Pictured above: The Montrose defense, including Riley Keihl and Hayley Pompey (15) is allowing less than 24 points during a five-game winning streak.
Montrose’s defense did not just hold Northwest scoreless for nearly six minutes to begin the second half Saturday night, it seldom let the Lady Rangers come close.
The Lady Meteors scored the first six points of the second half on the way to a 46-28 victory in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 2A girls basketball first-round state tournament game.
Montrose led 24-15 at halftime.
The Lady Meteors then forced four turnovers on the first five Lady Rangers possessions of the second half. Two of the turnovers were on steals that Montrose turned into layups in the first 1:10 of the half.
Hayley Pompey made a steal and set up a Riley Keihl layup, then scored off a Mya Snyder steal and assist.
Before scoring for the first time in the second half, Northwest committed a fifth turnover and was 0-for-9 from the floor with a shot blocked by Paley Adams and two airballs.
Gracie Dalton set up Pompey for another inside basket and a 30-15 lead.
After Morgan Hermanofski scored Northwest’s only basket of the third quarter, Dalton scored and Mya Snyder went 3-for-4 from the line to complete an 11-2 quarter for a 35-17 lead.
Mia Snyder went 7-for-8 from the line in the fourth quarter and added the only Montrose basket of the last eight minutes to score 9 of her 14 points.
Pompey also scored 14 points to share the team scoring lead. She had 10 in the first half, including six in the second quarter.
Northwest was led by Hermanofski with three 3-pointers and 13 points. Karsyn Miner added nine points.
The strong state opener, in a meeting of 20-win teams, followed up a record-tying effort in the district championship game when Montrose defeated Old Forge, 42-15. It matched the least points allowed in eight years of title games at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Montrose (21-4) has allowed just 23.6 points per game and won by an average of 27.8 points during its five-game winning streak.
The Lady Meteors moved into the second round of the state tournament against District 11 champion Marian Catholic (25-2) in a game scheduled for Tuesday at Holy Redeemer at 7 p.m.
Northwest, the third-place team from District 4, finished 20-7.
