Second-year head coach Joe Mladosich and the Salisbury girls' basketball team looked to make history on Friday night at Martz Hall in Pottsville.

The Falcons made the 50-plus-mile drive to Pottsville looking for their first district title in school history. Their only district championship game appearance came 20 years ago, but a defeat to Pottsville in that title game has kept the Falcons searching for that illustrious win ever since.

Following their 60-49 victory over Pine Grove in the semifinals, Minersville stood in the way of the Falcons securing that first district crown. However, the Schuylkill League champion Miners had other plans in mind.

The No. 1 seeded Miners used a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter and outscored the No. 2 seeded Falcons 15-2 in the final eight minutes to secure the District 11 Class AA Girls Championship.

"They're good," Mladosich said. "They have a little bit of everything. They have a point guard. They have an outstanding scorer and they've got a girl inside. And their other two kids, their role players, they hit some shots too."

The Miners held a 33-27 lead after three quarters, and it didn't take long for Minersville to add to that lead. Reighly Melochick, who scored a game-high 16 points, connected on a three-point play and hit a jumper that put the Miners ahead by double digits with 5:40 to play.

Abby Schoffstall (12 points) and Adrienne Kroznuskie (15 points) then connected on back-to-back field goals 20 seconds apart that put the Miners in front, 42-27.

The Falcons were able to erase an 11-point deficit in the second quarter and tied it midway through the third. Coming out of halftime, the Falcons scored nine of the first 10 points, and Kelly Garrigan's bucket made it 21-21 3:38 into the second half.

"We fought really hard to tie it," Mladosich said. "They have so many weapons though. We tried to stop [Melochick], and we did a very good job I thought in the first three quarters."

Not many teams have found a recipe this season on slowing down Meagan Eripret, but the Miners certainly put together a game plan that slowed down the Falcons' center with constant double teams. Eripret finished with seven points for the Falcons.

"They did a very good job on her," Mladosich said. "We've seen that before, but these kids can play. When you double her with two kids that really know how to play, it's tough."

Lindsay Bauer added seven points for the Falcons, and Kelly Gonoude finished with six.

Despite falling in the district championship, the Falcons' season will continue in states. The Falcons will face District 12's No. 2 seed Imhotep Charter (22-3) on Friday at Lansdale Catholic High School. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.