A district matchup between two top-15 teams in the state can be a rare occurrence.
But inside the small gym known as “The Finn” in Covington, 15th-ranked Notre Dame took down 12th-ranked Holy Cross, 55-42, securing the top seed for the 35th District tournament.
As every opponent knows, facing the Indians means preparing for a high-intensity battle—and the Pandas met them head-on, matching their energy.
“Over the last two days, we went high-intensity,” Notre Dame assistant coach Marty Rankin said. “Not as much as we actually did last year because we know what they’re going to do, but we keep teaching effort, toughness, and fight.”
Despite the Pandas’ relentless defense and the Indians’ shooting struggles—hitting just 13-of-51 attempts—the game remained tightly contested in three of the four quarters. However, a lopsided second quarter made all the difference, as the Indians were outscored 16-3.
“We got sped up a little bit more than we would have liked,” Holy Cross coach Ted Arlinghaus said. “They do a good job of full-court pressure, and that wears you down. You want to make them pay for pressing you, and I think we made a conscious effort to try and do that, but we didn’t convert like we wanted to.”
Despite constant lineup changes from the Pandas, one thing remained steady: Maya Lawrie’s leadership on both ends of the floor.
The senior guard nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, but her impact extended far beyond the stat sheet.
“I really don’t focus on stats at all,” Lawrie said. “I just want to do anything and everything and play as hard as I can. Stats will come if I do, so that’s my mentality. I just always try to help my teammates and be positive for them. As a senior, I feel like it’s my job or role to be there and do it the best I can because they always work so hard.”
Notre Dame’s height advantage proved to be another decisive factor in the game.
The Pandas’ center, Sophia Gibson, dominated with 25 points in an aspect of the game where the Indians had previously excelled, thanks to their former star Julia Hunt—now a Division I volleyball player at the University of Washington.
“It was nice to have an advantage for once after four or five years, but it’s a different story when you don’t have to face Julia,” Rankin said. “We dominated in the paint, and Sophia being back from concussion protocol was a huge difference. She didn’t even practice much the last couple of days, so she had a minutes limit.”
Gibson was the leading scorer for Notre Dame with 25 points. On the other side, Aumani Nelson led the Indians with 20 points.
Along with securing the top seed in the district tournament, the Pandas also clinched a spot in the 9th Region tournament, benefiting from a shortened field after Holmes opted not to field a team this year.
That sets the stage for a potential rematch in the district championship, which would mark the sixth consecutive season these two teams have battled for the title.
“We didn’t convert and shoot at our normal percentages,” Arlinghaus said. “That’s uncharacteristic for us, but we get to host the district in three weeks, so we get another game on our home court. That’s not a bad thing.”
Holy Cross (20-4) will have a quick turnaround as they host Campbell County on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame (16-4) faces a challenging stretch ahead, with matchups against George Rogers Clark, Assumption, and Sacred Heart. First up, they hit the road to take on Ryle on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.
Photo gallery below, provided by Charles Bolton:
PANDAS 55, INDIANS 42
NOTRE DAME — 10-16-11-18— 55
HOLY CROSS — 10-3-11-18— 42
Scoring
NOTRE DAME (55)— Gibson 25, M. Lawrie 10, Eberhard 6, Holtzapfel 6, A. Lawrie 4, Burden 4
HOLY CROSS (42) — Nelson 20, Johnson 8, Williams 8, Arlinghaus 3, Carter 3
Game Stats
Field Goals: Notre Dame 23/54, Holy Cross 13/51
3-Pointers: Notre Dame 1/14, Holy Cross 3/19
Free Throws: Notre Dame 8/21, Holy Cross 13/22
Rebounds: Notre Dame 45, Holy Cross 31
Assists: Notre Dame 14, Holy Cross 6
Turnovers: Notre Dame 19, Holy Cross 16
Steals: Notre Dame 8, Holy Cross 13
Blocks: Notre Dame 7, Holy Cross 3
Fouls: Notre Dame 15, Holy Cross 17
Records: Notre Dame 16-4, Holy Cross 20-4