes of play and 36-29 at the half. Wolfe and Cunningham ran the offense flawlessly, connecting for several wide-open layups. Cunningham shot 70 percent (7 of 10) from the field in the first half for 16 points.
"Audrey, particularly in the first quarter, got us off to a strong start," Seneca Valley coach Todd Bumgardner said. "Kelsey, kind of in the middle quarters, did what she does and was able to slice through their defense and score a lot."
Midway through the second quarter, the Lions were able to cut the deficit to 25-24 on a pair of free throws by guard Jessica Lyons (13 points). The Eagles responded with an 11-5 run to end the half as sixth man Bridget Rothert received a textbook feed from Wolfe and nailed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Wolfe helped extend the lead to 54-40 with 56 seconds remaining in the third quarter with a highlight reel pass that split two defenders and found a cutting Cunningham for a layup.
"I think together that was the best we've played," Wolfe said of her team's play through the first three quarters. "I don't know, just the sense on the court. I could feel where she was."
Added Cunningham: "We just have a connection on the court. ... We know we are the strongest players on the court and we have to have that leadership. We take that roll pretty well. I look for her, she looks for me."
The Lions made a furious comeback in the fourth and trailed just 64-63 with 34 seconds remaining following 3-pointer by Cierra Johnson (17 points). But Wolfe, Cunningham and sophomore point guard Sasha Orr iced the game and combined to go 5 of 6 from the free-throw line over the final 23.4 seconds.
"I'm just happy we got through," Bumgardner said. "We've got to clean up that fourth quarter. ... They outscored us by nine. ... It doesn't matter if you win pretty, but we hung on and get an opportunity to play for a state title."