Columbia takes down Pequea Valley 54-32

Columbia 54, Pequea Valley 32 — The Crimson Tide capped off their grueling four-games-in-four-nights journey in style, clinching no worse than a tie for the section championship with a win in Kinzers.

Brooke Droege (19 points), Brie Droege (16 points — one night after joining the 2,000-point club) and Sehrena Finks-Garcia (10 points) showed the way in the scoring column, and Columbia used a 14-2 second-quarter clip for a 27-11 lead at the half. 

The Tide opened up plenty of breathing room with a 19-7 third-quarter run, and Columbia snapped Pequea Valley’s glittering 13-game winning tear, dating all the way back to Dec. 14. Both of the Braves’ setbacks this season are vs. the Tide. 

Good news for Pequea Valley: The Braves locked up a league playoff spot — along with Columbia — and Pequea Valley is still mathematically alive for a co-crown. Janae Patterson and Katie Stoltzfus scored 8 points apiece against the Tide. 

And this: Columbia’s win pushed the Tide past Pequea Valley, from No. 3 to No. 2, in the D3-3A power ratings. The Braves went from No. 2 to No. 3; they both trail No. 1 Lancaster Catholic.