Jadyn Puthoff scored 21 points, including 17 in the second half, as the Redskins improved to 26-1. They’ll play Tri-Village with a state berth on the line at 7 p.m. Saturday at Vandalia Butler. The Patriots beat Legacy Christian 52-43 in the other semifinal game,
The Redskins and Wildcats have met in the regionals three of the last four seasons. The Wildcats beat Fort Loramie in the regional finals in 2018 and 2019 en route to back-to-back state championships. The teams were scheduled to play in the D-IV state semifinals last season, but the state tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a coach, I’m relieved,” said Redskins coach Carla Siegel. “I’m happy for my team. It’s a big win for them. The last two times we played them here, we came out on the short end.”
Ivy Wolf scored 20 points for the Wildcats, which finished its season 24-2.
“In the second half, they made a few more plays than we did,” said Wildcats coach Mike Wiss.
Defensively, the Wildcats stifled the Redskins throughout the first half. Minster led 9-8 after the first quarter and 21-18 at halftime.
Minster extended its lead to 27-20 on a jumper by Wolf midway through the quarter, but the Redskins went on a 12-2 run to take the lead at 32-31 on a basket by junior Ava Sholtis.
Puthoff hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Redskins up 40-36. She came into the game with 16 made 3-pointers on the season, Siegel said.
“Her eyes were different today,” Siegel said. “When she hit that first shot, I could just see it. Normally, she comes out of the game first in our rotation. She came out and sat for 20 seconds and said ‘Coach, I’m ready.’ … She was just locked in. You love it when a player like that steps up.”
Defensively, Fort Loramie utilized a 3-2 zone and held the Wildcats scoreless the final 4:39 of the game to seal the victory.
Wolf, a Miami University commit, became the school’s all-time leading scorer with more than 1,660 points, Wiss said. She beat the previous record set by former Ohio State University player Lauren Shenk.
The Wildcats senior class will be remembered as one of the most successful classes in school history.
“I love our kids to death,” Wiss said. “What this group in that locker room has accomplished in their four years — over 100 wins, two state titles and we’re taken off the bus for the third one. Now to make it back to regionals against a team that people projected to win it. I’m happy as hell. It’s disappointing for all of those kids in there, but I think our staff, our kids, those fans that showed up tonight — Minster was engaged and they gave Loramie everything they wanted.”
Credit: Michael Cooper
Credit: Michael Cooper
Tri-Village 53, Legacy Christian 42: The eighth-ranked Knights led 26-22 at the half, but the No. 6 Patriots went on a 7-0 run to start the second half to reclaim the lead.
The Knights tied the score at 40 early in the fourth quarter, but back-to-back baskets by Meghan Downing gave the Patriots a four-point cushion at 44-40. The Knights pulled to within two points, but couldn’t get any closer. The Patriots hit 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
“Our kids made plays down the stretch and we needed that big time,” said Patriots coach Brad Gray.
Rylee Sagester scored 19 points, Torie Richards had 13 and Morgan Hunt added 11 for the Patriots (23-2).
Emma Hess scored 17 points for the Knights, which finished their season 22-4. The Knights hit six 3-pointers in the first half, but made just one in the second half.
“We knew we had a good chance,” said Knights coach Mark Combs. “They did some things with coming out and doubling right away, we knew they were going to do that, but our kids needed to be able to adjust to it. I thought at times we did a pretty good job, but the kids that were open, we just didn’t hit the shots when we needed to hit them.”
The Knights will graduate four seniors who put the program on the map, Combs said.
“I think they’ve had 90 wins and barely double-digit losses,” he said. “It’s a group that’s taken Legacy basketball to a whole new level.”
Gray knows the Patriots will have their hands full against top-ranked Fort Loramie. The key, he said, will be handling the Redskins pressure.
“We know it’s going to be a tough task,” Gray said. “We like being the underdog, which we know we are. No one in the state expects us to win this game on Saturday, so we’re just going to try to come out here, show up and still play the game and see what happens.”
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