Mt. Vernon withstands 'nightmare' scenario, punches ticket to state finals
Luke Ertel was on the bench with four fouls as Mt. Vernon's lead slipped. He returned to help Marauders punch ticket to state.
NEW CASTLE – It was nearing the middle of the third quarter of Saturday’s Class 4A semistate championship when Luke Ertel pulled up from the top of the key and drilled a 3-pointer to extend Mt. Vernon’s lead to 14 points over New Albany. The party was not yet on, but it was certainly headed that direction.
A first state berth so close that the Marauders could taste practically taste it. And then … it wasn’t. Perhaps no high school team in the state – a successful team, anyway – relies on one player to the extent fourth-ranked Mt.
Vernon does to fit the pieces of the puzzle precisely together. When Ertel picked up his third foul with 4:26 left in the third quarter, then his fourth 18 seconds later, the game shifted. “The worst situation,” Mt.
Vernon coach Joe Bradburn. “It is a nightmare. It’s surreal to have that pop up at you when you feel like you were controlling a lot of the game.
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