Girls Basketball: Mosher, defense lead Olentangy to first district title since 1998
Olentangy Liberty, Watterson, Pickerington Central also win championships
Saturday, March 2, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Olentangy’s Kate Mosher (right) provided a spark for the Braves in their district final win over Upper Arlington at Ohio Dominican Mar. 2. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Just as there are many ways to skin a cat, there are more than one way to run a 1-3-1 zone. The Olentangy girls basketball used one version of it earlier in the week and came back with a different version on March 2 at Ohio Dominican’s Alumni Hall.
Kate Mosher sparked the Braves with three steals at the top of the zone as they opened the game with first 10 points on their way to a 57-40 win over Upper Arlington.
Mosher and second-seeded Olentangy held the sixth-seeded Golden Bears without a field goal for the first 7 minutes, 9 seconds on their way to the program’s first Division I district title.
“Normally we jump out and trap on the top side, but they pass the ball too well,” Braves coach Jaime Edwards said. “So, we just stayed back and covered the corner 3s and allowed them to dribble up top. We were going to give them anything they wanted up top, but (we didn’t want them) to drive and kick (out). (Quinn) Buttermore is really good about driving, drawing the D and kicking out for an open 3.
“We played 1-3-1 (in a 79-68 win over Reynoldsburg in a district semifinal on Feb. 28). But it was more give-and-go.”
Olentangy previously won its only district title in 1998 when it was in Division II. The Braves had played in the final in six out of seven years, beginning in 2010, but lost each time.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Edwards, who also led Cardington to a Division III district title in 2020. “I forgot how good this feels.”
Along with Mosher’s three steals, Chayla Rankin had a pair of blocks on the perimeter as Olentangy stifled UA on its way to an 18-4 lead after one quarter.
Olentangy’s Sydney Mobley (14) looks to shoot in the lane during the Braves’ district title win over Upper Arlington at Ohio Dominican Mar. 2. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“Whenever we do a 1-3-1, we’re just always aggressive,” Mosher, a junior guard, who finished with nine points, four steals, four rebounds and three assists. “It just sets a tone for the game. Everything starts on defense and that was just really big in this game and in the Reynoldsburg game.”
Rankin finished with four blocks for the Braves, who play Watterson in a regional semifinal on March 5 at Otterbein’s Rike Center.
Olentangy, the top-ranked team in the final AP state poll, improved to 24-1.
Ella Hanky came off the bench to help the Bears find its footing in the second quarter. But UA never got closer than a 13-point deficit in the second half.
Whitney Stafford led the Braves with 19 points and four steals, while adding six rebounds and Sydney Mobley scored 18 points and had 15 rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots.
Hanky finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Elizabeth Hunt added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Bears, who finished 22-4.
“I just wasn’t our night,” UA coach John Wanke said. “I don’t think we were attacking gaps. I think we were playing sideline to sideline. We weren’t screening and sealing. But I think it’s less about that and more about just making shots.
“We had really, really good looks around the rim. Credit Olentangy – they’re really well-coached and, obviously, incredibly talented. I thought we would be able to compete at a super high level against them.”
Upper Arlington’s Elizabeth Hunt (13) goes to the hoop during the Golden Bears’ district title game with Olentangy at Ohio Dominican Mar. 2. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Watterson 56, Marysville 49 (OT)
Sophie Ziel scored 14 of her game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead the eighth-seeded Eagles to an upset over third-seeded Marysville.
Watterson, which improved to 19-6, won its first district title since 2004 and second overall.
Addy Tweed had 16 points, Allison Price added 11 and Abbey Price finished with 10 for the Monarchs, who finished 22-4.
Alex Mosholder added eight points for the Eagles.
Olentangy Liberty 60, Canal Winchester 53
The fourth-seeded Patriots used a big second quarter and then held off 11th-seeded Canal Winchester to win its second district championship.
Liberty, which last won a title in 2015, plays Pickerington Central in a regional semifinal on March 5 at Otterbein.
Gigi Bower hit a pair of 3-pointers and Emma Karagheuzoff and Maria Stack each added one in a 15-4 second quarter to give the Patriots a 35-18 lead at the break.
Claire Mikola had 15 points, Karagheuzoff had 14 and Bower added 13 for Liberty, which went 12 of 14 at the line in the final quarter to improve to 21-5.
London Johnson went for 24 points and Michaela Dunn added 13 points for Canal, which finished 19-7.
Pickerington Central 61, Teays Valley 27
The top-seeded Tigers continued their run of dominance in dominating fashion over the 14th-seeded Vikings, winning their ninth consecutive title and 20th overall.
Berry Wallace scored 21 points and Zoe Coleman 16 for Central, which led 31-16 at the half before blowing it open. The Tigers improved to 23-3.
Alyssa Horsley had eight points for Teays Valley, which finished 17-9.
Bishop Watterson’s Sophie Ziel (center), seen in a game earlier this season, scored 32 points to lead the Eagles to an upset win over Marysville in overtime Mar. 2. Photo: Kevin Lam