Jaekairah Harden of Loyalsock dives to the floor as Kennedy Heyer of Towanda reaches for the ball in Montgomery. Loyalsock won 52-20. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

When he coached the San Francisco 49ERS, legendary coach Bill Walsh posted a sign upon the wall and each player signed it, pledging they would never be out hit during a game.

Loyalsock coach Curtis Jacobson felt a similar vibe when he became Loyalsock’s coach in 2016. There is no sign and no signatures required but the message is the same each season. Loyalsock continues committing itself to never being outworked.

That determined work ethic and unrelenting desire has established Loyalsock as one of Class AAA’s premier programs. And those qualities which go beyond statistics have again earned it a Final 4 appearance. The Lancers (28-2) play Imhotep in Friday’s state semifinals at Parkland High School after thumping Dunmore, 60-36 in last Friday’s quarterfinals.

“I’ve always said nobody should ever play harder than Loyalsock. That is something you can control,” Jacobson said. “Years ago when we started you look at teams like Dunmore and Mount Carmel that beat us. You try and match those teams that have been there and done it. Why did we put the Dunmore’s of the world on our schedule five years ago? To get ourselves exposed to what it takes. It’s just not acceptable for someone to compete a higher level than you’re playing.”

There are game aspects players and/or teams cannot control. Effort is something which each player always can control. Loyalsock might not win every game but it does its best to make sure it is never defeated.

It is about emptying their collective tanks in pursuit of victory as much as it is about winning itself. Loyalsock has the bumps and bruises to show that it has put fourth spirited efforts throughout the season. Whether fighting through injuries, illnesses or tough opponents, Loyalsock has kept moving forward.

It takes not just excellent talent to reach this point but a lot of heart, too. Loyalsock has revealed its heart beats mighty strong the last nine years, reaching states each time, and especially this season. Along the way, the Lancers have captured a district championship and set a program record for wins.

“It’s really hard. At practice all our teammates push each other and help everyone get better,” point guard Jaekairah Harden said. “They give us the motivation to keep going.”

“The gutsiness of their mentality stands out. They care for each other and they do it for each other,” Jacobson said. “They don’t want anything to be their last game. They want to come to practice, they want to keep going. I’ve had lots of really, really great teams but it’s the gutsiest team I’ve ever had.”

That says a lot because Jacobson and his staffs have had some terrific teams, including ones which have won at least 18 games the past nine seasons. Each of those teams has laid more bricks in the foundation and Loyalsock has continued growing stronger, its house adding more levels nearly every year.

A standard has been set as well as an example. Those are built on sacrifice and toughness. That includes the offseason, practices and the games themselves. Loyalsock has passed those tests this season, rallying against 5A state semifinalist when it trailed by 19 and tying the game late before losing at the buzzer.

The Lancers overcame an injury to Julie Ellis and a seven-point second half deficit at Jersey Shore when the entire school was there to watch and cheer against them, winning 56-51. Loyalsock then thundered back from an 11-point third quarter hole to defeat Hughesville for the district championship before smoothly navigating turbulence against West Catholic and Dunmore to win those last two state tournament games in impressive fashion.

“We talk a lot about being mentally tough. Honestly, we know physically we can handle the games and we’ve played 30 this season,” senior Julie Ellis said. “We’ve been doing this all season but it’s mentally what these games really are. It’s staying locked in throughout the turnovers or mistakes, and just staying with the game.”

Following last season’s run, Loyalsock possessed strong potential entering this year. But that’s all it was. Success is not based on past results. Once one season ends, each team starts back at the bottom and works its way up.

So, while Loyalsock retained experienced, quality players nothing was guaranteed. Everything must be earned the hard way and Loyalsock again has turned its hard work into tremendous results. Each player has battled some kind of obstacle this season, but watch Loyalsock play, and one really never can tell.

Loyalsock has built success upon its will as much as its skill. The work continues leading up to Friday and the fight goes on. It’s another game and another opportunity for Loyalsock to showcase its drive.

“It’s their toughness, I can see them wincing in pain and limping down the court and then they go and dive on the court and get a loose ball or a rebound,” Jacobson said. “They don’t let anything get in their way of being so determined. It’s really a pleasure to coach them. We can talk about how good they are and how talented they are but it’s a real pleasure to coach girls that just want to get after it like that.”