Girls basketball: Westerville Central earns share of first-ever OCC title
Friday, February 2, 2024
By Scott Gerfen
sgerfen@cbussports.com
Westerville Central’s Kate Yaussy (left) celebrates the Warhawks’ win with her teammates Feb. 2 at Gahanna, which gave the team at least a share of the OCC-Ohio title. Photo: Kevin Lam
Kate Yaussy recalls winning just three games as a freshman.
Now the senior and the rest of her teammates on the Westerville Central girls basketball team can call themselves OCC-Ohio Division champions with Friday’s 71-46 victory at Gahanna.
“We’ve come so far … so, it feels great, and we’re the closest we’ve been as a team, and it’s just been really fun,” said Yaussy, who hit four 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 19 points to lead four Warhawks in double figures.
The win gives Central, which improved to 16-3 overall and 7-2 in the OCC-Ohio, at least a share of the league title, the first-ever in program history, according to second-year coach Justin Patrick.
A victory over Westland on Feb. 9 would give the Warhawks an outright championship.
Westerville Central’s Ella Martin, who scored 16 points, eyes the basket during the Warhawks’ win at Gahanna Feb. 2. Photo: Kevin Lam
“This group went through some tough times as freshmen and sophomores,” Patrick said. “I’m really proud of them. This one was for the girls.”
Central went 9-11 and 2-6 last season and won just six games in 2021-22 and 2020-21.
“I came in last year and tried to change around the program,” Patrick said. “The girls did a great job adjusting. It was a little rocky at first, but toward the end of last year, they kind of figured it out. This year, we just got on a roll, and did it from the beginning of the year.”
The Warhawks rolled from the start at Gahanna, outscoring the Lions 24-4 in the first quarter.
Gahanna got as close as 12 points with 2 minutes, 22 seconds left in the third quarter when freshman Kaylee Jackson hit a pair of three throws.
Westerville Central head coach Justin Patrick, on the sideline during his team’s win at Gahanna Feb. 2, has guided the Warhawks to at least a share of the OCC-Ohio title in his second year at the helm. Photo: Kevin Lam
But Central widened the lead from there to 52-34 by the end of the third quarter.
“We cut it to 12, but we gave up a few possessions where there was a scramble-out (3-pointer) or a put-back, but hats off to them because they’ve been playing great basketball all year long,” said Gahanna coach Ron Bailey, whose team dropped to 9-11 and 6-3 in the OCC-Ohio. “They were on fire all night. They played with a lot of energy.”
Sophia Roush and Ella Martin each finished with 16 points for Central, while Priscilla Adjei added 12.
“We’ve been shooting the ball really well toward the end of the year,” said Patrick, whose team has won four straight since losing to New Albany 43-32 on Jan. 19. “I think we have four or five players shooting over 35%, which is really good.”
Aaliyah Younger led the way for the Lions with 19 points, and Haedyn Hull and Jackson each finished with 11.
Central won the first meeting 43-29 on Jan. 5.
Gahanna’s Aaliyah Younger, who led the Lions with 19 points, drives to the basket against Westerville Central Feb. 2 at Gahanna. Photo: Kevin Lam