SECTION 4 GIRLS' BASKETBALL: ND STARTS FAST, FINISHES STRONG AS THEY ADVANCE IN SECTIONALS (24 PHOTOS) (February 24, 2026)

BY BRIAN FEES
Southern Tier Sports Report
SOUTHPORT — After jumping out to a double-digit lead early in the game, the Notre Dame girls’ basketball team suddenly found themselves in a tie game with Marathon in the second half.

The Crusaders had been in this position before and saw a game slip away against Marathon. They weren’t about to let that happen in this year’s sectional playoffs, as they used a quick steal and layup, followed by a three-pointer to go ahead on their way to a 44-37 win.

“Last year we lost to Marathon in this exact moment, so it’s nice to come back and get a win and move on,” senior Kalysta Demark said. “We haven’t moved on in quite a while.

“We played them like last week and lost by three. They beat us twice, so it was nice to come back and beat them.”

The Crusaders were not going to let Marathon complete the comeback on Tuesday. 

“That’s what happened last time, we were kind of tied the whole time and they kind of took it away at the end and we just knew we couldn’t let that happen again,” DeMark said.

Notre Dame led 13-1 to start the game and they ended the first quarter on a shot beyond half-court by DeMark to put the Crusaders up 18-5 after one quarter.

Marathon fought back in the second quarter and were within 22-17 at the half after holding the Crusaders to four second-quarter points.

In the third quarter Marathon tied the game at 28, and it was 30-28 Notre Dame after three quarters.

It was a two-point game in the fourth when Notre Dame got a steal and a layup, and then Emily Coseo hit a three that quickly stretched the lead to seven and had the crowd going crazy. A steal and a layup by Payton Sutryk had Notre Dame up nine as they closed out the game.

“I said to the girls, pure energy and effort from the start,” coach Cara Hope said. “Lets’ try to get deflections, pressure their guards  alittle bit, get steals and quick baskets.”

And, when Marathon came back the Crusaders were able to get focused again and close out the game.

“Refocused and that was our mindset going into this,” Hope said. “We knew we were undersized, we knew we were going to have to box out and really battle underneath. Every girl impacted the game in some way, which was a total team effort and I’m proud of them.”

DeMark was happy with the way the team closed out the game.

“I’m really proud, we definitely came together as a team and that’s what we needed to do,” DeMark said. “I think it was the best team basketball we have played. Definitely defense first, then score second.”

The end of the regular season didn’t go exactly the way the team had planned. But, they were able to put those games behind them and reset for the playoffs.

“We got in the gym, and regrouped as a team, did some team bonding,” DeMark said. “We realized we are a team and we have to play as a team, and not individually.

“A new season, we think of it as a new beginning. It’s a new season like it’s Novemeber again.”

The team knew they had to regroup before the playoffs. 

“We have had several talks, about team, what it. Means, who we are and we just got back to who we are as a team,” Hope said. 

And, the team just saw Marathon and they were learned from that game.

“We just played them last week and lost,” Hope said. “We changed up our game plan a little bit and it worked.”

The team battled some injuries down the stretch with starter Jhamariah Maxwell out of the lineup.

“Unfortunately, Jhamariah is out for the season,” Hope said. “No one does what she does on the court, so eveyrone just has to do a little bit more and try and make up for what she brought to the team.”

That meant two freshmen — Lauren Coseo and Maci McWhorter — in the starting lineup for the Crusaders.

“They have definitely stepped up,” DeMark said. “Maci with her defense, Lauren with her midrange shots. They are both great, they both stepped up when we needed them to.”

McWhorter had a double-digit game for the Crusaders on Tuesday with 12 points, along with five steals and four rebounds.

A lot of players stepped up in the game. Early in the game Sutryk got a couple early fouls and had to sit for a stretch, which led to some early minutes for younger players, who stepped up and contained the talented post players for Marathon, before Sutryk came back in and finished the game with six points, six boards and two steals.

“Every kid on our team stepped up in a way,” Hope said. “From Libby (Meisner, who had three steals and two boards), who doesn’t play a lot, and came in and gave us great defense, boxed out. We were undersized, but we still fought.”

DeMark had 14 points, three assists, three steals and a rebound in the game and Emily Coseo had 10 points, three boards and two steals.

Lauren Coseo had three steals and four boards, with two points and DaNasia Darrow had three rebounds. 

This is the first time in her career that DeMark has been a part of a win in sectionals, and she knows the win can only help the team.

“We needed our confidence to come back up and I think that happened today,” DeMark said.

Notre Dame, the sixth-seed, will head to No. 3 Bainbridge-Guilford at 6 p.m. on Friday. 

“I think we can make it far, now that we started to play as a team and together,” DeMark said. 
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME:

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