Knowing they still had a game to play, the Wildcats would quickly compose themselves following the ceremony. And they’d proceed to compose themselves again and again throughout the night, as the Blue Devils gave them all they could handle.

Though Bellwood-Antis took its first lead of the game midway through the fourth, Central Mountain’s drive to win never wavered. Its senior class played lights out for the rest of the period, making multiple contested layups and converting from the line when it mattered, as the Wildcats pulled out the 56-53 victory.

“We never got down, not once,” said Central Mountain senior Taylor Doyle on the win. “When we walked into the locker room after the ceremony, we all were sad, but we had to put the emotions away, come out here and play the game for Mike because in all, that’s what this game was for.”

Doyle had a rough start to the game, missing her first eight shots from the field before obtaining one just before the half ended. But when it mattered most in the second half, the team’s leading scorer rose to the occasion.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Ava Doyle (31) and Taylor Doyle (25) look to grab a rebound during the team's game against Bellwood-Antis on Wednesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 56-53.

With just over three minutes left in the game, Bellwood’s Lily Gerwert (16 points, 5 blocks) would convert a timely and-one to give the team a 50-47 lead. A quick miss from the Wildcats would give them the ball back with a chance to take another step towards icing things.

But on that defensive possession, Doyle would secure her fourth steal of the night before getting fouled at the other end. Then, she’d proceed to hit two free throws to give the team some much needed momentum, hitting another on the next possession to tie it.

From there, fellow senior Lena Walker would hit a contested layup to give the team the lead back at 53-51, going 1-of-2 from the line on the next possession to make it 54-52. And on the play of the game, she’d pass it to Ava Doyle, who swung it to her sister for an open, game-sealing layup.

“The ball movement was pretty solid. Just the driving, the kicking, including everyone and being together,” said Walker when discussing the keys to the win. “We’re very good at passing the ball around and getting opening looks and that kind of stuff.”

“It was definitely scary when they were up with two minutes. We were all getting anxious, starting to fall, but we stuck in it,” added Doyle.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain senior Taylor Doyle looks to make a pass during the team's game against Bellwood-Antis on Wednesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 56-53.

It was a tough, back-and-forth game from start to finish.

Central Mountain went into the second quarter with a 12-5 lead and instantly saw it evaporate, as the Blue Devils knocked down multiple threes, at one point tying it at 17-17. Then, after starting the third quarter with a 7-0 run to up its lead to 11, Bellwood-Antis would go on a 15-4 run to tie it at 36-36.

But each time it surrendered momentum, it responded, outscoring the Blue Devils 8-4 to finish the second and 6-2 to cap the third.

“I was encouraged to see that,” emphasized Central Mountain head coach Scott Baker when discussing the team’s composure throughout the game. “Was a little bit worried there. We kind of lost our composure a little bit but being in a situation like that for the first time this season, you’re going to have that. Ultimately, we made enough plays obviously to come out on top.”

Taylor Doyle posted a double-double on the night, scoring 13 of her 16 points in the second half and grabbing eight of her 12 boards in the first. Walker led the team in assists (four) on the night and in scoring through the first half, where she logged seven of her 12 points. And sophomore Camdyn Weaver was impactful from start to conclusion, finishing with 13 points and six rebounds.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Camdyn Weaver looks to make a move during the team's game against Bellwood-Antis on Wednesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 56-53.

Ava Doyle (five points, six rebounds, two steals) converted a timely three-point play in the fourth, which followed up a similarly timely layup from Weaver, with those two plays helping the team turn a 44-42 deficit into a 47-44 lead. And Morgan Davis and Elise McKean made an impact off the bench, combining for seven points.

With the victory, the Wildcats have now won two straight after starting the season 0-3. Coupled with the added emotion of pulling that off on an emotional night, they head into their next stretch of games with a revitalized sense of confidence.

“It was definitely big,” said Baker. “They play pretty hard every night, but I do think there was a little extra edge tonight. It was special to them. It’s nice to get two wins and now, we can take a few practices, clean up some things to head into the bulk of the season.”

“We played two really tough teams in the beginning and that was kind of hard on us. The DuBois game, we went in and grinded it out and this one, we were just due for it,” emphasized Walker. “Our confidence is so high right now as a team and I think we’re going to do such great things.”

“There’s going to be more from us. We’re not done.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain senior Ava Doyle takes a contested shot during the team's game against Bellwood-Antis on Wednesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 56-53.

After a brief break for Christmas, the Wildcats (2-3) return to action on Monday, Dec. 30, where they’ll face Mifflin County at home at 7:30 p.m.

Central Mountain 56, Bellwood-Antis 53

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN (56)

Morgan Davis 2 0-0 4; Elise McKean 1 0-0 3; Macy Plowman 2 1-4 3; Camdyn Weaver 5 3-7 13; Lena Walker 4 4-5 12; Taylor Doyle 5 4-7 16; Ava Doyle 2 1-1 5. Totals 21 13-24 56.

BELLWOOD-ANTIS (53)

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Central Mountain girls basketball team gathers during a dedication for Mike Flanigan, a longtime staple for the team who passed away in September after a year-long battle with cancer.

Leigha Clapper 5 5-6 17; Lilly Gerwert 4 8-9 16; Jenna Norton 3 0-0 7; Karlie Sweigert 1 1-2 4; Marissa Caccioti 3 0-2 8; Maya Plummer 0 1-2 1. Totals 16 15-21 53.

Central Mountain – 12 13 17 14 – 56

Bellwood Antis – 5 16 17 14 – 53

Three-pointers: Central Mountain 3 (Taylor Doyle 2, McKean 1); Bellwood-Antis 6 (Clapper 2, Caccioti 2, Norton 1, Sweigert 1).

Records: Central Mountain 2-3; Bellwood-Antis 3-3.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Central Mountain girls basketball team gathers with flowers during a dedication for Mike Flanigan, a longtime staple for the team who passed away in September after a year-long battle with cancer.