Wertenberger's block, two free throws lifts Sacred Heart to state final

LINCOLN, Neb. - With the game on the line, Falls City Sacred Heart's Jessica Wertenberger stepped up in the games biggest moment to make the play of her career. 

After a series of timeouts, Humphrey St. Francis, trailing 31-29 had the ball with 14.9 seconds to play in overtime. Senior Emma Baumgart drove to the right, slipping past Jentry Lechtenberg and appeared to have an open lane to the basket.

But the 5-foot-10 Wertenberger came seemingly out of nowhere, erasing the the shot with her left hand and securing the rebound in the process with 4.6 seconds left. 

She was fouled, knocked down two free throws and sent the Irish to the state championship for the 13th time in school history in a 33-29 victory at the Devaney Center.

Wertenberger finished with 16 points to lead all scorers including 10 made free throws. 

St. Francis (20-7) led for nearly the entire second half after the game was tied at 17 at halftime. Then Jentry Lechtenberg snagged an offensive rebound and drew a foul, splitting a pair of free throws to give the Irish a 28-27 lead.

Baumgart stole a pass on the following possession and scored on a coast-to-coast layup to reclaim the lead for HSF late in the fourth. 

FCSH tied the game again at 29 to send the game to the extra period. 

Lechtenberg scored a put back lay in on the opening possession of OT to give the Irish a 31-29 lead, and that is where the game stayed until Wertenberger's game-winning block nearly three and a half minutes later. 

With the win, Sacred Heart clinched its third straight appearance in the D-2 finals. 

Kylee Wessel led the Flyers with 9 points and Isabel Preister--the teams top scorer-- finished with six, but was held scoreless in the second half and overtime. 

Box Score: 

HSF (20-7): 9, 8, 10, 2, 0 - 29

FCSH (25-3): 8, 9, 6, 6, 4 - 33