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Down by 4 points with 3:50 to play, the Midview Middie’s were staring a possible defeat in the face before a 5-0 run over the closing minutes earned them the 41-40 win over Westlake today. Down 4, the Middies got an elbow three ball from Leah DiFranco with 3:44 to play, then two foul shots from Erica Baldoza with 38.9 seconds left, to seal the thrilling last second win! The Demons were held scoreless over the final 4 minutes in the heartbreaking defeat for Westlake.
I said it after the North Olmsted game, and I will say it again with confidence, Midview has a new “Big Two” on their hands as Erica Baldoza and Leah DiFranco appear to be hitting their strides at the right time. Last year, Head Coach Brittany McNamara took a Mary Meng and Olivia DiFranco team to the State Final Four, she has the tools to do it again with Baldoza and Leah DiFranco this season.
Erica Baldoza continues to look strong as she finished with 20 points while Leah DiFranco scorched the nets for 18. The Dynamic Duo finished with 38 of their teams 41 points. Maggie Barnes hit a foul shot and Alana Stacey had a bucket in the first, to account for the other 3 Middie points.
The Demons, who had some nice flashes in this one, were led by Ella Henton and Lydia Tymoszczuk with 8 each, while Ella Stanton had 7 and Ireland Shea finished with 6. Jacaia Onunwor and Lauryn Stanton each had 4 while Rachel Nash had a point and Taylor Kress scored 2.
The first 3 minutes were a sign of things to come, as it was nip and tuck, as both teams were tied 5-5 after three minutes of play. Both teams getting three balls to go in from Ella Stanton and Leah DiFranco. Shots from Baldoza and Ella Henton going in, kept the game tied at 7-7 with 3:05 left in the first, when the Middies rattled off four straight from Baldoza and Stacey to run the lead out to 11-7. The Demons didn’t blink as Lydia Tymoszczuk drained back-to-back threes on consecutive trips, to erase the 4-point deficit and give the Demons a 13-11 lead after one quarter of action.
The second quarter was a defensive grinder as both teams combined to score only 14 total points. The Middies tied it at 13, two minutes in on a DiFranco layup. As for the Demons, after an ice cold 3-minute stretch of not scoring to start the quarter, they rattled off 5 straight to take a 18-13 lead, their largest of the game. It went back and forth from there, as the game went to the break with the Demons leading 21-17.
Even without Liv DiFranco, this Midview teams seems to improve in the second half of games. It is as if head Coach Brittany McNamara flicks a light switch at halftime, because they have looked strong in the second half of games the last few weeks, and today was no different. The Middies came out in the second half gunning, and took a 34-29 lead after 3, as they outscored the Demons 13-8 in the frame to erase a 4-point deficit, and instead, take a 5-point lead heading into the final quarter. DiFranco and Baldoza combined to score 16 of the 17 Middie points in the quarter.
Down 4 to start the final quarter, the Demons needed to make something happen and quickly. They did so with a basket from Shea and then a foul shot by Henton to cut it to 34-32 quickly. After a DiFranco basket, four straight points from Onunwor and Henton tied it at 36 with 4:37 to play in the game. The Demons weren’t done yet however, and four more points in a row from Lauryn Stanton and Tymoszczuk gave the Demons a 40-36 lead. It was a 11 – 2 run by Westlake to start the fourth quarter before Midview closed it out with a 5-0 run to win it.
North Olmsted Hangs on to Defeat Midview 54-53 in a Thriller!
What a great game by the lady middles, we have to believe in the girls with losing Olivia. They will gel with time. Great job
I wish I could say the same about the lady demons. We just struggled down the stretch. Maybe better to execution and game strategy from coaches. 6-4 with this squad is surprising. Have to improve the conference doesn’t get any easier’