The Lancaster Catholic Crusaders have won their 5th state title by defeating Westmont Hilltop 56 to 39 at the Hershey Center tonight.

They did it with a stifling man-to-man defense that forced 28 turnovers. They did it with 2 of their stars Mary Bolesky and Rylee Kraft each scoring 22 points.

They opened the game with 3 treys and finished the game with 6 total.

They held Cordon, the best player on Westmont, to just 18 points which is 13 points under her game average.

They wanted Kraft to get the ball on the inside and Boleskey outside and open and they did just that.

Mary Bolesky finished her career at Catholic with 1,345 points. She will attend American University next year and play basketball for them as well.

Lancaster Catholic girls basketball won a state title in just the second season of girls basketball back in 1974. They were looking for their fifth fifty years later.

The Crusaders were on a mission after falling in last year’s state semifinals against Dunmore and battled all the way to this year’s 3A state championship against Westmont Hilltop.

Lancaster Catholic came into the championship at the Giant Center with just two losses all season and they shot the ball like they weren’t ready to make it three. The Crusaders shot the lights out in the first half, but the Hilltoppers stuck around, with Lancaster Catholic holding just a six point lead at the half.

“I felt so heartbroken for them last year,” Lancaster Catholic head coach Charlie Detz said. “We were so close and we really felt like we had things rolling going into that Dunmore game so for us to be able to come back with all eyes on us, all targets on us and still be able to get through it and accomplish this, it’s just a great feeling for me but it’s nothing compared to what they feel right now and deservedly so.”

“Ever since last year in that semifinal game we’ve been hungry and we just really wanted this and I could not be prouder of this team we just came out all season and just worked our tails off all season and just showed up tonight,” senior forward Rylee Kraft said.

“Very motivating,” senior guard Mary Bolesky said. “Just keeping your head down and going to work. We had a full year to dwell on it and realize what we could do better and we were able to execute and that is a special feeling to work hard and get the goal that you wanted.”