Sacred Heart goes back-to-back in Class D-2 as Wynot's game-winner falls short

LINCOLN, Neb. - It isn't easy to win a championship and it certainly isn't easy to win two in a row, but somehow the girls of Falls City Sacred Heart found a way against Wynot in a slugfest Saturday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Foul trouble. Turnovers. Missed shots. Devastating injuries. Two powerhouse programs.
The Class D-2 title had everything in the final game of the girls' basketball season. And of course, it took until the final possession to crown a champion.
Sacred Heart (26-3) had a 33-32 lead after two Jentry Lechtenberg free throws with 21.9 seconds left. Wynot had the basketball after the teams traded turnovers and a few timeouts.
Coach Steve Wieseler drew up the final play in the huddle as the Blue Devils looked to hold for the final shot. Guard Kinslee Heimes--who already knocked in three 3-pointers--had the ball in her hands.
After dribbling around numerous screens, Heimes finally found space nearly five feet behind the men's three-point line and heaved a shot toward the far-right basket as the final seconds ticked away.
Short.
And from there, the Irish celebrated their eighth state championship just beyond center court with a one-point win.

The Irish led 4-0 after one quarter of play as the Blue Devils were 0-11 from the field and 0-2 from the foul line. The Blue Devils first basket came via the bank on a Heimes 3-pointer with 5:22 to go in the second quarter, trimming the Irish lead to seven.
FCSH pushed the lead to 14-3, but Wynot stormed back with an 11-3 run over the final four minutes to get within three at 17-14 at the break.
Each team had double-digit turnovers in the first half alone, but the Irish still managed to build a 29-21 lead late in the third with continued ball security issues.
Jessica Wertenberger went to set a screen for senior guard Delanie Witt and was bulldozed over, taking a shot above her left eye. As Witt dribble to her left, she, too, went down with a non-contact knee injury.
From there, Wynot (18-10) stormed back with an 11-0 run to take its first and only lead of the game with 2:32 to play in the fourth. Heimes hit the game-tying and go-ahead 3-pointers and in the blink of an eye, the Blue Devils were on the cusp of their ninth state championship.
But the tournament's No. 1 overall seed reclaimed the lead when Lechtenberg was fouled, and she sank both free throws as the Irish defended the Blue Devils final possession forcing an air ball at the buzzer.
Wertenberger led the way with 11 points while going a perfect 7-7 from the line. Makinley Scholl added 10 points and four boards off the bench. FCSH led for 24:55 of game time despite having 19 turnovers.
The Blue Devils shot 10-33 from the field and committed 17 turnovers of their own, one of which came with a one-point lead late in the game. Heimes was Wynot's high scorer with 11 points, going 3-5 from deep.
Box Score:
Wynot (18-10) 0, 14, 7, 11 - 32
FCSH (26-3) 4, 13, 12, 4 - 33