DANVILLE - Shamokin Area did some things Tuesday night - really good things - it hadn't been able to accomplish all year.
And because of that, the Indians also find themselves as a PIAA Class AAA state playoff qualifer for the fourth time in the last six years.
Better yet, they'll play again, most likely Friday night, for the right to call themselves District 4 champions.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
What the Indians did Tuesday night in a semifinal victory over Shikellamy was score 60 or more points - 62-50 was the final score - for the first time all season. Through all 22 regular season games, 52 was their high in a K of C Tournament semifinal victory over Sunbury Christian.
And the way they got there Tuesday night was even more impressive. Four of the starting five scored in double digits. The fifth,
Keena Zalar, was nearly there, finishing with eight. Shamokin hadn't had four players in double figures in a game all season.
"Who scored for us?" Indians coach Bill Callahan asked after the game. "I didn't even look at the book yet, but that might be the first time all year we were over 60."
It was the starting five that accounted for every one of Shamokin's points.
Olivia Bonshock, who knocked down two big three pointers in the game's first two minutes as the Indians raced out to an early lead, finished with a team-high 18. Steph Pancher was next with 16, with Sami Scicchitano and Kelsey Yacko contributing 10 apiece.
"I'm really proud of the kids," Callahan said. "Everything they did this year, they worked so hard to get to.
"Shikellamy is a quality team, and this win gets us into the state tournament. If you saw us at the beginning of the season, what were then and what we are now, these are hard-working kids."
The Indians never trailed, led by 7 (33-26) at the half and effectively took control with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter. Even so, Shikellamy put together two different 7-0 mini runs in the second half that kept the game respectable and kept the Braves within striking distance.
While Shamokin is assured of a state playoff berth - the top two Class AAA teams from District 4 make the state bracket - they can improve their standing with a victory over Danville in Friday night's final.
The Ironmen defeated Athens 29-24 in the other semifinal Tuesday night at Williamsport.
Game Summary
SHIKELLAMY (50) - Fatool 0 0-2 0, Angstadt 5 1-2 11, Smith 0 1-2 1, Onesi 9 0-0 22, Yerger 5 0-2 11, Young 2 0-0 5. Totals 21 2-8 50.
SHAMOKIN (62) - S. Pancher 5 6-6 16, Scicchitano 4 0-2 10, Bonshock 6 3-6 18, Yacko 5 0-2 10, Zalar 4 0-1 8, Britton 0 0-0 0, C. Pancher 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 9-17 62.
Shikellamy 9 17 7 17 - 50
Shamokin 16 17 19 10 - 62
3-point FGs: Onesi 4, Yerger, Young, Bonshock 3, Scicchitano 2.