 The
Perrysburg girls basketball team is playing the role
of Cinderella in the 2010 postseason despite
entering the playoffs as defending district
champions.
Last year, the Yellow Jackets set
a school record for most wins (24) and reached the
Division I regional finals. But first-year coach
Todd Sims lost four starters to graduation, and no
one in the program thought another deep playoff run
was in the cards.
“There is not much pressure on
us,” Sims said. “To be honest, I’m surprised. This
is unexpected. The girls don’t seem like [their
under pressure].”
The young Yellow Jackets (17-6)
upset undefeated Marion Harding 36-27 Saturday to
win the DI district title at the University of
Findlay. Marion Harding (23-1) came into the game as
the No. 3 team in the state against unranked
Perrysburg.
“It’s one of the greatest things,”
said senior Erin Mesker, who is the only returning
starter. “This was so unexpected. It was awesome. We
felt an urge of excitement. We wanted to move on.”
Sophomore Kelsea Newman scored a
team-high 12 points, including seven in the fourth
quarter. Junior Alyssa Goins tallied eight points,
and Mesker added seven.
The Yellow Jacket defense limited
Marion Harding’s Shawnta Dyer, who will play at
Louisville, to 14 points.
With the upset, Perrysburg
advanced to the regional semifinal at 8 tonight at
Norwalk against Brecksville-Broadview Heights
(19-5). The Bees beat Rocky River Magnificat 48-44
last Saturday.
“It helps a lot because the
pressure is not on us,” Mesker said. “We just play
our own game and relax.”
Mesker finished the regular season
ranked ninth in the Northern Lakes League in scoring
with 10.7 points per game. Mesker also averaged 7.0
rebounds per game, which was fifth best in the
league.
Newman averaged 10.2 points per
game in the regular season. Junior Nicole Delas
ranked seventh in the league in rebounding with 5.9
boards per contest.
Newman played varsity as a
freshman.
“Now she’s a starter and we lean
on her,” Sims said.
Perrysburg had captured
back-to-back NLL championships the past two seasons,
including a perfect 14-0 record last year.
But Northview won its first NLL
title since the 2004-05 season.
The Yellow Jackets finished with a
10-4 mark in league play, finishing third behind
Northview (13-1) and Southview (12-2).
Sims said playing in the
ultra-competitive league helps a lot in the
playoffs.
“There is such good coaching in
the NLL and there are so many different presses and
defenses,” Sims said. “It prepares us for the
tournament. There’s not anything they are not
prepared for.”
“It helps prepare for the physical
teams out there,” Mesker agreed.
Sims said after losing four
starters, he was more worried about how his players
would accept roles and how they would gel.
“One of our biggest advantages is
that we just play,” Sims said. “We don’t harp on
what the other team does. We do what we do. We have
a certain system and we just tweak it. Sometimes
it’s faster and sometimes it’s slower.”
While Perrysburg returns to the
regional, it is the first regional game for
Brecksville-Broadview Heights since 1996.
“I think it helps that we were
there last year,” said Sims, who was an assistant at
Perrysburg for 20 years under coach Mark Schrock.
“They came and watched the game and a few played in
the game.”
Sims said tonight’s opponent has a
similar style with two post players and three
guards.
“Our game plan is like every game.
We want to handle pressure, limit turnovers and play
very good defense and outrebound teams,” Sims said.
Guard Courtney Clark, who is one
of only two seniors on the Bees’ roster, is joined
by junior Leah Haught in the back court.
Mesker said the Yellow Jackets’
playoff experience should help in the long run.
“I know how to play in the
tournament,” Mesker said. “The play is so much more
physical. You’re playing for your life and you don’t
want to die. The key is to just play our game and
play hearts out.”
Contact Mark Monroe
at:monroe@theblade.comor 419-724-6354. |
