Schuylkill Haven's Mckenna Runkle (right) drives the ball against Holy Redeemer's zone defense. Also pictured for the Hurricanes is Audrey Hutchinson (2) (Photo by Eli Doyle).

LEHIGHTON — Holy Redeemer’s pressure and sustained offense gradually created separation, and Schuylkill Haven never quite found the timely run it needed.

The Royals used a strong second and third quarter to pull away for a 51-36 victory over the Hurricanes in the PIAA Class 3A Girls’ Quarterfinal Round Friday at Lehighton Elementary School.

“Our girls’ really do play physically, and they do a great job at it,” Holy Redeemer coach John Jezorwski said. “I think speed is a big thing, so we try to get all over the floor. If we’re in a zone, we want it to look like a man-to-man defense and work to take certain things away. The DNA of this team is special.”

Holy Redeemer (21-8) advanced behind a dominant performance from senior guard McKenzie Chimock, who poured in a game-high 27 points, including three 3-pointers and a series of tough mid-range finishes that halted Haven momentum throughout the afternoon.

Schuylkill Haven (24-6) showed early composure. Ava Terefencko knocked down a 3-pointer off crisp ball movement, and Audrey Hutchinson and Mckenna Runkle attacked the zone to help the Hurricanes take a brief first-quarter lead. But Chimock, a southpaw sniper, answered with back-to-back triples in the final minute of the opening frame, pushing the Royals ahead 16-12.

The game tightened in the second quarter.

Runkle converted through contact and continued to battle on the offensive glass, trimming the deficit to one possession multiple times. However, Holy Redeemer’s extended 1-2-2 defense disrupted passing lanes and forced Schuylkill Haven into difficult perimeter looks. Chimock’s deep wing 3 and a late jumper from Kourtney Jezorwski helped the Royals take a 27-20 lead into halftime.

“That gave us some problems trying to run our offense,” Schuylkill Haven coach Tony Sanders said about Holy Redeemer’s defense. “They’re a very good team and we just couldn’t knock any shots down tonight.”

The decisive stretch came in the third.

After Haven opened the half with defensive energy, the Royals responded with a 7-0 run fueled by Chimock and Kira Millard. Holy Redeemer outscored the Hurricanes 10-6 in the quarter and extended the lead to 37-26 heading into the fourth.

Hutchinson tried to spark a rally late in the third, sneaking behind the defense for a steal and layup before the buzzer, and Runkle added a deep 3 in the fourth to cut the margin to 12. But each time Haven threatened, the Royals answered with interior buckets from Gillian Parsons and Bella Boylan.

Hutchinson tied a team-high for Schuylkill Haven with 13 points in her final game, while Runkle added 13 and Terefencko finished with nine before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

For Hutchinson, the loss closes the book on a decorated career. The lone senior helped guide the Hurricanes to back-to-back Schuylkill League championships, a pair of District 11 runner up fininses and two appearances in the PIAA playoffs. She also anchored this year’s 24-win campaign and set the tone with her physical play, rebounding and defensive intensity. Her leadership helped elevate Haven into a consistent postseason presence.

Schuylkill Haven won its first state playoff game since 1985 and its first appearance in the state quarters in 41 years.

“She has been amazing for us, she’s such a competitor,” Sanders said about Hutchinson. “She can lead the team in rebounding, lead the team in scoring, lead the team in steals — she’s going to be greatly missed next year.”

Despite Friday’s defeat, the foundation remains strong.

The Hurricanes return a loaded cast next season, including Runkle, Terefencko, Siket and a deep group of underclassmen who gained valuable state-playoff experience during this run. With nearly the entire rotation back, Haven’s future outlook remains bright.

Holy Redeemer’s size, patience and half-court execution ultimately proved too much, but the Hurricanes again showed resilience — battling on the glass and cutting into the deficit before the Royals delivered the final push.

“They’re a resilient bunch,” Sanders said about his team. “We had a few kids didn’t come out for this year’s team, but these girls stuck together and believed in the process, and this is where it got us.”

When both benches emptied in the closing seconds, Schuylkill Haven walked off knowing this season ended short of the state semifinals — but far from short on promise to continue to compete night-in and night-out and elevate its program.

Game Summary

PIAA Class 3A Girls’ Quarterfinal Round

At Lehighton Elementary School

HOLY REDEEMER (51) — Cegelcka 0 0-0 0, Chimock 9 6-7 27, Boylan 4 0-0 8, Millard 3 0-0 6, Parsons 2 2-4 6, Jezorwski 1 0-0 2, Quinn 0 0-0 0, Bilbow 1 0-0 2, Makarczyk 0 0-0 0, Curley 0 0-0 0, Glaser 0 0-0 0, Dutko 0 0-0 0, Sweet 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 8-11 51.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (36) — Hutchinson 5 3-7 13, Siket 0 1-2 1, Runkle 5 2-4 13, Terefencko 2 3-4 9, Strenkoski 0 0-0 0, Wade 0 0-0 0, Bayer 0 0-0 0, Brand 0 0-0 0, Benedict 0 0-0 0, Farrell 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 9-17 36.

3-point FGs: Terefencko 2, Runkle, Chimock 3

Officials: Williams, Glenn, Tucker