Irizarry leads Guerin

Updated: March 23, 2011 2:24PM

Exactly one year came between the Class 3A Regional final between Guerin and Elmwood Park and not much changed. The Gators won their second straight regional crown with a four-point win, this time 42-38 over the Tigers at Holy Cross Athletic Center in River Grove.

Guerin senior guard Desi Irizarry led all scorers with 14 points and helped inspire a 9-2 run to start the second half that gave the Gators their first lead of the contest. Elmwood Park came out controlling the game at the start, and Guerin needed to regroup at halftime if they were to have any hopes of a repeat victory.

"We just had to keep our composure and keep playing strong," Irizarry said. "We knew it was our gym, and we wanted to win, and we had the heart for it. We focused just on the game the whole time, and we caught them sleeping and took advantage of it."

Irizarry had a pair of three-point plays that brought the Gators back into the game, one of which came on an inbounds pass steal early in the second half. Sophomore center Sara Brodner had a strong game scoring eight points with senior forward Sarah Turlan adding six. Junior guard Kalie DiNunno scored just five points, but they came on six free throw attempts, four of which came in the final minute including two that sealed the game with 8.2 seconds remaining. Sophomore Cara Yacobucci was perfect in her four free throw attempts as well.

Elmwood Park took the home crowd energy from Guerin and channeled that to their advantage from the outset. They kept the Gators confused as the Tigers executed their game plan while Guerin was trying to find their rhythm. Senior forward Ashley DiCristofano scored 11 points in that first half but couldn't hit the score sheet in the second. Senior guard Meghan McNulty six of her 10 in the first half as well. Sophomore guard Joanna Bukowinski added nine points in the loss.

"Our defense has always been our back bone," said Elmwood Park head coach Brian Linhart. "We had our energy back that I thought we had lost late in the season. The intensity of the girls showed that they were hungry, but we came out of the half in a comfort zone."

Guerin now moves on in the Marine Military Academy Sectional to face Crane on Tuesday evening.

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