Big Walnut edges Westerville South, moves closer to ending title drought
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Big Walnut head coach, Carey Largent (center), looks on as her assistant and her father, Mike Stumpf, talks to her daughter and his granddaughter Remy Largent during the Eagles’ game at Westerville South Jan. 23. Photo: Kevin Lam
Before graduating from Big Walnut in 1998, Carey Stumpf scored more than 1,000 career points and led the program to three league championships under her coach and father, Mike Stumpf.
The last of those titles came during her senior season when the program was competing in the OCC-Capital Division after it previously competed in the Buckeye Athletic Conference.
Now in her second season as the Golden Eagles coach, the former Big Walnut standout who now goes by Carey Largent has the program on the doorstep of a league championship for the first time in 26 years.
With Largent’s freshman daughter, Remy Largent, and her senior niece, Maddy Stumpf, serving as key players, and with Mike Stumpf on the bench as an assistant, the Eagles won 48-44 on Tuesday at Westerville South to earn a season sweep of the two-time OCC-Capital champions.
Big Walnut, which is 15-2 overall and has won 14 in a row, also took over sole possession of first in the league at 9-1.
“We haven’t won at South in a long time, so it was really fun to win,” Remy Largent said. “As far as winning the OCC, my mom was (on) the last (team) to win it, 26 years ago, so if we win the OCC, it would be super cool.”
Big Walnut’s Maddy Stumpf (left) and Westerville South’s Ava Quint battle for a rebound during their game at South Jan. 23. Photo: Kevin Lam
Big Walnut also beat the Wildcats 36-33 on Dec. 15, but South standout sophomore Ariyana Cradle did not play as she continued to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury that took place in last year’s district tournament.
Cradle was in her fifth game back during the rematch and finished with 19 points, including making a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
“It was a tough 19,” South coach Jermaine Guice said. “I want it to be a little easier for her, but she played well and you can see she looks good. Her body is holding up pretty well. We don’t want to give her too many heavy minutes, but today we leaned on her a little more.”
Big Walnut junior Denza Allen was preparing after the game to hand a birthday card to Cradle, who she grew up with and respects as a player. Allen nearly matched Cradle by scoring 18 points, including scoring six during the Golden Eagles’ momentum-changing third quarter.
Big Walnut trailed 22-18 at the half but got three rebounds and two steals from Maddy Stumpf and nine points from Remy Largent during the third as Big Walnut built a 34-27 lead.
The Golden Eagles stretched the advantage to 44-35 with 5 minutes, 6 seconds remaining.
“Westerville South’s pressure is very tight and they’re in your jersey, but I still felt like we had a lot of control in the game,” Allen said. “We were still going to control it and never let it get to us.
“It was (Cradle’s) birthday today and I felt like we knew what to do. Obviously she’s going to score. She’s a very, very good player, but our team put enough pressure on her to not let her get her game. They’ve been great and they have an amazing coach in coach Guice, who is a very good guy. Technically it’s not for the championship, but this was the game to earn first place.”
Westerville South’s Ariyana Cradle takes a successful half court shot at the end of the first quarter during the Wildcats’ home game with Big Walnut Jan. 23. Photo: Kevin Lam
South, which dropped to 10-5 overall and into a second-place tie with Canal Winchester at 8-2 in the league, got a 3-pointer from Cradle with 3:25 remaining to cut it to 46-40 and a basket by Damia Dupree with 2:48 to go to cut it to four.
The Wildcats got as close as 47-44 with 13.4 seconds left, but Big Walnut survived despite going just 14 of 31 from the free-throw line.
“We struggled offensively in the first half and then we hit some shots,” coach Largent said. “We were getting stops but our offense was not there. We gave up five offensive boards in the first half and only two in the second. We were trying to give them the game by missing free throws. I couldn’t even watch.
“Westerville South is a good team. They’re gritty and (Cradle) is tough. This is a really big win and I’m just excited we got out a win like this on the road. We got off to a rocky start (this season) but I told them over Christmas break that we could win out. We’re starting to peak so I’m proud of them.”
South attempted only eight free throws, hitting seven, and had four players end up with four fouls.
“They shot (31 foul shots, and) that takes away from the defense we want to play,” Guice said. “First and foremost, (Big Walnut) did what they needed to do. They played hard and they played tough. They were physical.
“I just want us to get better every day. As coaches, we talk about this year is going to be like three seasons in one. We have the beginning of the year without (Cradle), and we’re going to have a season when she’s coming back, and I think that’s where we are now. Then, hopefully, by the end we’re in that third season where we’re all clicking on all cylinders.”
Big Walnut’s Lexi Federer, guarded by Westerville South’s Zoe Guice, drives to the basket during their game at South Jan. 23, 2024. Photo: Kevin Lam