Full Coleman Catholic game story

Due to space constarints, my game stories from the MHAL semifinals Thursday were chopped for the print edition.
Below is the full story from the Spackenkill-Coleman Catholic.
It was good to see Coleman Catholic senior point guard Taylor Leonard back on the court.

STONE RIDGE – When Taylor Leonard got off the bench and ran to the scorer’s table to check in, the John A. Coleman Catholic crowd in the bleachers went nuts as they gave her a rousing ovation.
The Coleman Catholic senior point guard took her first step onto a basketball court this season after suffering an ACL injury in her right knee on a drive to the basket back in September in a college showcase.
“I went up there and everyone went nuts,” Leonard said. “I got an adrenaline rush. But when I got on the court, I felt like myself. It felt normal again.”
Leonard put up her first shot as the crowd gasped, but it was an air ball. But shooters keep shooting.
Leonard came back and hit a big 3-pointer with 1:49 left in the first half as Coleman Catholic held off Spackenkill, 52-48, in the MHAL semifinals Thursday at SUNY Ulster.
The smile on her face was priceless. The crowd noise was deafening.
“I didn’t think I’d play this much,” said Leonard, who finished with nine points, including two 3-pointers. “I guess I had to work out the kinks. I’m still hesitant driving. But I still have confidence shooting.”
Coleman Catholic will face Wallkill in the MHAL championship 6 p.m. Friday at SUNY Ulster.
Leonard got her first taste of a close game when she went to the free throw line with 47 seconds to play and missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with Coleman Catholic clinging to a five-point lead. But she came right back and hit 3-of-4 free throws to ice the win.
“That’s Taylor time,” she said with a smile.
“That was an emotional lift,” said Coleman Catholic coach Guy Leonard, Taylor’s father. “I really wanted her to be on the floor in the final seconds and give us that senior leadership.”
Melody O’Connor had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Shamari Brodhead had nine points and eight rebounds for Coleman Catholic (14-3, 12-3 MHAL). Lauren Carnevali had fourpoints, three blocks and seven rebounds.
Leonard, who was cleared to play on Feb. 11, is used to hitting big shots. Leonard hit the game-winning 3-pointer that gave Coleman Catholic its first state championship last year. She hit another huge long ball before that to set up the game-winner.
But Leonard spent of much of the season on the bench in her uniform acting as another coach as she helped teammates Lauren Carnevali and Miranda Bernholz run the point.
Leonard spent hours rehabbing and fought to get back early in hopes of saving her senior season. And in hopes of winning another state championship.
“I just feel like all my hard work has paid off,” she said. “It’s amazing to be back.”
mwassef@th-record.com