Roncalli makes enough plays to secure Pink Out game win at Triton Central

FAIRLAND – Every possession meant something at the 2025 Pink Out game at Triton Central.

In a battle of 12-win teams, Roncalli raced out to an 8-0 lead, lost the advantage twice but never allowed Triton Central to gain the lead in the fourth quarter to prevail 42-37.

Sophomore Elliot Leffler, who made her varsity debut against Triton Central in 2024 and scored 27 points, led the Royals Friday with 16 points and seven rebounds. Brennah Cerny finished with nine points and Sara Rosko had a pair of second-half three-pointers to get to eight points.

“We knew coming in it was going to be a really challenging game,” said Roncalli head coach Jason Sims. “They kept switching up defenses on us and made us have to adjust. I thought we did a really good job in the second half of seeing what they were in (defensively) and identifying it.

“Our shots weren’t falling. A real shout out to our kids. They showed a lot of grit down the stretch and played great defense and got some key rebounds.”

Roncalli (13-8) led 8-0 midway through the first quarter but consecutive baskets and a free throw from sophomore Sophia Burbrink put Triton Central up 14-13.

That lead was short lived when freshman Lola Morelli quickly scored at the other end.

Triton Central’s second lead came midway through the third quarter when Kate Collier hit a 3 from the corner. Less than 30 second later, Leffler scored in the low post and was fouled. She converted the free throw for a 28-26 lead that was never relinquished.

Burbrink scored four straight points for Triton Central (12-8) in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 35-34 but Leffler countered with a 3 from the wing.

“Sophia has had such a great year,” said Triton Central head coach Bryan Graham. “For someone her size, the way she finishes around the basket … and she got two fast-break layups because she is so fast. Sophia really stood out tonight.”

Maryrose Felling’s first 3 of the game came with 1:53 left in the fourth and again got Triton Central within one at 38-37.

The Tigers got a stop on the defensive end but turnover No. 18 of the game ended the comeback attempt.

Catie Rosko and Cerny each hit a pair of free throws in the game’s final 30 seconds to seal Roncalli’s sixth win in its last seven games.

“We are a really young team, you saw a lot of really young players out there,” said Sims. “We are getting a lot better defensively. We are getting a lot tougher physically, communicating better. I thought we did a really good job on a couple of their shooters tonight keeping them off balance.

“The shots come and go and they weren’t falling tonight, and they weren’t falling against New Palestine last week (a 46-36 win), but the girls showed some grittiness and being tough and hanging in there.”

Burbrink was the only Tiger to reach double digits in the scoring column. She had 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.

With her first made field goal of the game, Felling surpassed Kelsey Larkey and moved into fourth place on TC’s career scoring list. Felling finished with nine points to push her career total to 1,153 points.

“I thought both teams got better tonight,” said Graham. “I thought it was a good game to help both of us get better and get ready for the sectional coming up.

“What’s really nice, this was the type of game that showed from the beginning of the year to the end, our maturity, our toughness, how much our young kids have grown so much.

Roncalli won the junior varsity game, 36-32, to improve to 18-0 this season.

Triton Central closes out its regular-season schedule with a pair of Indiana Crossroads Conference games. The Tigers are at Covenant Christian (15-6, 4-2 ICC) Tuesday then host conference leader Beech Grove (10-10, 5-0 ICC) Thursday.

With a pair of wins, Triton Central would clinch at least a share of the ICC title.

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