HAZLETON–They first started competing together as elementary school students. As they progressed through high school, those Defenders switched roles and became the ones so many aspiring, young players admired.

What an example they set. What a run they produced.

Warrior Run staked its claim to being labeled the best team in program history, but its sensational season ended Saturday afternoon as Notre Dame-Green Pond edged it, 63-60 in an overtime thriller in the Class AAA state quarterfinals. The Defenders (26-3) came within a shot or two of reaching their first Final 4, rallied from a 12-point third quarter deficit and went out on their shields.

Notre Dame-Green Pond won the game, but Warrior Run was not defeated.

“We had an amazing season. It’s something I’m going to look back at for the rest of my life,” forward Ethan Balzer said after producing 10 points and eight rebounds. “That’s especially because winning the district championship and making a run in states has been my dream since I was a little kid. It’s going to be amazing to think back on.”

That it will. Balzer is one of five senior starters who helped transform the program, along with James Keifer, Aiden McKee, Landon Polcyn and Carter Sheesley. They arrived at high school when Warrior Run was coming off a one-win season. They then played a massive role in guiding it to 73 wins, two league championship and the program’s first district title since 1988 these last four years.

Ultimately, as time goes by and the final result becomes less painful, all the Warrior Run players likely will be more grateful that it happened, rather than sad it ended. In four short years, the Defenders went from the bottom of the ranks to becoming one of the state’s top eight 3A teams as well as District 4’s best.

“It’s great. These guys are some of my best friends, so it’s just nice to spend so much time with them throughout the season,” McKee said after closing his decorated career with his 18th double-double (13 points, 15 rebounds, 8 blocks) this season. “Being able to make this much impact on our school and the Warrior Run community with all my best friends has been something we’ll never forget.”

They also will long take pride in how they fought on when the situation looked bleak against Notre Dame-Green Pond, which faces defending state champion West Catholic in Tuesday’s semifinals. The Defenders never held a lead after McKee opened the game’s scoring but rallied from down 37-25 in the third and erased a four-point deficit in the final 62 seconds of regulation after Polcyn drained a clutch 3-pointer and, McKee found Balzer for the shot that forced overtime.

Polcyn dazzled in his last game, seemingly willing the Defenders back repeatedly while scoring 23 points, dealing seven assists and grabbing five rebounds. Keifer added 12 points and four assists and a team which had won four straight overtime games, including against Audenried last Wednesday, seemingly had Notre Dame right where it wanted it.

Justin Manning, however, flipped the script. The dynamic point guard hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime, then went 4 for 4 at the line down the stretch. He finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.

“Before overtime I don’t think I scored much beside the first quarter, so I had to show people I can produce no matter what and no matter who’s guarding me,” said Manning, who also drained a half-court buzzer-beater which had Notre Dame up 21-13 after a quarter. “We had to keep our composure. They bounced back from runs and we answered them.”

Like Rocky Balboa going against Apollo Creed the first time, however, Warrior Run made sure it went the distance and never let Notre Dame feel comfortable. That included after Cody Driscoll’s free throw made it, 60-54 with :42 seconds left. Again, the Defenders would not go down.

Keifer drained a corner 3-pointer which made it, 60-57 before Quinn Bohn hit one of two free throws. McKee then made it a one-point game, connecting on another big 3-pointer with 26.2 seconds to go.

Manning responded with two more free throws, but Warrior Run had 20.7 seconds remaining. Notre Dame had fouls to give and used them wisely, preventing the Defenders from getting off a clean 3-point shot. That was most painful when Clayton Skokoski was fouled a split second before firing a pass to McKee who hit what would have been a game-tying 3-pointer in the final five seconds.

Notre Dame’s defense contained Warrior Run well on the inbound and Keifer was forced to try a long 3-pointer from the far corner with multiple defenders draped upon him. The senior leader who shined especially bright throughout the postseason had the accuracy on the shot, but it felt short.

After winning four consecutive overtime games, including against Southern Columbia for that elusive district championship, it was not so much that Warrior Run ran out of overtime magic. It just ran out of time.

“We don’t t ever give up,” McKee said. “We know this is all or nothing, so we just want to give it our best shot and get back in it. We weren’t going to stop until the final horn.”

“Fighting to the end is something we’ve always done. I’m proud that we ended that way because we didn’t give up,” Balzer said. “It’s something we value. I think it’s really important to us.”

Warrior Run proved it in defeat as much as in its 26 victories. Its three losses all featured spirited comebacks against state semifinalists and those games were decided by 11 combined points, two coming in overtime.

For a while, though, it looked like Notre Dame might winning going away. The District 11 champions swarmed defensively and did a nice job keeping Warrior Run out of the paint throughout the first half, building a 30-21 halftime advantage. A quick 6-0 run pushed it to, 37-25 early in the third and it seemed like the sun might be setting on a historic Defender season.

Again, when it seemed too tough for others, Warrior Run felt quite comfortable. Polcyn drained a 3-pointer and had a hand in seven straight points. Keifer then went back to his fabulous football season and threw a dime from halfcourt which hit Balzer in stride and his ensuing layup made it, 37-34. From there, both teams continued exchanging big shots and plays.

Every time Notre Dame stopped a Defender flurry, protected its lead and started building it back up, Warrior Run charged back. A Tommy Murphy 3-pointer had the Defenders down, 49-43 with 3:40 to go but they did not stay down long. Balzer scored inside and Carter McCormick found Polcyn for a reverse layup which made it a two-point game. Following two Manning free throws at the 1:11-mark, Polcyn drained yet another Onions 3-pointer and made it, 51-50.

Warrior Run tied it for the first time when McKee pulled the double team his way and hit Balzer on the other side for a game-tying layup which made it, 52-52 with 40 seconds to go. From there, Notre Dame worked for the last shot, but Warrior Run made it a tough one as Manning’s last-second 3-point attempt fell short and Balzer secured the rebound, the sixth time this season Warrior Run went to extra time.

“We always bring it back to our freshmen year. We were down 9 at Wellsboro with about 45 seconds left (in the district quarterfinals) and won,” McKee said. “We said if we did that before, we can do anything.”

They nearly did everything this season.

Warrior Run captured multiple championships, won more games than any Defender team this century and set a standard for all those young players watching them and wanting to emulate them. It was a Mount Everest-like climb the last four years and, while Warrior Run did not reach the state summit, look at the lofty heights it scaled.

“It’s been a lot of hard work for all of us, and it paid off. I’m really proud of us and how we turned out,” Balzer said. “The little kids, I would see them at every single game. I think they’re really inspired by us, and I think it’s going to set a really great precedent for the program.”

WARRIOR RUN (60)

Carter Sheesley 0 0-0 0, James Keifer 4 0-2 12, Aiden McKee 6 0-0 13, Landon Polcyn 8 2-5 23, Carter McCormick 0 0-0 0, Clayton Skokoski 1 0-0 2, Ethan Balzer 5 0-0 10. Totals 24 2-7 60.

NOTRE DAME (63)

Drew Boyd 4 5-7 13, Justin Manning 7 6-8 24, Tommy Murphy 4 0-0 11, Quinn Bohn 1 2-4 4, Cody Driscoll 2 1-2 5, Hayden Levy 2 0-0 6, Cole Vrabel 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 14-21 63.

Warrior Run 13 8 20 11 8–60

Notre Dame 21 9 14 8 11–63

3-pointers: Warrior Run 10 (Polcyn 5, Keifer 4, McKee); Notre Dame 9 (Manning 4, Murphy 3, Levy 2).

Records: Notre Dame Green-Pond 27-3. Warrior Run 27-3.