Playing in the Giant Center was likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the seniors on the Pequea Valley girls' basketball team.

The underclassmen have already set their sights on returning.

The second-seeded Braves (22-3) could not overcome a slow start and fell 53-36 to top-seeded Trinity in the PIAA District III Class 3A championship game on Feb. 26 in Hershey.

It was the Braves' first-ever appearance in the district title game and an experience they won't soon forget.

"I think it was great," Pequea Valley coach Jason McDonald said. "You feel bad for the seniors because it's the only trip they're going to make here unless we get to the state finals. As far as everyone else, they want to come back. They got to experience it all. My challenge to them is, 'What are you going to do in the offseason to get back here?'"

Senior guard Katie Stoltzfus said, "We'd never played in the Giant Center before, so coming here means a lot to us. We had great support from our school and the students. It was cool to make history, and this was the team to do it. I wouldn't have wanted to do it with any other team."

The Braves were ultimately undone by a rocky start. Trinity stormed out to a 13-3 lead and led 13-5 at the end of the first quarter. Trailing 15-5, Stoltzfus hit a pair of free throws and Janae Patterson knocked down a jumper to trim the deficit to six. That was as close as Pequea Valley would get the rest of the way.

Trinity embarked on an 18-3 spurt before the Braves' Brianna Lourido buried a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 33-15 at the break.

Pequea Valley outscored Trinity by one point in the second half, but the damage had been done. "I didn't really think it was the 'awe factor,'" McDonald said of his squad's first-quarter performance. "I think they got over the 'awe factor' as soon as they stepped on the floor. It might have been a little too much hype. They were just so geared up and ready to go. They were so excited to play. We knew that could happen. Once we got that calmed down, we looked like a completely different team. We still turned the ball over from time to time, but we got better shots, we got to the basket. Things started opening up for us."

Stoltzfus added, "The first half, we didn't come out how we wanted to. They pushed the ball faster than us. Second half, we came out and stayed with their pace. We had to come out stronger in the first half."

It has been a historic season for Pequea Valley, and it's not over yet. The Braves will host the District 12 third-place finisher Masterman in a PIAA first-round game on Friday, March 7. Tip-off time had not been determined as of press time.

It will be Pequea Valley's fifth trip to the state tournament in the last six seasons. "I think being at home is going to help us out a lot," said McDonald, who is in his 13th year at the helm. "It's just one of those things where the kids know if they lose, they're done. So it's a question of whether we can keep those jitters in check and keep ourselves calm and collected. We can play with anyone as long as we can do those things."

The coach stated it's no secret what has made the Braves so successful. "I think it's just the hard work they put in," McDonald said. "They play well together. They move the ball well. When we move the ball well, we're hard to beat. We just work hard, and they listen. They always try to execute what we want them to do."

Pequea Valley also claimed a section title for the first time. "It's been a ride for sure," said Stoltzfus. "We've all been playing together since elementary school. This was our year, and (playing in the Giant Center) was a goal for us all year long."

Pequea Valley's first district title game appearance will be a positive memory despite the defeat. "It's good to come here and play with my team," said Patterson, a junior guard who led the Braves with 20 points. "First time in forever. It was just a joy to be here."

To view more photos from the district championship as well as Pequea Valley's 52-35 victory over Oley Valley in the district semifinals, visit http://townlively.engleonline.com/category/sports/high-school/pequea-valley.