Mt. Vernon withstands 'nightmare' scenario, punches ticket to state finals
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NEW CASTLE – It was nearing the middle of the third quarter of Saturday’s Class 4A semistate championship when Luke Ertel pulled up from the top of the key and drilled a 3-pointer to extend Mt. Vernon’s lead to 14 points over New Albany. The party was not yet on, but it was certainly headed that direction. A first state berth so close that the Marauders could taste practically taste it. And then … it wasn’t. Perhaps no high school team in the state – a successful team, anyway – relies on one player to the extent fourth-ranked Mt. Vernon does to fit the pieces of the puzzle precisely together. When Ertel picked up his third foul with 4:26 left in the third quarter, then his fourth 18 seconds...