The Williams Valley girls' basketball team stands ready for the National Anthem before Friday's PIAA Class AA quarterfinal game against Mountain View. The Eagles rolled past the Vikings 32-14 (Photo by Eli Doyle).

DALLAS — Offensive woes have plagued the Williams Valley girls’ basketball team recently, and this time, they caught up to the Vikings.

Mountain View had two players score in double digits as the Eagles rolled past Williams Valley 32-14 in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinal girls’ basketball game Friday at Lake Lehman High School.

“We didn’t make a shot, to put it lightly,” Vikings coach Shane Zellers said. “And credit (Mountain View), they played good defense. They did what they wanted to do; they kept it on one side of the floor. We had a lot of good looks; we just didn’t get any shots to fall. That is basketball, you know—it has to come to an end.”

Williams Valley (24-4), which as a team averages roughly 44 points per game, recently came out on top in a 23-18 clash with Shalom Christian Academy in the second round of the PIAA Tournament. While a win at this time of year is always valuable, the low-scoring affair against the Flames may have foreshadowed the Vikings’ decline.

And Friday’s game fared no differently on offense — unfortunately for Zellers’ Vikings.

Things looked promising early in the first quarter when Quin Smeltz nailed a 3-pointer and Sage Smeltz added a bucket off an assist from Ella Kobularik, giving Williams Valley a 5-2 lead with 2:40 left in the frame. Both teams relied on strong zone defenses, forcing points to come at a premium. Addison Kilmer hit a 3-pointer and assisted on a bucket by Emily Trichilo as Mountain View (24-4) scored five points to end the frame, taking a 7-5 lead.

Kilmer’s presence expanded in the second quarter as she helped the Eagles grow their lead to 19-7 by halftime. The 6-foot-1 junior forward tallied a game-high 16 points and anchored Mountain View’s defense with multiple blocks in the paint. She scored 13 of her 16 points in the first half, with 10 coming in the second quarter alone.

“We said at halftime that if (Addison Kilmer) didn’t show up, it’d be 9-7,” Zellers said. “She’s a difference-maker. Her height alone, and then the fact that she can put it on the floor and hit shots from the outside, makes her tough. She’s a good basketball player. She was the Class A Player of the Year last year for a reason. She’s probably up for the running this year in Class AA. Unfortunately, she’s coming back.”

By the end of the third quarter, the 12-point deficit had grown to 20. And to make matters worse for Williams Valley, the Vikings were held scoreless through the entire frame. They had several solid possessions but couldn’t get a single shot to fall. As a team, Williams Valley missed seven 3-point attempts in the quarter. Mallory Miller and Quin Smeltz were unlucky, as multiple attempts by each player rattled in and out of the basket.

After being outscored 8-0 and falling behind 27-7 at the start of the fourth quarter, hope was starting to fade.

Since the near end of the first quarter, Mountain View had outscored Williams Valley 25-2. That was until Quin Smeltz nailed a 3-pointer and converted a four-point play after drawing a foul and sinking the ensuing free throw with 4:49 left in regulation. Fast forward to the 1:44 mark in the fourth quarter, where the Eagles led 32-11 and decided it was time for a platoon swap. The Vikings followed suit, signaling the end was near for a remarkable Williams Valley season.

Ryleigh Kilmer added 10 points for the Eagles.

Mountain View rolled to a 32-14 victory over the Vikings and advanced to the PIAA Class AA semifinal round to face Berlin Brothersvalley, which defeated Marian 57-46 in the quarterfinals. Those two teams will play Friday, March 21, at a site and time to be announced.

For Williams Valley, the Vikings bid farewell to seniors Sage Smeltz and Jasmine Hechler while returning a talented group of experienced juniors, including Miller, Kobularik, Ireland Kasper, and Quin Smeltz.

“What they mean to the program is incredible,” Zellers said about his seniors. *”I started with them in seventh grade; we went through the junior high season undefeated. There were six or eight of them, and now we’re down to two. What Jasmine means to our team—she was hurt, she didn’t miss practice, she showed up every day, and we got her back in the lineup as soon as we could. She’s going to be tough to replace — her offense, her ability to handle the ball, just her speed.

“And Sage, where do I even start?” Zellers continued. “A 1,000-point scorer, the way she played for us — there aren’t enough words. All I can say is that they’re two great girls who are going to go on and do great things at the next level.”

As for his returning players and the future of the program, Zellers added:

“We need to keep working. We need to take this sour taste, take this feeling, and carry it over into the summertime. We need to get our shots, revamp what we’re not so good at or struggled with, and make it a strength. And I’m excited for next year. I’m excited to see what comes.”

Game Summary

PIAA Class AA
Quarterfinals
At Lake Lehman High School

Mountain View (32) — Sandes 1 0-0 2, R. Kilmer 3 2-2 10, Turner 0 0-0 0, Trichilo 2 0-0 4, Davis 0 0-0 0, Thatcher 0 0-0 0, A. Kilmer 5 3-4 16, Sedlak 0 0-0 0, Bishop-Russo 0 0-0 0, Anderson 0 0-0 0, Shea 0 0-0 0. Totals — 11 5-6 32.

Williams Valley (14) — Ziegler 0 0-0 0, Bixler 1 0-0 3, Heisey 0 0-0 0, Brill 0 0-0 0, Kobularik 0 0-0 0, Hechler 0 0-0 0, Hand 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, Q. Smeltz 3 1-1 9, S. Smeltz 1 0-2 2. Totals — 5 1-3 14.

MV (24-4) 7 … 12 … 8 … 5 — 32

WV (24-4) 5 … 2 … 0 … 7 — 14

3-Point FGs: R. Kilmer 2, A. Kilmer 3, Q. Smeltz 2, Bixler