Sophia Gardner helps spark Loyalsock in win against Hughesville in District 4 Class AAA playoffs

Sophia Gardner excited the locker room holding an ice pack against her face. She also was smiling.

Gardner is kind-hearted, but also a warrior. And it was business as usual for the relentless Loyalsock hustler who immediately bounced right back after a late-game collision. One might knock her down, but never out.

Gardner is only 5-foot-2 but fears nobody and if that means sacrificing her body, so be it. Maybe it was fitting then that Loyalsock’s shortest player again came up huge at a crucial time and helped her team win a big game.

Gardner blew past two players seven inches taller and grabbed an offensive rebound Friday night against Hughesville. She was fouled and drained the ensuing two free throws which ignited a game-clinching nine-point run. It was just the spark Loyalsock needed against determined Hughesville as it won a hard-fought home District 4 Class AAA quarterfinal, 48-36.

"I really like playing aggressive and just being fearless with the ball," Gardner said. "I know everyone is bigger than me so I kind of am forced to, but it’s also something that I feel like I’ve worked at and gotten good at."

Yes, she has. Gardner has helped Loyalsock win a district championship, two league titles and 64 games the past three seasons. Now the Lancers are semifinal bound for a fifth straight season. Loyalsock (16-3) was playing its first game in 2 1/2 weeks following a COVID-19 shutdown and earned a spot in Tuesday’s semifinals at Towanda the hard way.

Hard is the only way Gardner knows how to play and it was that relentlessness which finally helped Loyalsock put away the resilient Spartans. Hughesville (7-12) closed the third quarter on an 8-0 run and had upset visions when it entered the fourth down just, 36-31.

Following two missed free throws, it appeared Hughesville would have a shot at pulling even closer. Gardner had other ideas.

The senior guard came charging off the left wing, jumped high and pulled down the rebound. She was fouled on the putback attempt and her foul shots sent a charge through Loyalsock. Mia Patterson scored on the next Lancer possession, Cassie Gee followed with a 3-pointer in the corner and Summer McNulty’s coast-to-coast steal and layup put Loyalsock ahead, 45-31 with 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining. Hughesville never surrendered and pulled as close as 11 late, but the run sparked by Gardner’s tenacity proved to be the game-changer.

"I think we all start getting positive and start lifting each other up. That really gets us on a run," Gardner said. "We just pick each other up and that’s usually when we start to do better and better."

"That was certainly a big play. She’s a competitor. She’s going to fight for everything," Loyalsock coach Curtis Jacobson said. "She never thinks she can’t do it, so no matter what the situation is she is going to fight and battle for it."

Often a defensive catalyst who does a lot of the little things which equal big results, Gardner grabbed three fourth-quarter rebounds, made a key steal and set up Patterson for two late foul shots. Put all that together and the two-year starter again did her part to help Loyalsock win.

"She gets those tips and gets those rebounds that go unnoticed," Jacobson said. "She has key offensive rebounds. It’s not that she has a lot of them all the time, but she has key ones from just in the moment outworking the other team."

Like Gardner, Hughesville showed no fear Friday. Loyalsock had won two regular-season games in convincing fashion but the Spartans attacked early, controlled the tempo for large portions and led 13-9 two minutes into the second quarter. Loyalsock countered with a 14-0 run and seemed on the verge of landing a knockout blow up 10 at halftime but Hughesville kept coming back.

Lauren Henry and Alex Snyder both shined in their final games and had big third quarters to help Hughesville trim a 13-point deficit to five. Henry scored nine of her game-high 16 points during that time and Snyder (12 points, 10 rebounds) had a double-double by quarter’s end.

"They played with confidence and got to the lane. It’s something we’ve been working on all year and they were great with it," Hughesville coach Ryan Callahan said. "Win or lose it was great to see them give the effort they did and pull it together and play well."

Loyalsock’s depth and full-court pressure may have finally slowed Hughesville down in the fourth quarter but the Spartans made quite a statement against a team which has reached the state tournament’s second round in each of the last three seasons. Hughesville executed its offense well, played strong half-court defense and all six players Callahan used made quality impacts, including Olivia Strother who had 6 rebounds.

"They needed to play well for us to have a chance and stay close and they did it," Callahan said. "It was awesome."

Loyalsock rallied together at key moments in the second and fourth quarters to change the game’s complexion. It was a true team effort as well with four players scoring at least eight points and the bench providing key minutes.

McNulty scored 14 points, dealt three assists and made three steals. Gee produced 13 points and Patterson grabbed 9 rebounds. Allyia Kennedy was at the heart of that second-quarter charge and the junior forward scored seven quick points, including four off two steals. She added six rebounds.

"Hughesville always puts up a good fight," Gardner said. "They’re always super aggressive, so we really admire that about them, but we just have to come and play our game and set the tone ourselves and be more aggressive."

HUGHESVILLE (36)

Alex Snyder 5 2-2 12, Olivia Strother 1 4-4 6, Lauren Henry 7 1-3 16, Breanna Bobak 0 1-1, Maria Duff 0 0-0, Grace Pysher 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 9-13 36.

LOYALSOCK (48)

Summer McNulty 6 1-1 14, Cassie Gee 4 2-2 13, Mia Patterson 3 2-4 8, Allyia Kennedy 4 1-5 9, Sophia Gardner 0 4-4 4, Natayah Abdul-Hakim 0 0-0 0, Grace Baylor 0 0-0 0, Jocelyn Cruz 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 10-16 48.

Hughesville 9 7 15 5--36

Loyalsock 9 17 10 12--48

3-point goals: Hughesville 1 (Henry 1), Loyalsock 4 (Gee 3, McNulty 1).

Records: Loyalsock (16-3), Hughesville (7-12).