The Saint Mary Academy 8A Boys team took St. Patrick's to the brink Sunday evening, but fell to the Celtics, 35-34, to finish the season CSAA Runners-up. After an early lead, SMA fought from behind most of the game, but cut a five-point deficit with under 1:00 to play just one with seconds remaining.
Adam Boone and Jaxon Panariello led the scoring for the Monarchs with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Boone was five-for-seven from the field with a pair of three-pointers. Panariello was four-of-10 from the floor, hit his only free-throw and hit a pair of threes as well.
Elijah Creech scored four of his six points in the second-half comeback stretch. He also had four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Nick Stahlman went for five points, four rebounds and a steal as well.
St. Patrick hit its perimeter shots, including several three-pointers to edge out SMA.