Trending
Blood dripped from her head, her body was sore and she was fortunate to be alive.
But something else was on Anna Burdett's mind as the Loyalsock senior was placed in an ambulance following a car accident last Dec. 23.
"Am I going to be able to play basketball?" Burdett asked her parents.
That statement revealed who Burdett is, how much basketball means to her and why her teammates respect her so much. Burdett is playing again and providing her usual tenacity and defensive prowess. She again played a pivotal role last week as Loyalsock (19-1) won three straight road games and avenged its only defeat Friday at Bloomsburg while capturing a second straight HAC-III championship.
Burdett missed four games after four stitches and three staples closed her head wounds. She also suffered several scrapes brush burns on her back after rolling along the road upon her escape. It was a near tragedy, but it has produced a happy ending.
"It was so fun coming back. I was just so happy to be playing again," Burdett said. "It's so fun. I just don't want it to be over."
"The first thought on her mind when she could be thinking about anything else was about basketball," Loyalsock coach Curtis Jacobson said. "It speaks volumes about who she is."
Burdett started her senior season well and Loyalsock was 5-0 after she grabbed six rebounds in a victory at South Williamsport. Two nights later, Burdett was driving along Miller Road on her way to attending a Christmas present exchange with her friends. Horror coursed through Burdett's body as she started descending a hill along the road and realized brakes were not working.
A guardrail and steep cliff were waiting at the bottom of the hill so Burdett opened her door and jumped from the car as it gathered speed. Her head was cut open and her body scraped up, but Burdett somehow popped right up after landing along the side of the road. She was going to try walking to a nearby house and ask for help before another driver came by and called an ambulance.
Serendipitously, Loyalsock assistant coach Kirk Bower was the next person who drove by. He provided Burdett comfort as she waited for her parents to arrive. And just like she would ask her parents, Burdett also asked Bower if she would be able to play basketball again.
"That's the first thing I asked. The doctors told me it was whenever I felt comfortable and when I got the stitches out," Burdett said. "I missed four games and it was hard missing those games. This is my last year and I didn't want to miss any."
Missing only four games, however, was a blessing when one considers how much worse the situation could have been. Loyalsock loves having Burdett the player back, but it is especially appreciative to have the person back. Even if not on the court, Burdett has a way of bringing the best out of her friends and teammates.
"She's a competitor and it's very difficult to find a player who comes to practice every single day and prepares like she does and practices like she does and plays like she does," Jacobson said. "The team sees that and it was a little rallying point."
Burdett's teammates and friends rallied around her following the accident, visiting her as soon as she returned home early the next morning. Her return against Southern Columbia Jan. 8 coincided with another exciting moment, coming a day after Jacobson's wife, Loyalsock assistant coach Kerri Jacobson, gave birth to their first child, daughter Skylar. Burdett showed no hesitation upon returning, relentlessly defending and rebounding and helping the Lancers win, 56-52.
The value Burdett provides Loyalsock will not be seen in the statistics. But make no doubt, she is the glue on this team, providing leadership, defense, rebounding and an infectious desire. That is a huge asset for a team that graduated four starters from last year's District 4 Class AAA champion but that has not missed a beat this season. The car accident hurt Burdett, but it did not break her and she continues trying to make her senior season her most memorable one yet.
"I try and keep people motivated and lifted them up. I know I get really mad at myself when I make mistakes so I try to help other people when they make mistakes," Burdett said. "I just know my role. I'm not the biggest scorer, but I'm more defensive and I embrace that."
Burdett is embracing each day, each game now. So are her teammates and coaches. A tragedy was averted and a lesson provided. Nothing in life is guaranteed so Burdett and the Lancers are trying to get everything they can out of their time together. They now know as well as anyone how precious it is.
"You see things happen and you can't really take a game for granted, you can't take anything for granted," Jacobson said. "We have to value the game of basketball, value sports and value your high school moments with your friends because you're not going to get them back."
RAMBLING RAIDERS: Montgomery clinched its third straight playoff berth and extended its winning streak to four games with three victories in five nights. The Raiders (11-7) are a victory from improving on last year's win total with four games to go are becoming much more balanced as the season continues. Three different players scored in double figures last week and both Nita Imeri and Faith Persing reached career-highs.
Imeri is a hard-working senior leader who sparked a strong week when she scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 58-35 win over North Penn-Liberty. Riley Fry and Taylor McRae controlled the paint in a 40-34 win at Neumann and both recorded double-doubles. Faith Persing is coming back strong from a knee injury and erupted for 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals in Friday's 61-35 win at Bucktail.
Fry made history last week as well, becoming the program's all-time leader in blocked shots. The three-year starter also grabbed her 500th career rebound and produced 18 points and 11 rebounds in the Neumann victory.
