by This is brought to you by Robert Gates Legacy Foundation – Rob Gates Legacy, Organ Donation Foundation | Facebook
This Foundation is to raise money to provide relief to transplant recipients, their costs of rejection medications are thousands of dollars per month and they are needed to keep them alive. Also, to provide scholarships in Rob’s name. And to also provide financial relief to living donors as they have to take time off of work for testing work ups, surgery, etc, all to save someone’s life by giving the gift of life.
MANSFIELD, OH — The Division II state semifinal between the Olmsted Falls Bulldogs led by head coach Jordan Eaton and the Anthony Wayne Generals led by head coach Jami Carter was won by the Generals in a 56-40 game behind #12 Elise Bender with 24 points and #14 Brooke Bender with 15 points. The Bulldogs were led by #24 Maddie Cerovac and #25 Emma Schaefer both with 13 points.
The Generals won the tip the start the contest and #3 Leah Pike quickly went to work with a beautiful layup. A foul from Pike sent #25 Emma Schaefer to the line where she nailed both free throws to make it a 2-2 game.
The Bulldogs continued to look for opportunities from where they do best, the 3 point line. But, Pike of the Generals got a pretty quick 6 points while her teammate #14 Brooke Bender hit a tremendously deep 3-pointer to extend the General lead to 7.
The Generals and Bulldogs were in a slug fest, but the Generals maintained a comfortable lead coming out of the 1st quarter, 19-9.
The Generals looked brilliant thanks to the Bender sisters, who had a combined 11 points and looked superb defensively as well. #12 Elise Bender was a MACHINE on the boards. #24 Maddie Cerovac still played as beautifully as ever, helping keep her team in the game nailing foul shots, snatching boards, and overall just hustling.
A 3-pointer from #22 Jesse Simon of the Bulldogs cut the lead back down to 7, but the Generals just kept on scoring thanks to the Bender sisters. The score at halftime saw Anthony Wayne still in the lead over Olmsted Falls, 28-22.
Elise and Brooke Bender helped the Generals extend the lead to 12, with Elise hitting a fadeaway and-1 that brought the lead to 15! The Generals looked so calm and poised, as their defense would not allow anything inside.
Schaefer of Olmsted Falls was GRITTY, driving down the lane drawing fouls and covering what felt like every inch of the floor on defense. The Bulldogs still trailed 45-31 at the end of the 3rd quarter however.
It was Brooke Bender’s turn for an and-1 this time, as the General lead climbed further up to 17 points. The Bulldogs, while down 17, still showed tremendous heart especially from Cerovac and Schaefer but the Generals were just too much and have locked up a chance to win the state title game in Division II. Final score: 56-40.
