For the third straight year Mount Notre Dame finds itself in the championship game of the Ohio girls’ Division I state tournament.  The Cougars advanced to tonight’s title game with a 54-51 win over Pickerington Central on Friday night at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The game featured five ties and 11 lead changes and was decided in the final seconds.

The Cougars (24-3), ranked fourth in the state, jumped out to a 14-7 lead but trailed No. 9 Pickerington Central 28-27 by halftime.  The Cougars gained control of the game with a 17-7 third quarter outburst to take a 44-35 lead – their largest of the game - into the fourth quarter.

But Pickerington Central did not go away quietly and mounted a comeback in the final quarter.  Slowly chipping away at the lead, Pickerington Central finally tied the game at 51-51 on two free throws by Casey Drees with 37 seconds left in the game. 

Mount Notre Dame answered with sophomore Channing Hillman connecting on 1-of-2 free throws with 19 seconds left to give the Cougars the lead at 52-51. 

A potential game-winning possession for Pickerington Central was thwarted by a turnover by Emilee Harmon with nine seconds left and Beth Perry put the game away for the Cougars with two clutch free throws with seven seconds left in the game.

Seniors Lee Stephens and Katie Paganelli led Mount Notre Dame with 18 points each.  The Cougars shot 48.8 percent from the field for the game but were out-rebounded 30-25.  Harmon led Pickerington Central with 16 points.

Mount Notre Dame will play Solon (23-3) in the championship game tonight at 8:30 p.m. at Value City Arena.  Solon defeated Wadsworth 66-62 in the other semifinal game.

Mount Notre Dame won the title in 2004 and finished runner-up last season.