Freedom tries to shake off shutdown rust in win over Ellwood City – The Times

Bill Allmann| Times Sports Correspondent

NEW SEWICKLEY TWP.On a typical mid-January evening, a game like the one between the Freedom and Ellwood City High School girls basketball teams would have had coaches pulling their hair out and those coaches and fans as well hoarse from screaming.

But, as the world has come to know, these are not normal mid-January evenings. Freedom coach John Kaerchers post-game voice was full and measured. There was a smile on as much of his face as could be seen above his mask.

The few parents in attendance were laughing and joking despite a comparatively ugly 40-22 Freedom win as well.

It was a struggle but it was just our second game, said Kaercher. We missed 10 free throws and 10 or 11 layups that I would call easily makeable.

Not only was this just our second game but we didnt get any scrimmages in before the shutdown. There are things you just cant simulate in practice.

It was just the second game for the Ellwood City squad as well and the need for game experience showed there was 1:06 left in the first half before the number of points surpassed the number of turnovers.

Most of our girls started the season in shape because of soccer, said Kaercher. But we lost all that in the shutdown. No one is in the condition they would normally be at this time of the year.

We have to learn to play 32 minutes again. We only lost two players to graduation but we still have to get all the players on the same page yet.

One of those returning players, though, may have had a lot to do with the post-game calm. Senior Karissa Mercier stepped up with eight of her game-high 14 points in the third quarter to keep the lead from getting uncomfortably close.

I was off in the first and second quarters, said Mercier, the only player on either team to score in double figures. Our whole team seems to be one that plays better in the second half and it worked for me.

Its definitely been a challenge this year because of the COVID. We havent had that many practices and, even then, we got a lot of breaks in practices because of the masks. You dont get those breaks in games.

Although neither team was in mid-season form for a mid-January game, both have qualified for the playoffs since the WPIAL is welcoming all teams into the playoffs because of the circumstances. That provides some time to get into post-season form but hasnt changed the urgency for Freedom.

I appreciate that we make the playoffs because of the way things are, said Mercier. But Id rather earn it. As long as we keep winning, well show that we earned it.

Kaercher has similar mixed feelings.

I totally agree with everyone reaching the playoffs, said the veteran coach. But we still need to prepare as if we want to win, to be at the top.

And every journey to the top has to start somewhere.

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Freedom tries to shake off shutdown rust in win over Ellwood City - The Times