By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
It all came down to one possession in the 9th Region girls basketball championship game on Friday at Truist Arena.
After Notre Dame took a 40-39 lead over Holy Cross with 28 seconds left in overtime, the Pandas blocked one shot and forced another one to fall short to claim their first region title since 2013.
“The past five months we’ve just been emphasizing defense,” said Notre Dame junior center Sarah Young. “For our season to come down to one defensive possession is a little bit nerve-racking, but all of our preparation got us the win.”
Senior guard Emma Holtzapfel made a free throw that put the Pandas ahead. After Young blocked a shot, Holy Cross called a time out with five seconds left to set up another play.
The ensuing inbounds pass was tipped by Notre Dame senior guard Addie Lawrie. Holy Cross guard Jai Johnson recovered the ball, but her hurried shot fell short. Holtzapfel snagged the ball just before the final horn sounded.
“It was tough sledding (for us) the entire second half,” said Notre Dame coach George Stoll. “Momentum in a region championship game is a funny, funny thing. And we battled just enough to pull one out.”
The Pandas took a 33-18 lead early in the third quarter and let it slip away by not scoring on their next 11 offensive possessions. That enabled Holy Cross to mount a comeback and tie the score, 37-37, on a 3-point goal by junior forward Riley Eberhard with 1:03 remaining in the fourth quarter.
A Notre Dame turnover gave the Indians a chance to win the game in regulation, but Eberhard missed two shots in the final seconds. In overtime, Eberhard was called for the foul that resulted in Holtzapfel’s final free throw.
“I was excited for this game,” said Eberhard, who transferred from Notre Dame. “I really wanted to win it for our team and we came up short. There’s really nothing we can do. We just have to keep our heads up and focus on next year.”
Eberhard was the game’s leading scorer with 14 points. But the Indians shot 28.6 percent (14 of 49) from the field and committed 11 turnovers in the loss.
“Even though we don’t have seniors, in the locker room it hurt bad,” said Holy Cross coach Ted Arlinghaus. “Everybody else better be careful next year. We’re coming back with a vengeance.”
Notre Dame’s top scorers were senior Joslyn Humphrey with nine points, followed by Holtzapfel and junior guard Erin McGraw with eight each.
After shooting 45 percent (9 of 20) with five 3-point goals in the first half to take a 28-16 lead, the Pandas were 5-of-22 during the second half and overtime period when they scored just 12 points.
“I just had to talk them off the ledge a little bit and just get them to redirect our focus,” Stoll said of his team’s shaky second half. “And then just take it one possession at a time. We did that on defense, offense not so much.”
Notre Dame’s defensive standout was Young, who was named most valuable on the region all-tournament team. The 6-foot-4 junior forward blocked seven shots and got 12 of her 14 rebounds on the defensive glass.
“Sarah was unbelievable,” said Stoll, who in his first year as Notre Dame’s coach. “She could score zero points and she’s still going to impact the game dramatically. She did a great job on Eberhard. She did a great job rebounding, and seven blocks. That’s not coaching, That’s all her. She does a heck of a job.”
Notre Dame will play the winner of the 15th Region championship game between Johnson Central and Pikeville in the first round of the “Sweet 16” girls state tournament at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Rupp Arena.
After losing in the region final last year, Holtzapfel is excited to be ending her high school career playing in the state tournament.
“I mean, after last year and just the heartbreak we felt, it was terrible,” she said. “I knew I never wanted to feel that again. We talked before this game that our goal was to win region, and we did that.”
Notre Dame now has a 1-3 record in 9th Region championship games decided in overtime. The losses came in 2012 against Boone County, 2014 against Newport Central Catholic and 2021 against Dixie Heights. Stoll was head coach of the NewCath team.
HOLY CROSS 11 5 8 13 2 — 39
NOTRE DAME 14 14 5 4 3 — 40
HOLY CROSS (28-6): Johnson 1 0 2, A. Arlinghaus 4 0 9, Sturgeon 3 0 9, P. Arlinghaus 1 2 5, Eberhard 5 3 14. Totals: 14 5 39.
NOTRE DAME (24-7): Stallard 1 1 3, McGraw 3 0 8, Young 2 0 5, Holtzapfel 2 3 8, Lawrie 3 0 7, Humphrey 3 2 9. Totals: 14 6 40.
Three-pointers: HC — Sturgeon 3, A. Arlinghaus, P. Arlinghaus, Eberhard. ND — McGraw 2, Young, Holtzapfel, Lawrie, Humphrey.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Notre Dame — Sarah Young (MVP), Addie Lawrie, Joselyn Humphrey. Holy Cross — Alyssa Arlinghaus, Riley Eberhard. Ryle — Jaelyn Jones, Jayden McClain. Highlands — Bailey Richey, Solu Nzekwu. NewCath — Kendall Thompson. Cooper — Haylee Noel. Dixie Heights — Asia Carner. St. Henry — Kelcey Bollman.