by The North Canton Hoover Lady Vikings Sweep the North Ridgeville Rangers Under the Rug
It was a playoff-type atmosphere from the opening tip as Hoover and North Ridgeville battled in front of nearly full bleachers on both sides. The energy in the gym was electric, and the teams fed off it early.
The first quarter was a true back-and-forth affair, with both squads knocking down shots from all over the floor. Neither team could create much separation in what felt like a perfectly balanced matchup. At the end of one, Hoover held a slim 15-14 edge, setting the tone for what would become a thrilling contest.
North Ridgeville turned up the heat in the second quarter, applying a full-court press that gave Hoover problems and led to key turnovers, including one that Mary Strippy converted into a layup.
Adri Spyres played with intensity and impact on both sides of the court. Hoover, meanwhile, was living and dying by the three-point shot, and the teams went shot for shot down the stretch of the half. Hoover took a narrow 27-25 lead into the break.
In the third, Yams Scott’s hustle stood out as she grabbed tough rebounds and battled inside. Hoover capitalized on back-to-back scoring chances to build momentum, leading 36-30 with two minutes left in the quarter. They closed strong, outscoring Ridgeville 8-5 late in the period to take a 44-35 advantage into the fourth.
Facing a nine-point deficit, North Ridgeville needed lockdown defense and timely buckets in the final frame. Instead, turnovers and missed layups proved costly as Hoover stretched the lead to 12 midway through the quarter.
Still, North Ridgeville refused to quit. Schroeder found her groove, Spyres buried a clutch three with 90 seconds to play, and Yams Scott followed with a short jumper to cut it to 52-48.
After a timeout with 1:01 remaining, the tension only grew. Zoe McCort, who delivered an exceptional performance all game long, was steady under pressure and helped Hoover maintain control. Bohannon’s late layup trimmed the margin to 54-52 with three seconds left, but Hoover sealed it at the line.
A missed free throw turned into an offensive rebound to ice the game, and Hoover escaped with a thrilling 55-52 victory in a game that matched the intensity and passion pouring out of the stands.
The North Canton Hoover Lady Vikings will face a very tough opponent at regionals in the Olmsted Falls Lady Bulldogs. The matchup is at 8:00pm on Tuesday, March 3rd at Medina.
