Marian Catholic girls’ varsity basketball team secured its fourth consecutive sectional championship with a 33-29 victory over Providence Catholic, earning a berth in the super-sectionals.
The Spartans entered the game with a 27-8 overall record (7-5 in conference play) after narrowly defeating Butler 46-42 in the sectional semifinals. Meanwhile, Providence Catholic, known as the Celtics, advanced to this stage following a 57-41 win over Thornton Fractional North.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, with Marian Catholic holding a slim 17-13 lead at halftime. Senior shooting guard Taylor Bolton and senior shooting forward Gracie Jensen led the Spartans with four points each. According to the game report, Providence’s Taylor Healy kept the Celtics competitive with five points.
The defensive battle continued into the second half, with Marian leading 22-18 at the end of the third quarter. The Celtics fought back in the fourth quarter, fueled by Healy’s six-point surge, closing the gap to 24-23 with just under three minutes remaining.
Marian senior point guard Alainna Poisson responded decisively with a clutch three-pointer, extending the Spartans’ lead to 27-23. “I was just ecstatic,” Poisson said. “We were missing shots all game, so to hit that one and give us some breathing room was incredible.”
Healy kept Providence competitive by narrowing their deficit to 29-27 with less than a minute left on the clock. Poisson added a free throw, and after a key foul situation, Jensen stepped up to make crucial free throws despite earlier struggles from the line. “Taylor and Alainna told me to hold my follow-through and stay calm,” Jensen said. “If I don’t have them behind me, we wouldn’t be this far.”
Jensen’s successful free throws sealed Marian Catholic’s 33-29 victory and another sectional title for her team.
Reflecting on their performance and future challenges, Bolton said: “This was my last game on this floor, so I wanted to leave everything out there.” She added that going into super-sectionals with this win gives them confidence for what lies ahead.
Providence head coach Eileen Copenhaver praised her team’s resilience despite their loss. “We knew it would be a tough battle,” Copenhaver said. She noted that turnovers were costly in such a low-scoring game but expressed pride in her players’ efforts: “I’m super proud of my kids—they played their hearts out.”
Marian Catholic now turns its focus to continuing its postseason success as they advance to super-sectionals.