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Friday, 09 February 2007 |
 Wapakoneta Redskin junior Abby Harrod (40), above, gets ready to sink a shot at the third quarter buzzer Thursday night against the Bath Wildkittens. (Staff photo/ William Laney)
Wapak girls win first-ever WBL title
By PHIL McLEAN
Staff Writer
The Wapakoneta Redskins varsity girls basketball team is Western Buckeye League champions — the first-time ever in 31 years of league history.
The Redskins used a 12-0 run in the third period, not surrendering a point in the second half until the 7:46 mark of the fourth period, and held on under a barrage of 3-pointers from the Bath Wildcats to claim the Western Buckeye League (WBL) crown outright. The Redskins, 15-3 on the season, also converted 10 free throws in the final period to preserve a 49-44 win and end with a perfect 9-0 league record.
“What a feeling,” Wapakoneta coach Brad Rex said. “Nine-and-O. I told the girls after the Bath game last year, ‘In 365 days we’re going to be league champions.’”
Wapak secured a share of the WBL title with a win last week against the Elida Bulldogs, but Rex said the girls wanted something for the hometown fans and they won a thriller in front of a sold-out crowd that included an appearance by the pep band at a girls’ game.
“I feel sensational,” said sophomore forward-guard Devon Golden, who scored 9 points on the night including three free throws in the fourth period. “All our hard work paid off.”
In front of few empty seats in the Wapakoneta gym, fans saw the celebration that they missed out the week before after the outright league title was still up for grabs when Bath, now 14-4 and 7-2 in the WBL, defeated the Defiance Bulldogs last week.
“I told the girls they deserved to celebrate,” Rex said. “The crowd was just great. This was an unbelievable night for our girls. Van Wright, (the Wapakoneta announcer) told me that there were more than 500 fans here than at any other girls game.”
After Bath took the first period 13-9, the Redskins grabbed the momentum by extending their defensive pressure and harassing Rachel Mauk, who led all scorers with 19 points and hit two 3-pointers in the first period. The Wildcats widened their lead to 6 points midway through the period, when the Redskins went on a 9-2 run to capture take a 23-22 lead at half.
The momentum carried over into the third period as the Redskins. Sophomore guard opened the third period with one of her two 3-point shots and Wapakoneta took the period 12-0 to build a 35-22 lead.
“We communicated a lot better in the second half,” Rex said. “This (winning the league) was one of our goals. The atmosphere tonight just added to it.”
The Redskins surrendered their first point with 7:46 of the fourth period when Bath converted the second of two free throws. A minute later they hit the first of five 3-pointers in the final period.
“We had a couple of turnovers in the third and Wapakoneta converted on the other end,” Bath coach Greg Mauk said. “Credit Coach Rex and his girls — they have class.”
Rex said he believes the Redskins experience came to surface when Bath made a run against the Redskins in the fourth period, outscoring the Redskins 22-14.
“I thought we showed experience and a lot of poise when they made their run at us,” Rex said.
While Bath hit shots from beyond the 3-point line, the Redskins converted their shot from the free-throw line.
After Bath’s Alex Dackin hit a layup in the closing seconds of the game, Mauk called a time out. The clock showed 2.4 seconds, but the referees ordered 1.6 seconds back on the clock. The Redskins inbounded the ball and the Wildcats fouled senior guard Lindsey Kentner, who hit both free throws to secure the win and the WBL title.
Kentner paced the Redskins to the win with a 15 points, with Steinke scoring 12 points. Freshman post player Heidi Schlegel scored 7 points, senior post player Abbey Harrod hit two field goals including a third period buzzer beater for 4 points, and senior Brittany Duff scored on a put-back for 2 points.
The Wildcats host the Findlay Trojans Tuesday, while the Redskins play their final home game Monday in a rescheduled game against the Coldwater Cavaliers. Wapakoneta will recognize the senior Redskins at the game. The junior varsity game starts at 6 p.m.
The Redskin junior varsity improved to 13-5 with 42-28 win against the Bath junior varsity. Kailey Schneider scored 15 in leading Wapakoneta to the win.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 February 2007 )
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