COLUMBUS, Ohio — The final day of any state tournament is the culmination of the dreams of every player, every team, every school and every community they call home. Unfortunately only a select few get to tip it off on that last day and take that challenging step towards the reality of a state championship. Saturday’s four title games in the 2012 OHSAA Girls’ Basketball State Tournament offered up not only some great basketball but some interesting twists to each contest. Division IV had a first time finalist against a championship game regular participant. Division III had a 50 game winning streak and the hope of repeating against a two time state champion from D-IV who was going for their first after moving up one class. Division II saw a team in their sixth consecutive championship game that was also looking for their fourth straight crown. And Division I offered up an incredible rematch of last year’s title game in between two rosters with more college prospects than McDonald has fries.
DIVISION I
You often hear folks say “Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it”. It’s a safe bet Kettering Fairmont doesn’t regret getting the state final rematch they’ve yearned for all year but it’s an even safer bet that the same results were not what they had in mind when they envisioned the opportunity. For the second consecutive season Twinsburg sent the Firebirds home as bridesmaids in the Division I championship game of the OHSAA State Tournament. Their 57 – 51 win in Saturday’s final game was closer than last year’s 13 point margin but the Tigers claim back to back hardware none the less. Junior guard Ashley Morrissette led the way with 22 including 8 of 9 free throws in the fourth period to seal the win. McDonald’s All-American 6-4 Malina Howard finished her high school career with a 14 point 9 rebound effort that frustrated Fairmont’s talented interior line up from tip to buzzer. Chelsea Welch paced the Firebirds with 19 including 12 in the final period after adjusting to Twinsburg’s game long commitment to forcing her to use her off hand. Sophomore Kathryn Westbeld added 15, 13 in the first half alone, but was scoreless in the fourth period as she went multiple possessions without getting a touch. Forward Makayla Waterman, another sophomore, finished with 11 after starting the game 0 for 6 from the floor.
Twinsburg came into the championship game off a big 49-41 semifinal win over unbeaten and top ranked Reynoldsburg while Fairmont got by a scrappy Notre Dame team from Toledo. Out of the gate the rematch looked like it was going to be four quarter coronation as the Tigers exploded to a 15 -3 lead. Fairmont went just 1 for 7 from the floor and committed 6 turnovers in the first 8 minutes while Twinsburg was 6 of 14 and looking poised to deliver a knockout. Westbeld caught fire for Fairmont in the second posting 13 of their 17 points for the period and closing the gap to 26-20 at the half. Twinsburg committed 5 turnovers of their own in the quarter but held on to their lead as a result of 45% shooting over both periods.
Fairmont cut two more points of the margin in the third with a 10 – 8 quarter in their favor setting the stage for a dramatic finish. While it was a high scoring period for both teams, Morrissette and Welch canceled each other out with 12 apiece and Howard had 8 for the Tigers to counter Waterman’s 8 for the Firebirds. The final minute saw one last opportunity for Fairmont as Morrissette’s ejection for a flagrant foul provided the free throw opportunities to make it a one possession game but one miss at the line sealed the result.
In both games combined Twinsburg held their opponents to just 30 of 109 shooting for 27% and out rebounded both opponents to the tune of 70 -45 including 24 offensive boards for themselves. Morrissette led the way both nights with 19 and 22. Over two games Howard shot 10 for 18 and even more impressively pulled down 28 rebounds, 19 in the semis to tie the single game OHSAA Tournament record. The Tigers lose four of five starters returning only Morrissette while Fairmont returns their entire roster that will have no reservations about asking for another shot next March.
