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Hartville, Ohio – Massillon Jackson held off Berea-Midpark, 44-41, in the OHSAA Division I, Northeast District 2 final at Uniontown Lake High School Saturday night.
Ava Kouri and Madison Lepley each hit a triple to give the Polar Bears an early 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Berea-Midpark responded with a 10-0 run, thanks to the efforts of sophomore guard Regan Braaten. They would lead 12-10 after the first quarter.
Massillon Jackson would retake the lead in the second quarter, thanks in part to sophomore Ashley Helle. She hit three triples in the stanza, and fellow classmate Lexi Pizor pitched in with four points. They led 25-22 at the halftime break.
The Polar Bears would increase their lead to 37-30 after three quarters, thanks to a strong defensive effort. Ava Kouri, Madison Lepley, and Lexi Pizor each had four points in the quarter.
Ava Kouri hit a triple to increase the Massillon Jackson lead to 44-35 in the fourth quarter. Berea-Midpark added a pair of triples from senior Rylee Szojka and sophomore Emma Arnold to cut their deficit to 44-41.
After forcing a turnover, the Lady Titans had a chance to knot the game. However, the game-tying attempt fell short, and they could not get a second shot off in time.
Massillon Jackson was led by juniors Madison Lepley and Ava Kouri, who each finished with 13 points on the evening. Berea Midpark was led by sophomore Regan Braaten, who finished with 13 points, followed by sophomore Emma Arnold with 11.
The Polar Bears advance to the Division I, Region I semifinals, where they will take on Medina. That game will take place on Wednesday, February 26th, at 8:00pm.
Extended highlights below:
