LOWELL – For the third straight season, the Cathedral girls are champions.

In the Division 4 girls title game, No. 1 seed Cathedral put on a basketball clinic at the Tsongas Center, defeating third-seeded South Hadley, 68-37, in a rematch of last year’s championship.

Led by senior point guard Hijjah Allen-Paisley, the Panthers generated offense through a combination of defensive rebounding and turnovers.

“It took a lot for us to get here,” said Allen-Paisley (20 points, six assists, four rebounds, four steals). “It doesn’t feel real that we’ve won three in a row.”

Allen-Paisley cited her work ethic evidenced by year-round 5 a.m. workouts.

“I’m still going to do it,” said Allen-Paisley. “Those workouts are an everyday thing. I want to be better tomorrow than I am today.”

The Panthers, who are moving to Division 3 next season, have now won seven state titles since 2016 – which includes a co-championship from the 2020 COVID season. Cathedral coach Clinton Lassiter has guided his program to 15 consecutive postseason victories, and this year’s state title is his seventh as a coach, the new Massachusetts record.

“Our motto is, ‘If it’s easy, everyone would be doing it,’” said Lassiter. “It’s not easy, but I have students who commit to the classroom and to practice every day.”

Cathedral dictated the pace of play, jumping out to a 14-7 lead after one quarter. Allen-Paisley had 13 points, pushing the Panthers to a double-digit lead, 30-17, at the half.

The second half opened with another Cathedral scoring burst, extending the lead in the first minute-and-a-half of the third to 18 following a three by Allen-Paisley. By the end of the third, Cathedral led, 51-32, and the countdown to the celebration was on.

Tamia Darling (16 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks, one steal) also played an integral role for Cathedral.

“I do the 5 a.m. workouts with Hijjah,” said Darling, who grabbed eight offensive rebounds. “It’s hard, but we want it.”

Seeking redemption after losing to Cathedral in last year’s state title game, South Hadley (22-3) struggled. After scoring the opening basket, the Tigers never led again.

A year ago, South Hadley brought a 19-game winning streak into the finals, only to be thwarted by Cathedral. This season, Cathedral shattered South Hadley’s 18-game winning streak.

“We’re not here just to be here – we came to win,” said South Hadley coach Paul Dubuc. “These seniors have been to three Final Fours and two state title games, and all four years lost to the eventual state champ. It’s tough, but they’ll look back and be proud of it.”

During this tournament run, Cathedral defeated their opponents by an average of 34 points per game. Their latest title further elevates a program that already makes a convincing argument for most elite in the state.

“They stay together, work together, and stick together,” said Lassiter. “I’m very proud of this team.”