I think for the kids it gives us a lift because, you're in a situation where you win, you're in and you lose, you're out and that's the way it is from this point on. I think the kids know that, from this point on, if they play well and they do what we ask them to do, anything can happen.

The first year, we're just trying to get the girls up to pace on what the speed's going to be like. You're playing against kids that are seniors and they don't want to lose their last game. You've got to put forth more effort and it's got to show through.

I think you win and it speaks volumes, but if you win in the playoffs, that's where the respect is gained. I think, with our first time in the playoffs, we want to win whether we're 15th-seed, 16th-seed. You still have to play the games, so I don't want to say there's a lack of respect. But if you don't win, you don't gain respect.

When the kids tell me they can play, I expect 100 percent from them, but at this time of the year, everybody's banged up a little here and there. The kids are going to go because they know this is a one-shot deal.

It definitely helps because, Mt. Lebanon's No. 2 in the WPIAL and, after watching their tapes, there's not much of a weakness in their game so we have to be able to handle the pressure and the physicality of the game. We have to be strong in the post and strong mentally and slow things down and run our stuff.

Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle.