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Olmsted Falls, OH: Olmsted Falls (16-4) and Amherst (4-16) met for a Southwestern Conference matchup, but this one was all Bulldogs from the start. From the opening tip, Olmsted Falls controlled the pace, knocking down shots, forcing turnovers, and overwhelming the Comets on both ends of the floor. By halftime, the game was all but decided, as the Bulldogs cruised to a dominant 67-12 victory.
First Quarter
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the board, winning the tip and immediately hitting a three from Jesse Simon. Amherst’s struggles started early, as they turned the ball over on their first possession, leading to a quick steal and layup from Simon. She continued her hot start, scoring another layup to push the lead to 7-0 within the first two and a half minutes.
Emma Schaefer joined in on the scoring, draining a three to extend the lead even further. Grace Largent followed with a fast-break layup before Maddie Cerovac got in on the action, knocking down back-to-back threes to ignite the home crowd. The Bulldogs’ defense smothered Amherst, making every possession a challenge. The Comets finally got on the board when Abby Broaddus went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line after a foul, but by the end of the first, Olmsted Falls had built a commanding 28-1 lead.
Second Quarter
Both teams started the second quarter slow, with neither side scoring for the first three minutes. Finally, Cerovac broke the drought with a layup, and the Bulldogs were back in rhythm. Addison Mullen buried a deep three, and Avery DeLisio followed with two quick threes of her own, stretching the lead even further.
DeLisio continued to make an impact, grabbing a steal and pushing the tempo, though the Bulldogs couldn’t convert on the extra possession. By the time the clock hit 2:22, Olmsted Falls was up 39-1. Carli Nagy added another three before the half, and the Bulldogs went into the locker room with a massive 42-1 advantage.
Third Quarter
Coming out of halftime, Cerovac wasted no time, scoring a layup right out of the gate. She followed that up with another three, proving once again why she was the best player on the floor. Amherst finally got a field goal when Libby Vidovich hit a floater, and Jayla Cruz added two points from the free-throw line.
Despite the Comets finally finding a little offense, the Bulldogs kept rolling. Cerovac showed off her passing ability, threading a perfect assist to Ella Meczka for a fast-break layup. At the end of the third, Olmsted Falls held a commanding 53-7 lead, leaving no doubt about the outcome.
Fourth Quarter
The Bulldogs didn’t let up in the final quarter. Cerovac scored an and-one layup but missed the free throw. She quickly followed it up with another layup off an assist from Largent, then knocked down a floater to add to her impressive night.
Amherst kept fighting, as Sarai Hussein-Bey muscled in a tough layup. But Olmsted Falls was relentless on the glass, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds before Riley Bragg finished a putback. Cerovac continued to put on a show, executing a smooth euro step in transition for another easy bucket. Simon added a steal and layup, and Nagy contributed another quick basket as the Bulldogs closed out their dominant performance.
When the final buzzer sounded, Olmsted Falls walked away with a commanding 67-12 victory, proving once again why they’re one of the toughest teams in the conference.
Moving Forward
With the win, Olmsted Falls improves to 16-4 on the season and remains undefeated in Southwestern Conference play at 13-0. The Bulldogs continue to assert themselves as the team to beat in the conference and will look to keep their momentum rolling as the postseason approaches. On the other side, Amherst Steele falls to 4-16. The Comets will look to regroup and finish the season strong, hoping to build off the small positives from this game as they move forward.
Players of the Game
Olmsted Falls: Maddie Cerovac led the charge with 23 points, including three three-pointers, dominating on both ends of the floor.
Amherst: Jayla Cruz was a bright spot for the Comets, scoring 4 points and giving strong effort throughout the game.
