Grace O’Neill (above) had 18 points as Carroll came from behind to beat Wood. (Photo: Andrew Robinson/CoBL)
By Andrew Robinson
Grace O’Neill wasn’t thinking about payback.
Revenge isn’t a valid motive, it’s an emotional response, so the Archbishop Carroll senior wasn’t thinking about the agonizing loss she and her team suffered last year in Archbishop Wood’s gym in the PCL semifinals. Well, maybe it did cross the Drexel recruit’s mind once or twice, but it was more the feeling of being on the other side as she and Brooke Wilson led a ferocious fourth-quarter charge.
This wasn’t vengeance, it was just a really good win over a really good team as the Patriots delivered an early haymaker to the PCL standings with their 44-38 win over the defending champion Vikings on Thursday night.
“Just being focused on this game was all we were trying to key in on,” O’Neill, who scored 18 points, said. “I know the feeling being, I think we were up two, so I know that feeling of seeing it slip away but that can’t be where you focus. Brooke did a great job finishing off her foul shots and that definitely helped us get the win.”