By Taylor Cook
Siren Sports Reporter
Friday’s game between Lincoln Park and West Middlesex was the game you didn’t want to miss.
Slippery Rock’s Morrow Fieldhouse was full of excitement and nerves as Lincoln Park and West Middlesex played neck and neck for the entirety of the game. It wasn’t until the final seconds when Lincoln Park’s Antonio Kellem scored the winning shot for a 47-45 victory in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals.
The tension during Friday’s game actually started minutes before the first quarter began. It started when West Middlesex resident and current Lincoln Park student Kenzie Palmer sang the National Anthem before the game. She received boos from the out of control West Middlesex fans, but lively cheers from the Lincoln Park fans. Instantly, the two schools became rivals during a game they wouldn’t forget.
By the end of the first quarter, the score showed that the game would be a close one with Lincoln Park ahead by two at 17-15. It became even closer when the second quarter ended with West Middlesex in the lead by one point, at 27-26. You can only imagine how close the game was after the third quarter, when Lincoln Park had a one point lead on West Middlesex at 35-34.
But it wasn’t until the fourth quarter when the most exciting part of the night happened. Lincoln Park was down by two at 45-43 with only 25 seconds remaining in the game. Lincoln Park’s Jaylyn Cottrill scored and tied the game at 45-45 with 11.5 seconds on the clock.
West Middesex had the ball, but freshman Antonio Kellem didn’t even have time to think before he got control of a high dribble ball. Kellem raced down the court for the winning shot and scored in the final second.
Senior Trey Hosack led the Leopards with 13 points, and sophomore Ryan Skovranko chipped in 11.
Friday’s game against West Middlesex will be talked about for years to come. It was thrilling to attend such a nerve-racking game and it only makes me wonder what’s in store for Lincoln Park at Tuesday’s game against Ridgeway.
If I were a betting person, my money would be on Lincoln Park.