The Midlakes girls varsity basketball team knew what to expect when they returned to the court at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy on Friday night for the NYSPHSAA Class B semifinal game against Canton. They were exactly one-year removed from their loss in last year’s state semifinal game against eventual Class B state champ Susquehanna Valley. This year, they were hoping for a different result, and they got it.
After trading punches with Section 10 champion Canton, and trailing for most of the first half, a late second quarter surge pushed Midlakes ahead of the Golden Bears on an Alaina Forbes lay-up as the halftime buzzer sounded. Midlakes would held into the halftime break with a 26-24 lead.
https://twitter.com/TimIrvingSports/status/1106760100440625152
Midlakes has used big second half explosions to blow by opponents through much of their postseason run. On Friday night, the explosion was delayed as the Screaming Eagles couldn’t pull away from Canton, leading by just 5 points after three quarters.
Midlakes kicked things into another gear when the game’s final quarter got underway as they opened the fourth with a 20-4 run and never looked back, finishing with a 64-44 victory and a berth into Saturday night’s NYSPHSAA Class B State Championship game.
It’s a final Midlakes blows out Canton. With a strong second half 64-44 in the Class B State semifinals. @MidlakesAthletx @SecVAthletics @messengerpost @NYSPHSAA pic.twitter.com/7nlm8T4D1Y
— Jack Haley (@jackhaley42) March 16, 2019
Midlakes all-time leading scorer Alaina Forbes led the way with 31 points, 15 of those coming in the fourth quarter, Macy Kisner scored 15 points and Cara Walker added 9.
The appearance in Saturday night’s state title game will be the first in Midlakes school history. They will face Irvington who defeated South Jefferson in the game preceding Midlakes’ game, 42-39.
You can listen to all the action LIVE on FingerLakes1.com Radio beginning at 8:30 pm.
Thanks for your patience in waiting for this story on the Class B semifinal win for @MidlakesAthletx @MidlakesSchools girls.
But I will say, it's nowhere near the patience the Midlakes players exhibited in their win tonight. https://t.co/jVW2V5purt
— Bob Chavez (@MPN_bchavez) March 16, 2019
Some photos of Midlakes big win. #MidlakesPride pic.twitter.com/VtfWNvfIaU
— MidlakesSchools (@MidlakesSchools) March 16, 2019
Midlakes girls in NYS Final https://t.co/0zMHfb30SI @13wham @Midlakesschools
— Mike Catalana (@MikeCatalana) March 16, 2019
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