OLSH wins historic PIAA title, ties state record with 68 straight wins
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Friday, March 25, 2022 | 4:41 PM
OLSH’s Bryson Kirschner (4) and Dawson Summers celebrate after defeating Constitution in the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele scores past Constitution defenders during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Bryson Kirschner drives past Constitution’s Simere Blagman during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Dawson Summers pulls down a rebound against Constitution during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele scores past Constitution’s Jamal Carr during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH head coach Mike Rodriguez hugs Rocco Spadafora late in the PIAA Class 2A championship game against Constitution Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Bryson Kirschner celebrates after scoring next to Constitution’s Simere Blagman during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele shoots a 3-pointer against Constitution’s Jamal Carr during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer during the PIAA Class 2A championship game against Constitution on Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele battles Constitution’s Simere Blagman for a loose ball during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer during the PIAA Class 2A championship game against Constitution on Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
The OLSH boys basketball team celebrates with the state championship trophy after defeating Constitution in the PIAA Class 2A final Friday, March 25, 2022, at Giant Center in Hershey.
HERSHEY — “Historic” is now the perfect word to describe Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s dominance.
The Chargers tied the state’s longest winning streak and became the first boys basketball team in nearly 60 years to celebrate back-to-back undefeated PIAA titles Friday when they defeated Constitution, 92-71, in the PIAA Class 2A final at Giant Center.
The win was their 68th in a row, tying a widely recognized Pennsylvania record set by West Philadelphia in 1976-78.
“It’s hard to say we’re not the best dynasty in WPIAL history,” OLSH senior Jake DiMichele said. “Name me another school that won back-to-back state titles undefeated. Won four straight WPIAL championships. Won 68 games in a row.
“You can’t.”
When the Giant Center clock reached zeroes, OLSH joined Darby Colwyn as the only teams in state history to win consecutive PIAA titles with an undefeated record both years. Darby Colwyn, a school in Delaware County, went 25-0 in 1962 and 1963. OLSH finished 28-0 this winter and 24-0 last season.
OLSH coach Mike Rodriguez agreed with historic but added his own word: “humbling.”
“Gene Banks isn’t on this team,” said Rodriquez, naming a star from those great West Philadelphia teams of the ’70s. “I’ve got five fantastic starters and a great group of guys who come off the bench and support us, but we’re not the West Philadelphia teams of back then and we’re not Midland. But I will tell you, we’re probably one of the best teams in our classification.”
That was true again Friday.
In a rematch of last year’s state championship, DiMichele had 25 points and 11 rebounds and five teammates scored in double figures. OLSH sprinted to an early 11-0 lead and never trailed.
Key was the play in the paint by 6-foot-5 Dawson Summers and 6-3 Bryson Kirschner, who each scored 16 points. Rocco Spadafora had 13 points, B.J. Vaughn had 12 and Kevin Wilson added 10.
OLSH shot 57% from the field, 18 for 21 from the foul line and 8 for 19 from 3-point range. Summers went 8 for 12 from the field, and Kirschner was 6 for 6.
They also helped OLSH win the rebounding battle 37-33.
“We knew the more work we could put in underneath would take pressure off all of our guards,” Summers said. “It was key that we could alleviate some of that pressure.”
Jacob Beccles led Constitution (22-9) with 29 points, Lamar Glover had 20 and Jamal Carr had 15. OLSH was determined to cut off routes to the basket, so its defense crowded the lane.
Beccles went 12 for 21 shooting, and Glover went 10 for 28.
“We needed to focus on Beccles and Glover,” Rodriquez said. “We needed to limit their dribble penetration. We were sagging off to take away their penetration, because if we take away their penetration, then you keep your big guys in the game.”
Constitution went 1 for 13 from 3-point range.
OLSH led 23-17 after the first quarter and 39-32 at half. The Chargers took command in the third by outscoring their Philadelphia opponent, 24-10, and entered the fourth with a 63-42 lead.
“It came down to that punch in the face in the first two minutes of the game, and us not making free throws early just put us in such a hole,” Constitution coach Rob Moore said. “With a team that’s just that good offensively, it’s hard to dig out of that hole.”
OLSH’s winning streak stretches back to January 2020. The Chargers had a 16-game winning streak when the PIAA playoffs were canceled in the early days of the pandemic. Earlier this season they broke the record for the longest WPIAL winning streak.
“People don’t realize how hard it is,” DiMichele said. “Two straight years of every single game, everybody wants to come out and beat us because of the streak and everything around us. It’s a testament to how much work we put in. A testament to how focused we are.”
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
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