by Cover photo by Maggie McKee
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Down four to start the final quarter, the Rocky River Pirates were relentless with their inside attack as they outscored the Westlake Lady Demons 19-6 in the final frame, to take away the 46-37 victory. This was an old school SWC Rivalry back in the days this writer was in High School, and now, after the last few meetings, it has become an intense and grueling GLC Rivalry as well. These two teams went overtime the last time they hooked it up, with the same result. It’s starting to become a must watch rivalry.
Elizabeth Lang is one to watch for the Pirates, I’ve said it once, and I will say it again. This freshman is at the core of the inside presence that won this game today for Rocky River. Lang, checked in and made a difference each and every time, including 6 massive points in the fourth quarter to help the Pirates overcome the deficit, and win the game! Lang finished with 8 points, but I will say it yet again, every one of those 8 points turned out to be massive!
Ava Patti is an absolute stud, who just seems to have this mode in her to be able to flip a switch and turn it on at anytime. She did again tonight scoring 19, and scoring a bunch of those points in pivotal times in the second and fourth quarters when River needed it the most. She is a pleasure to watch play and just keeps getting better. Fellow senior Mackenzie Russell once again looked strong as she finished with 4.
Olivia Dewey scored 7 while Claudia Roche had 3 and Kylie Crane had 4. It was Rory Vesi finishing the Pirate scoring with 1 point.
The Westlake Lady Demons fought hard all game, and nearly pulled it off as they led after the first and third quarters. This is a hardworking squad that isn’t afraid to get physical when needed. The Demons were led in scoring by Jackie Onunwor with 12 while Ireland Shea had 7 and Lydia Tymoszczuk had 9. Ella Stanton, Eleanor Henton and Rachel Nash had 3 each.
Onunwor and Tymoszczuk started the game off hot, each hitting three pointers, but River wrapped that around 6 points from Patti and Crane in the early going. At one point late, it was 9-7 River, when Tymoszczuk hit another three to give the Demons a 10-9 lead after one.
Westlake came out gunning in the second quarter, to quickly extend the lead with 4 straight points to make it 14-9. That is when Elizabeth Lang checked in and got her first bucket of the game, almost instantly. After Shea made it 15-11 on a foul shot, it was fellow Pirate freshman Dewey scoring next to cut it to 15-13. A short while later, a Crane bucket handed the Pirates a 16-15 lead with 2:10 to play in the half. Westlake re-took the lead at 19-18 before Patti took over with 5 straight points to end the half with the Pirates up 23-19 at the break.
Down 25-19, early into the third quarter, a Rachel Nash three ball got the Demons cooking. A three ball shortly after from Onunwor tied it at 25. Before the frame was over, two more three pointers from Ella Stanton and Tymoszczuk handed the Demons a 31-27 lead after three quarters of action. The Westlake defense was stout in the third, holding the Pirates to only 4 points in the entire quarter.
As mentioned, the fourth quarter belonged to Rocky River as the Elizabeth Lang show took over. Lang controlled the paint, and along with Patti, combined for 12 fourth quarter points in the Pirate comeback. The Pirates went on a 8 – 4 run to start the quarter, and finished it off with foul shots late from Claudia Roche to cap the 46-37 win.
A few more photos of the action can be found on page two.
