×

West Branch rested, ready

West Branch’s Shannon Wolfe shoots between Ravenna Southeast’s Kayla Prater (left) and Rachel Neer in Thursday’s Division II sectional final

BELOIT — The No. 1-ranked West Branch girls basketball team spent the week trying to get better and coach Walt DeShields was pleased with the defensive efforts the Warriors put to Ravenna Southeast during Thursday’s sectional final.

The Warriors held the Pirates to single-digit scoring each quarter for a 47-18 win to advance to the Austintown Fitch district semifinal against Poland on Monday.

The Warriors are 23-0 on the season.

“Defensively, wow,” DeShields said. “They went into a spread offense right away and we handled it really well. We were patient and they were holding it trying to drive on us. Defensively we were everywhere.”

West Branch’s Natalie Zuchowski was one of those posts having a great game finishing with 14 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks.

“We were all ready for tonight,” Zuchowski said. “Defense is definitely the No. 1 thing we focus on. Offense wins games and defense wins championships. We are all great defensive players and if we are told to do something, we do it.”

The Warriors outrebounded the Pirates 37-20 on the night.

“We definitely had the height advantage and now that it’s tournament time it is the little things that count now,” Zuchowski said. “Boards are one of those things and we’ve been focusing on getting them.”

The Pirates were held to scoring less than 4 in three of the four quarters.

“Our girls worked really hard on and off the ball tonight,” DeShields said. “That’s that pride factor of not taking a break. They know its tournament time and leave everything out on the floor. They know what they are capable off.”

West Branch also saw a solid night from Kayla Hovorka, who finished with nine points, seven rebounds and six assists.

“That’s one part of the game of why you only give up 18 points by mot giving teams second and third chances to score,” DeShields said. “We got some for ourselves and that’s big in the tournament.

The Warriors led 12-4 at the end of the first quarter and 24-8 at the half.

“First game at times everybody thinks you have a mistake like a turnover or a missed shot that’s going to happen,” DeShields said. “We were really positive and this team was mentally tough to the things they threw at us during the game.”

The Warriors carried a 16-0 run from mid-way through the second and part of the third quarter. The Pirates got on the board for the first time in the second half by ways of a Andrea Radcliff layup with only three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Sarrah Tennefoss led the Warriors in the steal category with three of 10 the team had on the night.

“Sarrah has been a big player for us all season and the past three years,” DeShields said. “She was on their second leading scorer all (Leann)James and didn’t let her score. When she has been assigned someone defensively this season she takes it to heart and held her to zero.”

West Branch also saw contributions from Peyton Alazaus and Shannon Wolfe who each had nine points.

“We almost had four girls in double digits tonight,” DeShields said. “We had a lot of girls play well and this was a solid overall game for us.”

Southeast was led in scoring by Andrea Radcliff who had nine points.

“Hannah Ridgway and Hovorka did a great job switching on guarding their leading scorer (Radcliff),” DeShields said.

“The girls are focused on preparing for this tournament and it’s the little things in tournaments that make the big things happen.”

The Warriors held the Pirates to 16 percent shooting, while they shot 43 percent.

“This was the first stepping-stone on the way to state,” Zuchowski said. “We had some mistakes tonight but overall it was a great game.”

Game notes

¯ In the other side of the bracket Poland beat Ursuline 50-49 in overtime. Poland beat Salem earlier in the season 61-51. West Branch owns two wins over the Quakers (55-32 and 58-36).

“It’s going to be an exciting final four in the district,” DeShields said. “We are happy to go to Fitch to face a well coached team. There is a lot of good teams in this district and you have to bring your A game if you want to get out of Fitch.”

In the other district semifinal, second-seeded Howland will face third-seeded Struthers following the West Branch game on Monday.

¯ This was a rematch of last year’s district championship game that West Branch won 55-50.

¯ West Branch handled Southeast’s Portage Trail Conference foe Garfield 56-28 earlier in the season.

¯ The Warriors are looking for another deep tournament run after last year’s 34-25 loss to eventual Division II state runner-up Hathaway Brown in the Barberton regional final. This year the Warriors took care of the Blazers 65-35 during the regular season.

“The old cliche is one game at a time don’t look ahead,” DeShields said. “We are not concerned about our record or ranking right now. We are concerned about playing our best basketball and all the girls together have to trust each other that they’ll do that with their preparation.”

¯ It was the final home game for four Warrior seniors — Zuchowski, Hovorka, Tennefoss and Wolfe .

“Honestly I wouldn’t have traded my time playing here for nothing,” Zuchowski said. “I love my girls, all the coaches, and the community. It makes me so sad that this was my last game on this floor, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

SOUTHEAST: 4-4-7-3–18

W. BRANCH: 12-12-17-6–47

SOUTHEAST SCORING: Andrea Radcliff 3-3-9, Rachel Neer 1-2-5, Brittany Bolevich 1-0-2, Amanda Willis 1-0-2, Leann James 0-0-0, Allissa Pow 0-0-0. TEAM TOTALS 6, 5-7: 18.

WEST BRANCH SCORING: Carly Scarpitti 0-0-0, Hannah Ridgway 2-0-4, Kayla Hovorka 4-0-9, Sarrah Tennefoss 1-0-2, Peyton Alazaus 3-0-9, Shannon Wolfe 4-1-9, Jessica Bock 0-0-0, Natalie Zuchowski 5-4-14, Maddie Showalter 0-0-0. TEAM TOTALS: 19, 5-11: 47.

Three-point goals: Southeast 1 (Neer), West Branch 4 (Alazaus 3, Hovorka).

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today