“I told them before the game that somebody’s going to make more shots than the other team and they’re going to win. They made more shots than us and they won. Sometimes it might be as simple as that, it’s not always,” Loyalsock coach Curtis Jacobson said. “And I don’t think either team did anything schematically that was overwhelming. They made more shots than us, and that happens in basketball.”

The Lancers saw star guard Jillian Kennedy tear her ACL in the team’s first game. Kennedy, showing off the spirit of a warrior, returned to the team just over a month later and played big minutes Friday evening. Sophomore Madison Perry, an emerging star who was playing her best basketball of the season down the stretch, fractured her ankle in Saturday’s District 4 championship loss to Hughesville.

But like Kennedy, she showed how tough she is, getting cleared just hours before the game and playing nearly start-to-finish. Nearly every player in the rotation suffered an injury at one time or another this season, but you couldn’t tell that on Friday as Loyalsock showed some serious fight.

Nobody ever wants a season or a career to end for the Lancers’ five seniors. But, this was one gritty sunset.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Jaekairah Harden (22) shoots between Holy Cross's Gillian Parson (34) and Kira Millard (24) in the third quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

“There were several players who played tonight that probably shouldn’t have played. You feel for everybody, but especially for kids who will literally put it on the line for you. What Jilly was able to do just to have some semblance of a senior year, I’m super happy for her. What she went through and what she did was hard. Madison Perry was in a boot until 3:30 today,” Jacobson said. “I got a text from her dad saying she was cleared and they were going to give it a go. We came in early to see what she could do, and she was able to do quite a bit. She played tonight. She’s going to be sore for a little bit, but you have to credit people like that who pour everything they have into it.I say it every day and before every game: if you can end the game and say you did everything you possibly could for the team that night, the result is the result. Somebody’s going to win and somebody’s going to lose. It’s cliche, but only one team is going to be happy at the end of the season.”

Loyalsock certainly had their chances, even led for much of the first half. A quick start from Alaina Dadzie, who scored her 2,000th career point in the second half, had Loyalsock up 12-4 early before the Royals rallied to end the quarter tied at 14. But the Lancers answered right back. They scored 12 of the first 15 points of the second quarter, capped off by baskets by Dadzie and Perry in quick succession at the midway point to put Loyalsock up 26-17.

But with Jaekirah Harden sitting on the bench with three fouls, Holy Redeemer chipped into that lead.and tied the game with 55 seconds remaining in the half on a Bella Boylan triple before Loyalsock took the lead back at 28-26 heading into halftime.

The Royals kept up their momentum from the end of the first half and took the lead for good in the third quarter. Dadzie’s 2,000th and 2,001st points came on a great drive to the basket and finish through contact to cut the lead to 40-35 with 2:42 remaining in the quarter as Loyalsock trailed 42-37 after three quarters.

The teams traded triples at the start of the quarter, as Addy Barowy made one of her three threes to make it 45-40. And the Lancers got it to four with 5:26 left when Dadzie rebounded a missed foul shot and put it back. But Holy Redeemer would capitalize on a slew of Lancer turnovers to take a 55-45 lead with just over three minutes to go.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock head coach Curtis Jacobson.

Loyalsock fought back repeatedly.

Dadzie and Baroway combined for the next five points to cut the deficit back to 55-50 with 2:31 left, and the Lancers forced a turnover down just four with 30 seconds left in the game with a chance to cut into the lead further. But a turnover doomed the run. Moments later, they failed to rebound a missed foul shot after the Royals came up empty at the line, and found themselves down six as time ticked away to end their season and the high school careers of seniors Alaina Dadzie, Jill Kennedy Addie Bastian, Madison Wertz, and Jaekirah Harden.

Dadzie capped off one of the most magnificent careers in Lycoming County history in style with 28 points on 12 of 17 shooting and 18 rebounds. The Bucknell-bound forward was constantly double and triple-teamed all year. Despite that, the defending state player of the year should be a lock for first-team all-state honors once again.

“I’m super proud of the group we had. We’ve been playing together for a while, so just knowing they trust me and the coaches trust me means a lot. They let me play my game and get comfortable in how I play, and they’ve supported me the whole time,” Dadzie said.

This senior class made the state tournament all four years, reaching the semifinals in 2024 before winning it all last year. The memories are too plentiful to count, and their impact on the Loyalsock program and local basketball history is indelible.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Madison Perry (0) shoots around Holy Cross's Kira Millard (24) in the fourth quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

“I really do hope that, however long it takes, they go back and think about this. (Assistant coach) Jeff Everett) said after the game that the highs are so high, and those are the things you remember. We also talk about how, in moments of adversity, your true character comes ou,” Jacobson said. “We try to win every game, but I hope they understand that from my perspective it’s not ultimately about winning a basketball game. It’s about trying to teach them and be there for them. As life goes on, we’re still a phone call away.

“I tell them all the time, don’t be a stranger. You’re always part of what we do. We want you to be around,” Jacobson continued. “When you do something well in college, we want to know about it. When you get a job in a couple years, we want to know about it. I hope they truly understand that from us, because we can be hard on them at times, but we believe it’s for the better.”

Holy Redeemer 61, Loyalsock 55

HOLY REDEEMER (61)

Tessa Cegelka 3 3-6 (10), Bella Boylan 10 1-5 23, Kourtney Jezorwski 1 0-0 2, McKenzie Chimock 5 4-6 17, Kira Millard 2 1-2 5, Gillian Parson 1 2-4 4. Totals 22 11-23 61

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Alaina Dadzie (30) shoots over Holy Cross's Kira Millard (24) in the first quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

LOYALSOCK (55)

Madison Perry 2 1-2 5, Jaekirah Harden 3 3-5 9, Addy Barowy 4 0-0 11, 12 3-5 28, Madison Wertz 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 7-12 55.

Holy Redeemer 14 12 16 19 – 61

Loyalsock 14 14 9 18 – 55

3-point goals: Holy Redeemer: 6 (Chimock 3, Boylan 2. Cegelka 1), Loyalsock 4 (Barowy 3, Dadzie 1).

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock fans cheer on their girls basketball team as they take on Holy Cross in the first round of the PIAA play-offs.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Jaekairah Harden (22) shoots around Holy Cross's Gillian Parson (34) in the third quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Madison Perry (0) tries to shoot over Holy Cross's Billian Parson (34) in the third quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Jaekairah Harden (22) drives around Holy Cross's Kira Millard (24) in the third quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Alaina Dadzie (30) shoots between Holy Cross's Tessa Cegelka (2) and Bella Boylon (5) in the second quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Madison Perry (0) shoots over Holy Cross's Kourtney Jezorwski (13) in the second quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Alaina Dadzie (30) drives the ball down court ahead of Holy Cross's Tessa Cegelka (2) in the second quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Maddison Wertz Madison Perry (0) drives the ball down court ahead of Holy Cross's Tessa Cegelka (2) in the first quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Maddison Wertz (34) pulls down a rebound in front of Holy Cross's McKenzie Chimock (22) in the first quarter of the first round of the PIAA play-offs at Loyalsock Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Addison Barowy (24) and Holy Cross's Kearney Quinn (1) battle for a lose ball in the first quarter.