By Tom Maguire | Associate editor
TROY — Ava McCann started the game with three 3-pointers in 90 seconds as the Seton Catholic Central High School basketball team advanced to the Class B state-championship game with a 79-54 victory over Beekmantown on March 17.
Seton, of Section IV, took a 9-0 lead and proceeded to rout Beekmantown, of Section VII, to improve to 25-1. Next up is the final against Section I’s Irvington, which defeated Fredonia of Section VI 69-57 in Friday’s other semifinal. The final is set for 4 p.m. March 18 at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.
Seton Coach Colleen Jayne said the Saints held a double-digit lead for most of the game.
Saints guard Lexi Levy led all scorers with 22 points, and she also played great defense on the Lady Eagles’ best guard, Kenna Guynup, Coach Jayne said. Seton’s Marina Maerkl and Julia Hauer held Beekmantown’s Brooke Bjelko, who is bound for Division I, to 11 points.
Other scorers for the Saints included McCann (16 points), Hanna Strawn (15), and Hauer (10). Strawn added seven assists and four rebounds, and Levy had six assists and two blocks. Hauer grabbed 13 rebounds.
Seton stats summary
Player: Points
Hanna Strawn: 15
Lexi Levy: 22
Murphy Fauci: 4
Ava McCann: 16
Taylor Nicolich: 5
Emily Purtell: 5
Marina Maerkl: 2
Julia Hauer: 10
Total: 79
Also: Strawn: 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 deflection; Levy: 6 assists, 2 blocks, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 deflection; Fauci: 2 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 deflection; McCann: 2 blocks, 2 rebounds, 3 steals; Rose Kane: 1 assist, 2 rebounds; Emily Dempsey: 1 rebound; Jaclyn Tableman: 1 assist, 1 deflection; Reese Vaughan: 1 rebound; Purtell: 1 steal; Maerkl: 1 assist, 1 block, 2 rebounds; Hauer: 2 assists, 13 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 deflections.
Beekmantown……..12……..13……..16……..13 — 54
Seton Catholic……..25……..22……..15……..17 — 79
