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High School basketball is an interesting thing, most teams have 1 or 2 really good players, and then a bunch of role players. Olmsted Falls has 6 really good players when you factor in their first woman off the bench Sara Glover, who would start on any other team in the conference. Not to mention Lauren Noernberg who is the second woman off the bench and just as tough! How do you beat a team that good?
Avon tried last night, kept it close for the first half until the Bulldogs turned on their jets and pulled away with a 64-44 win. Here’s the thing, Paige Kohler led the way with 30 points. She could score that every night if she wanted too, but because she is unselfish and a team player, she doesn’t. It speaks volumes to the coaching and teamwork this squad shows. Kohler is that good, and my early favorite for player of the year.
It was a slow first 3 plus minutes of action that saw Avon take a 7-2 lead thanks in part to a couple of three balls from McLellon. That coupled with Grace Simon picking up two fouls in 90 seconds put the Bulldogs in a bit of a hole. The game remained 7-2 for over a minute until Paige Kohler sunk a three ball off the backboard that would have been good from NBA range as she was way out there. They went back and forth from there until Avon closed the quarter on a mini run to take a 14-8 lead after one period of play.
The Second quarter also got off to a bit of a slow start as it only saw 3 combined points in the first two and a half minutes. Both teams would heat up after that and begin to score. Ryan Clapham had four points in the first half of the quarter before leaving the game with an apparent eye injury. Brooke Laub checked in for her and promptly scored 5 points.
Lauren Noernberg hit a three pointer from the corner off of a tremendous and rifled swing pass from Lauren Galaska to tie the game at 20 with 3:10 left to play in the second quarter. The Eagles would finish the quarter on a 7-3 run to take a 27 – 23 lead into the break. It marked the first time the Lady Bulldogs had trailed at halftime of a SWC game this season.
The lead wouldn’t last long in the second half as Olmsted Falls took things over. It was an incredible second half for the Bulldogs that saw Paige Kohler erupt for 21 more points. The Bulldogs had a stretch where they scored 7 points in 15 seconds. This team is like a stick of dynamite just waiting to off!
In the fourth quarter, between the 7:30 – 5:15 mark, the Bulldogs went on a 14-0 run to put the game away for good. Their defense was suffocating and the Eagles had no answers.
By the time it was all done, the Olmsted Falls Bulldogs turned a 4-point halftime deficit, into a 64-44 victory. Leading the way was Kohler with 30 points, followed close behind by Lauren Galaska with 9.
Mia Kalich also stepped up huge again tonight, her defensive prowess is outstanding. She may be the best defender in the SWC. Leading the way for the Eagles was McLellon with 14.
