by Berea, OH: Berea-Midpark (14-7) and North Ridgeville (8-12) faced off in a Southwestern Conference matchup, and from the start, it was all Titans. Berea-Midpark controlled the game on both ends of the floor, forcing turnovers and capitalizing on North Ridgeville’s mistakes. By halftime, the game was out of reach, and the Titans never looked back, cruising to a 57-21 victory.
First Quarter
Berea-Midpark came out strong, dominating the first quarter and setting the tone early. The Titans overwhelmed the Rangers on both ends of the floor, taking a commanding 14-4 lead by the end of the period.
Second Quarter
North Ridgeville continued to struggle in the second quarter, throwing multiple turnovers that Berea-Midpark quickly turned into points. With two minutes left in the half, Emma Arnold took advantage of a transition opportunity, sinking a three-pointer for the Titans. The Rangers had a brief moment of momentum when Yamila Scott stepped up and drew a charge, but their offensive woes continued as Berea-Midpark locked them down defensively. By halftime, the Titans had extended their lead to 33-11.
Third Quarter
The second half started slowly, with neither team able to score in the opening minutes. North Ridgeville had the first possession but missed a three-pointer, and the drought continued until Regan Braaten broke the ice by sinking a pair of free throws for Berea-Midpark three minutes into the quarter. Braaten continued to dominate offensively, leading the Titans’ attack while North Ridgeville’s offense completely stalled. Casey Friel added to the lead by going 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, and Rylee Szojka followed up with a quick layup. Meanwhile, the Rangers were held scoreless for the entire quarter. By the end of the third, Berea-Midpark had stretched its lead to 46-11.
Fourth Quarter
Both teams opened the fourth quarter with sloppy play, trading turnovers before any points were scored. North Ridgeville finally broke through when Scott went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, and the Rangers capitalized on the missed second shot as Alyssa Eland grabbed the board and quickly put in a layup. Eland kept the momentum going by scoring another layup on the next possession.
Berea-Midpark responded with a three-pointer from Avery James, and Friel followed it up with a tough layup inside. The Titans continued to pour it on, as Lexi Hall converted an and-one to push the lead to 54-18. Scott answered for the Rangers with a smooth layup off a pick-and-roll, but Hall wasn’t finished, drilling a deep three to further pad the Titans’ lead. Lexi Hall continues to be one of the top freshmen’s in the area and one to watch. It is downright scary to think just how good she can be with a little more seasoning over the years and the combination of her and Braaten may be unstoppable!
North Ridgeville’s late push wasn’t enough to make a dent in the deficit, and Berea-Midpark closed out a dominant 57-21 win.
Moving Forward
With the victory, Berea-Midpark improves to 14-7 on the season, continuing to solidify itself as a strong force in the Southwestern Conference. The Titans’ defensive intensity and ability to capitalize on turnovers were key to their success in this matchup. Meanwhile, North Ridgeville falls to 8-12 and will need to regroup, focusing on cleaning up mistakes as they look to bounce back in their next game.
Players of the Game
- Berea-Midpark: Regan Braaten led the Titans with a dominant performance, finishing with 24 points to power her team to victory.
- North Ridgeville: Yamila Scott stood out for the Rangers, scoring a team-high 7 points while also making plays on both ends of the floor.
