Gettysburg overcomes Lau's record 33 points to reach AAA final

Lau's Giant Center scoring record not enough; Warriors to meet Lancaster Mennonite in District 3 AAA final
By Gorden Blain
HERSHEY—Northeastern’s 5-foot-11 junior Autumn Lau seized control of the second half of the Bobcats’ PIAA District 3 girls AAA semifinal against Gettysburg on Wednesday at Giant Center.
She scored at will inside, outside and at the foul line, making sensational play after sensational play. In all, she scored 29 points in the second half.

Her effort first produced a 57-51 lead with six minutes left in the game and when Gettysburg rallied to take the lead, she tied the game four different times over the final three and half minutes, the last time at 68-68 when she sank two free throws with 16.8 seconds left in the game.

But Gettysburg never left her and the Bobcats get a firm grip on the game to lead to a victory.

Despite a Giant Center girls record 33 points by Lau, Gettysburg had the final answer and defeated Northeastern 70-68 when Ambraea Johnson sliced to the basket for a layup with four seconds left for the game-winning layup.

Gettysburg (20-7) will face Lancaster Mennonite (26-4) in the PIAA District 3 AAA championship game at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday at Giant Center. Mennonite defeated Lampeter-Strasburg 59-26 in the other semifinal played at Giant Center on Wednesday.

Gettysburg last played in a district championship game in 2001 when they lost to Central Dauphin in the AAAA final. This is Mennonite’s first district championship game.
Northeastern (20-7) will face Lampeter-Strasburg (23-4) for third place.

Northeastern led 29-26 at halftime and 50-45 after three quarters. Autumn’s sister Amber, who finished with 23 points, scored to push the lead to 52-45 to start the fourth quarter.

That’s when Gettysburg began to heat up to match Autumn Lau’s hot hand.

Caitlyn Lowe drilled four three-pointers, Katelyn Jacobs added another three-point basket and Johnson drove to the basket twice for baskets to answer Autumn Lau’s 14 straight fourth quarter points—Northeastern’s final 14 points of the game. Lowe’s third three-pointer gave Gettysburg the lead at 59-57 with 3:50 left to play. Four ties later, Lau’s two free throws tied the game for the fifth time in the quarter at 68-68.

But Johnson and the Warriors had the final say. Lowe led Gettysburg with 24 points. Johnson had 13 and Katie Williams scored 11. Jessica King scored 10 for Northeastern.