Headlines of Regional Semifinal
Wayne Holds Off Undefeated Mason in Slugfest;
Will Face Mount Notre Dame For State Berth
By Deon Cash
Wayne Lady Warrior Bree Hall, a McDonald's All-American, would line up to jump ball against one of the best bigs in the state, in junior C Kyla Oldacre, who plays for Mason.
In the jump ball, it was evident what type of game it would be as 6'4 Hall and the 6'6 Oldacre went at it, as if they were old wrestling buddies.
It was a microcosm of how the game would go as Hall would ferociously jump first, hitting the ball and making contact with Oldacre. Oldacre, one of the strongest and fundamentally sound players in the country, took the shot and gave one, as bodies went sprawling all over the place, including Hall. When the play was finally over, it resembled a bar fight gone wrong with arms, legs, and bodies all over mid court.
Once they re-jumped, Wayne would move on to the OHSAA Regional Final by a score of 55-51 in a gritty effort, to say the least.
The Lady Warriors would stop the Comets unbelievable year (20-0) in front of a electrifying crowd for both teams. Wayne would storm out to a 18-4 lead as the Comets were not ready for the intensity and defensive energy that the Warriors displayed.
Once Oldacre would settle in, the Comets would get rolling. The coaching staff would change up the style, and in turn, the Comets started hitting some outside shots as well.
The lead would be trimmed down by halftime (34-26) and the Comets would stay on the heels of the Warriors the entire game, as Oldacre would heat up minute by minute.
Oldacre, one of the premiere post players in the country, has a smooth shot and is nearly unstoppable once she turns her shoulder and make a strong move. She single handedly kept the Lady Comets afloat with a brilliant effort, even getting the Comets tied with the game in the balance.
However, when needed, Wayne Coach Travis Trice drew up some great plays off timeouts, and the dynamic Hall duo of Wayne (Alyssa Hargrove Hall and Bree Hall) stepped up in the clutch, knocking down 7 of 8 free throws to salvage the game. It was a physical, defensive battle for most of the night, and Wayne started and finished strong to seal the deal.
Wayne will face another undefeated team in Mount Notre Dame for the chance at a OHSAA State Semifinal berth next weekend in Dayton, Ohio.
Centerville Falls to Notre Dame
The Centerville Elks great girls tourney run was stopped in Cincinnati as they lost to Mount Notre Dame in the OHSAA Regional Semifinals at Princeton High School.
Centerville would have trouble slowing down undefeated Mount Notre Dame early as the Elks were down 17-6 after the 1st quarter. Notre Dame focused on Cotie McMahon and Amy Velasco to try and shut down the Elks vaunted offense.
The Elks had no answer for Notre Dame stars K.K Bransford (20 points, 6 assists) and Laila Phelia (18 points, 3 steals). McMahon, the Elks star who is headed to Ohio State, played well, but Notre Dame's size, guard play, and team defense was too much to overcome.
Notre Dame moves to 25-0 on the season and will take on the Wayne Warriors on Saturday at Princeton(Noon).
Follow Us on the Journey!
@DaytonHSSports
@DaytonWeekly
No comments:
Post a Comment