The Shoregals Impose Will in Second Half to Blow Out Elyria

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AVON LAKE, OH— With the regular season coming to a close, both of these squads were looking to end the 2021-2022 campaign going down swinging and their heads up high. It has been a down year for Elyria and Avon Lake.

Unfortunately for Anthony Brown’s visiting group the losing woes would continue Wednesday evening as the Shoregals wrap up their schedule with a two-game winning streak, playing arguably their best game. The home team would win comfortably 62-31.

The maroon and white got things going with a tough layup through contact by Lindsay Homolka a few ticks after winning the tip. Efficiency was the name of the game in the first quarter as Avon Lake would shoot 6/7 from the floor. That effective scoring came from a balanced attack.

The aforementioned Homolka, Courtney Borland, Claire Springer, Leah Hicov, and Brynn Bondar would all put the ball in the basket for head coach Dave Zvara. On the visiting side, Elyria would only be down six, but, they were not clicking. A polar opposite 33% on 3/9 shooting overall.

It also did not help that they were turning the basketball over quite frequently and their defense was getting picked apart by some potent screen and rolls that got the Pioneer’s big’s out of the painted area for some uncontested layups.

But the shooting slump would subside for the next eight minutes. Their junior sharpshooter, Hannah Miller, splashed a pair of three balls to bring her total up to three for the half and nine points. Jaidah Gonzalez would remain a perfect 3/3 and six points.  The fast pace that Elyria likes to run paid dividends this time around.

Avon Lake would still remain on full attack mode too. Answering the bell was Bondar. She knocked down a couple more triples and Marisa Summerfield got in a bit of a rhythm tacking on five points.

A minor but intriguing sign for the Shoregals was Claire Springer in the second quarter. Only a sophomore and standing at 5’10, her vision for a forward was really fun to watch.

There were a handful of times where she would receive a pass at the top of the key after a high screen and any time someone was able to dive to the hoop she always seemed to find the open target for the easy deuce.

She was also great on the interior as well, doing a fantastic job at controlling the paint. Avon Lake has a budding star in their front court for the next couple of years.

Zvara’s group ended the first half the same way they started it. Only this time Jane Ritt buried an and one three pointer and converted the four-point play to go up 31-21 heading into the half.

Avon Lake would run away and go on a 31-10 run.   They have some interesting and talented players, and they are only losing two this coming spring. As for the Pioneers, they also have some things to look forward to. Hannah Miller returns, and sophomore point forward Davionna West is young but has some tools in her arsenal.

She had difficulty handling the ball at certain points but, she has great vision and can post up down low too, using her size at 5’8.

Play of the game – A Kaylee Kuwalu cold blooded three that found the bottom of the net in the fourth!

Players of the Game

Elyria: Jaidah Gonzalez- 5/9 11 points

Avon Lake: Courtney Borland- 5/6 11 points

Brynn Bondar- 4/8 12 points