by Written by Nick Vasko
NORTH RIDGEVILLE, OH – The Olmsted Falls Lady Bulldogs claimed another convincing victory over the North Ridgeville Rangers on Wednesday night, pulling away for a 62–39 victory after setting the tone early. Olmsted Falls jumped out to a fast start in the first quarter but North Ridgeville responded well after an early timeout, refocusing and cutting into the momentum.
Still, Reese Timura provided a spark by knocking down two first-quarter three-pointers, while Jesse Simon added another from deep to help Olmsted Falls maintain control. The Bulldogs closed the opening frame with a 21–12 advantage, using balanced scoring and timely shooting to stay a step ahead.
The Rangers came out aggressive in the second quarter, creating turnovers and turning defense into offense. Olmsted Falls briefly struggled against the full-court press, something that I noticed earlier this season, but once the Bulldogs settled in after a timeout, their press breaker clicked and steadied the offense.
The quarter was evenly played at 11 points apiece, though foul trouble and North Ridgeville’s tenacious defense slowed Olmsted Falls’ pace. The Rangers had opportunities to make a larger dent in the lead but missed free throws proved costly as they finished just 2-for-7 at the line in the second quarter. Olmsted Falls carried a 32–23 lead into halftime.
Although North Ridgeville’s Adri Spyres and Brooke Schroeder connected from beyond the arc in the third, the second half belonged to the Bulldogs. Jesse Simon caught fire, drilling three triples in the quarter to keep the Rangers at bay. Grace Largent added four strong points in the post, helping Olmsted Falls extend the lead to 45–32 heading into the fourth.
From there, the Bulldogs’ defense shut the door, eliminating any comeback hopes. Simon continued her hot shooting with two more three-pointers in the final quarter, while Emma Schaefer was perfect from the free-throw line, including a tough and-one finish. Olmsted Falls cruised to the 62–39 win, led by Simon’s 25 points, while Lauryn Bohannan paced North Ridgeville with 14.
