For Bethlehem Catholic’s girls’ basketball team, last year’s state playoff against Bonner Prendergast was the game that got away, and the Hawks never forgot that.

“We just knew, coming out, we do not want to repeat last year,” said Becahi center Abby Brown. “We practiced our fast breaks, we practiced pushing and pushing and pushing because we wanted to get off to that quick start and jump to the big lead. That way, at the end, it didn’t come down to the refs like last year.”

The lead came, and the lead went, but it came back again, and the Hawks defeated the Pandas, 64-50, in the PIAA State Class 4A semifinal last Tuesday at Souderton High School.

“Right now, it just feels great,” Brown said.

Both teams pushed a fast-paced first quarter, and Becahi guard Jaleesa Lanier fired off threes that wouldn’t miss.

“I really honestly thank my teammates because they got me open a lot,” said Lanier. “There was a lot of hacking going on but we’ve played aggressive teams before, so I’m used to it and just wanted to keep pushing through.”

The Hawks slowed things down to start the second quarter, but the Pandas sped them up halfway through, and Becahi forward Briana Barnard was in foul trouble with three.

Leading 25-19 at halftime, the Hawks still had last year’s game on their mind, especially after the Pandas came back to tie on consecutive buckets by Ariana McGeary, Alexis Eagan, and Maeve McCann.

“My heart stopped and it felt like a flashback to last year,” said Brown. “I give credit to number-24 (McGeary). She was really good, really strong. Every girl out there wanted it.”

After Bonner’s Dakota McGaughan put the Pandas ahead with a three, the Pandas took 60 seconds off the clock but got called for a travel.

That’s when Becahi forward Kourtney Wilson hit a jumper and Barnard scored on an off balance shot underneath the basket. Isabelle Rosario came up with a steal, Lanier made two free throws, and the fourth quarter began in a 35-35 tie.

Bonner missed three foul shots early in the fourth, Lanier made another three, Keyara Walters added two more points, and the Hawks were on their way to putting the game away.

“Everything was going to be OK when there were 53 seconds in the fourth quarter,” said Lanier. “I was like, yes, we made it.”