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Sports

Colts Fall to Gateway in WPIAL Finals

Chartiers Valley loses to Gators in WPIAL championship game

PITTSBURGH - Chartiers Valley couldn’t overcome Gateway’s size or the absence of starting guard Steve Burda last night as the Colts lost the Class AAAA championship game 58-43 at the A.J. Palumbo Center on Saturday night.

The Colts have had quite a bit of success in WPIAL title games, playing seven times since 1997, but the team was unable to notch its sixth WPIAL school championship.

And while coach Tim McConnell and his Colts are disappointed, the 19-year coach said he is extremely proud of the championship journey his team chased.

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β€œI told them I didn’t plan on coming into the locker room and talking about a loss. I’m disappointed, but we have to deal with it,” McConnell said. β€œOn the same hand, I’m very proud of them for the run they put together that no one thought they could do. I couldn’t be more proud of my players for the way they responded in the playoffs and pulled together.”

The Colts were without Burda, their starting point guard and second leading scorer, who was out after suffering a concussion in the final two minutes of Wednesday night’s semifinals victory over Mt. Lebanon. McConnell thinks the absence of Burda was felt early.

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β€œHe does have a concussion, but he’s feeling much better,” McConnell said. β€œI’m optimistic that we’ll have him back for our first round game in the state playoffs.”

Chartiers Valley (20-6) led by a point with just under two minutes left in the first quarter before Gateway sophomore D.J. Boyce scored to put the Gators ahead for good. Gateway took a five-point lead into the second quarter, when super junior Tyler Scott took over the game. The Division I prospect scored seven of his game-high 20 points in the second frame, to give the Gators a 10-point lead at the half.

Early in the second half, Gateway would build its lead to 14 before the Colts would finally make a surge. Over the final 3:27 of the third, Chartiers Valley went on a 9-0 run, which cut the deficit to 41-37 going into the final quarter.

The charge fell short for Chartiers Valley, however, as the Colts were unable to get enough stops to stay in the game. Junior center Barnett Harris put the game away with 1:25 left, when he took a long outlet pass and threw down a dunk to give Gateway an insurmountable lead.

The outcome may not have been what McConnell envisioned while preparing for the game, but he believes his team’s effort was not the reason the Colts fell short.

β€œThey were bigger, stronger, faster and they played really well,” McConnell said. β€œYou have to credit Gateway for the job they did. We have to talk about it, try to get better and then see what we can do in states.”

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