Maddie McFillin (above) made her return to the court in the state quarterfinals. (Photo courtesy Matt Smith/PennLive)
By Corky Blake
Archbishop Carroll’s girls basketball team was in desperate need of a spark in the first half of its PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal game against Central Dauphin on Friday night at Liberty High School’s Memorial Gym.
The District 12 champion Patriots offensively scuffled through the first quarter shooting 3-for-13 overall while not making one visit to the free throw line. They trailed 8-7 entering the second quarter despite forcing nine Central Dauphin turnovers.
When her team was unable to inbound the ball under its basket and was whistled for a five-seconds infraction, Archbishop Carroll coach Renie Shields looked to her left and summoned Maddie McFillin to enter the game – for the first time all season.
McFillin’s last organized basketball game came to a crashing halt last spring in a travel team tournament in Atlantic City. She tore the ACL in her left knee when a part of the temporary court gave way.