DIVISION II
Winning four titles at any level in any state is a rare accomplishment. Doing it with a roster that features only one non starting senior and talk begins about five before you can get the nets cut down. Hathaway Brown took down West Holmes of Millersburg in the Division II title game with a steady and balanced performance Saturday afternoon. Junior 6-1 standout Vanessa Smith led the way with 19 while classmate Nia Marshall added 9 along with 10 rebounds. Sophomore 5-7 point guard Beth Brzozowski had just four points but added four assists, two steals and even a blocked shot while setting an aggressive standard at both ends for Hathaway Brown. In two tournament games the Blazers held their opponents to a combined 27 for 122 shooting (22%) and a total of 75 points while going 37 for 73 themselves (50%) from the floor. Saturday’s win gives Coach Paul Barlow’s program not only four consecutive titles but also 29 straight playoff victories dating back to March of 2008. Despite their frosty percentage West Holmes kept looking at the long ball as a solution but finished a dismal 5 for 23 for the evening. The Lady Knights had plenty of opportunities coming up with 21 offensive rebounds but couldn’t finish effectively enough to challenge down the stretch. With a roster mirroring their opponents, the folks from Millersburg lose just one non starting senior and may well be looking at the opportunity for a rematch of their own a year from now.
DIVISION III
It doesn’t have to be the best basketball to be an exciting game. Africentric and Anna combined for 51 turnovers, together shot just 49 of 131 from the floor, and gave up a joint total of 37 offensive rebounds to each other and still produced a game folks will be talking about for a while. Odds are Lady Nubian fans will enjoy that conversation just a little more after Africentric took down the defending champs in a 70 – 66 overtime thriller. Neither team held a double digit lead at any point while there were 13 lead changes and 7 ties throughout 36 minutes of physical, competitive basketball. Senior 5-5 point guard Kiyanna Black carried the load for the champions as she put up 27 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and dished off 6 assists. Junior post Marley Hill added a double-double of her own with 11 points and 11 boards while adding six imposing blocks. Sierra Harley, a 5-8 sophomore, chipped in 10 in the effort as well. Sophomore forward Natalie Billing nailed down a double-double for Anna in the first half alone and finished the game with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Ashley Frohne contributed 21 and 8 boards before fouling out with 2:21 remaining in regulation and junior point guard Erica Huber added 13 points.
With just 44 seconds left Africentric seemingly had things in hand. However their lead of six was erased by a Billing three point play and a steal of the ensuing inbounds pass by Huber leading to her own three point play and a tie at 57 with only 29 seconds remaining. The Lady Nubians couldn’t come up with a difference maker as Black’s jumper was short just before the buzzer. In the overtime they again extended the lead to eight with 1:34 to go but once more opened the door for the Rockets allowing them to close it to just two with just :35 remaining. Anna came up with a steal to tie but couldn’t convert and the subsequent fouling led to the final margin and Africentric’s third overall state championship and first in D-III.
DIVISION IV
Arlington may have been making their first trip to the OHSAA State Tournament but their performance gave them the appearance of a veteran championship team. Their 52 – 37 win over perpetual tournament participant Berlin Hiland was impressive from the start. Jumping out to a 13 – 4 lead after one period they stretched the lead to 16 by halftime and never looked back. Amelia Recker, a 5-9 senior forward, posted her second straight double-double with 10 points and 10 boards to go with her 24 point 10 rebound effort against Mansfield St. Peter’s in the semifinals. Her sister Alivia, senior Joy Reamsynder and sophomore Dani Heaster joined Recker in double figures for the title game. The defensive end contributed to the Red Devils success in Columbus as well. In the semis they forced St. Peter’s into 22 turnovers and harassed Hiland to the tune of 16 in Saturday’s championship game. To Hiland’s credit they continued to battle and found their way in the second half but the large halftime margin was too much to overcome. The Hawks won the battle on the boards by 10 including 18 from the offensive glass but when you’re shooting 26% for the game they have little impact on the scoreboard. Arlington finishes the season 27 and 1 and with a 25 game win streak intact for the start of next season. Their lone loss of the campaign came to Division III Liberty Benton, a state semifinalist themselves, back in the third game of the season. The road to repeat in 2013 may be challenging as all five starters for the Red Devils are members of the senior class.
