Historical May 1993 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The sixth grade girls basketball team at St. Roch has a prayer they say before every game, one line of which is ‘the game is never over, no matter what the scoreboard reads, no matter what the clock says? That turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy in a thrilling victory over St. Blaise to win the championship game of the CYC Archdiocesan playoffs April 4. Undefeated in league play for the last two seasons, the St. Roch girls have won most of their games by wide margins and the championship game promised more of the same. At the end of the first half St. Roch led 16-4 and maintained their 12 point lead through the third quarter.
But in the fourth quarter St. Blaise used their height advantage and aggressive defense to outscore St. Roch 14-2 and send the game into overtime. St. Blaise scored two quick baskets early in overtime and, pardon the cliche. seemed to have all the momentum. Yet the St. Roch girls continued to play good defense and managed to pull within 2 points with one minute left.
With 12 seconds left St. Roch got the break they needed. Shannon Keaveny was fouled and made the first free throw of a one and one to narrow the lead to 1 .
The second shot was missed and the ball went over to St. Blaise who would win the championship if they held on to the ball for 12 seconds.
They almost did. ‘but the game is never over, no matter what_’ With 6 seconds left Megan McGill stripped the ball from a St. Blaise player and then passed it to Shannon Keaveny who was streaking to the basket and layed it in with 1 second left to give St. Roch the lead and the championship.
I have witnessed a lot of sporting events and wouldn’t pretend to impartiality here, but it was the most gut wrenching game I have watched and I think the hundreds of supporters who were there would agree.
It was a fitting end to a tremendous season. Coached by long time residents Mike Hart and his daughter Maggie Hart-Mahon, the team won championships in the St. Roch tournament and Southwest District playoffs.
They were consolation champions in the St. George 6th and St. Margaret 7th grade tournaments and finished second in the St. Raphael and Matthews-Dickey tournaments.
All of us in Skinker-DeBaliviere should be very proud of these girls and their coaches.
They not only won a lot of games but also displayed the level of sportsmanship we want in our children.
Original photograph caption
Front: Melissa Farrell, Shannon Keaveny, Megan McGill, Maureen Bell. Second: Katie Lewis, Taya Selne, Becky Lewis, Elizabeth Mahon, Christine Edwards. Coaches Mike Hart and Maggie Hart-Mahon. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, May 1993.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1993_05.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 6.