PUTBACKS: North Penn-Mansfield senior Lizzi Welch helped her volleyball team reach the state final last fall and has played a big role in helping the Tigers (11-7) win four of their last five games. Welch grabbed her 500th career rebound and recorded two double-doubles last week, scoring 31 points and adding 21 rebounds in those victories. Jaime Palmer added 16 points and 11 rebounds in Friday's 58-36 win against Cowanesque Valley … Williamsport sophomore Kailee Helmrich is enjoying a breakout season and scored 21 points in the Millionaires' 61-48 win against Mifflin County. Sophia Erb added a career-high 16 points … Lewisburg junior Roz Noone made an immediate impact after missing four games with an injury, scoring 20 points in a 43-41 loss to Shamokin. Jamie Fedorjaka added nine points and eight rebounds and freshman point guard Sophie Kilbride had six assists and three steals … Aubrey Stetts scored 20 points and her sister Haley added 11 in a 57-50 loss to Mifflinburg in what likely was a District 4 Class AAAA quarterfinal preview … Canton clinched its third straight playoff berth when Elle Binford scored 14 points, pulled down eight rebounds, dealt seven assists and made seven steals in a 47-24 victory against North Penn-Liberty. Teammate Molly Ward has topped 10 rebounds in six straight games … Muncy junior center Bell Hitesman was a force against Bucktail, helping a short-handed Indians squad win 51-28. Hitesman scored a career-high 18 points, produced 17 rebounds and blocked 15 shots … Wellsboro (7-9) took a big step toward securing the eighth and final District 4 Class AAA berth with a 42-28 win against Wyalusing. Cathryn Brought is leading the area in scoring and had 17 points.
DOC MASSE’S TOP 5 GIRLS BASKETBALL RANKINGS
1. Loyalsock (19-1): In what could be a Heartland Conference Tournament preview, Loyalsock ignited its impressive 3-0 week when it went on the road and defeated HAC-I champion Danville, 46-34. The Lancers closed the week with a 58-48 win at Bloomsburg, eight nights after suffering their first loss. Loyalsock relied on some stingy defense in its first two victories before opening up against Bloomsburg and leading for most of the game. Cassie Gee drained six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 25 points. As the year has progressed and Loyalsock's first-time starters have gained more experience this team has become more balanced and Mia Patterson made a run at a double-double in a 48-27 win at Montoursville.
2. Sullivan County (16-3): Surging at the right time, Sullivan County is a victory from clinching at least a share of its fourth straight Mid-Penn championship. Sullivan has won nine straight games and easily dispatched CMVT and St. John Neumann last week. Jessica King has recorded 16 double-doubles and had a big week as did Sophia Springman who has recorded three double-doubles in her last five games, but especially encouraging for Sullivan is freshman Cassidy Skoranski becoming a weapon. Skoranski shined bright against Neumann and scored a career-high 18 points.
3. Warrior Run (12-6): A resilient team, Warrior Run overcame its third second-half deficit in three weeks last Tuesday when it turend a seven-point halftime deficit into a 45-40 win against South Williamsport. The lack of strong starts, however, has been a concern and the Defenders could not work their way back from a rough first quarter in Friday's 53-30 loss to Central Columbia, one that ended its hopes of repeating as HAC-II champions. Emily McKee is having an excellent sophomore season and the forward ignited the comeback against South, scoring 22 points.
4. South Williamsport (10-9): A team which has played against a daunting schedule all season, South again showed how dangerous it can be Saturday when it defeated 14-win Minersville, 59-30. The Mounties are receiving good balance and playing outstanding defense. Sophomore forward Claudia Green scored a career-high 18 points against Minersville with guard Haley Neidig adding 17. Senior guard Julie Anthony was outstanding in a 41-34 loss at Southern Columbia last Thursday, scoring a career-high 21 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and making five steals. South is fighting for one of the top three seeds in District 4 Class AA and enters the week in third.
5. Hughesville (10-9): Along those lines, Hughesville is going through a similar stretch. The Spartans are playing ferocious defense and have surrendered an average of 35 points over their last five games. Hughesville is 2-3 in those games so if it can establish more offensive consistency it could do some playoff damage. Jade Cordrey is having a strong senior season and scored 15 points in Friday's 41-31 loss at Mount Carmel. Lauren Henry helps fuel the defense and scored 10 points against Selinsgrove.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Cara Parsell, Galeton and Alaina Marchioni, Montoursville: Parsell is a 5-foot-1 guard who plays like she's 7-1 and she grabbed her 500th career rebound during an outstanding three-game performance. Parsell recorded two double-doubles and averaged 11 points, nine rebounds and five steals, helping Galeton go 2-1. Marchioni keeps getting better during her freshman season and played her best game Friday at Midd-West, scoring a career-high 22 points and helping Montoursville win, 59-32. Marchioni hit six of the team's 13 3-pointers and also had eight rebounds and four steals against Loyalsock.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Sullivan County at Muncy: These long-time Mid-Penn rivals have played some terrific games over the years and delivered one of the season's best three weeks ago when Sullivan rallied late and won, 44-43. Tonight's rematch should be another good one. The home team has won the last three games in this series and all three have been close. It was Muncy that snapped Sullivan's 37-game league winning streak last season and two of the last three games in this series have been determined by one point.
--Masse may be reached by email at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse