Elida’s Lilly Sifrit shoots against Lima Senior’s Mallory Gipson and Anya James during Thursday’s Vicki Mauk Holiday Classic championship game at the Elida Fieldhouse.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
Elida’s girls basketball team went from winless to tournament champions in, oh, about two days.
The Bulldogs (2-7) won the Vicki Mauk Holiday Classic on their home court at the Elida Fieldhouse, beating Van Buren and Lima Senior along the way.
They did it with a variety of scorers. On Wednesday, Lilly Sifrit scored 14 points, Jojo Knight had 11 and Alexis Ward scored 11 points with eight rebounds.
On Thursday, Oliveah Sanders came off the bench to score 13 points. Sifrit added 13 of her own, and Knight had 12 points and five steals.
Now Elida’s playing with a newfound confidence that comes with winning and selfless play. Elida coach Elisa Jenkins, who said she was “relieved” after the first win Wednesday, now said she felt an “excitement” about the team’s chemistry.
“They’re really playing very unselfishly,” Jenkins said. “You can see it on the scoreboard because we’re very balanced in scoring. That’s just really good to have because it could be anybody’s night. I’m just really proud of the girls.”
Sifrit and Knight were each put on the all-tournament team by media members and coaches.
Read more at bit.ly/3NIa8Mo.
Elite showdown
Two of the top teams in the state, Ottawa-Glandorf and Crestview, faced off Thursday night, and the result was a classic, as the Titans came away from Convoy with a 47-45 win.
The Titans’ Karsyn Erford hit 8 of 10 free throws, including 3 of 4 in the fourth quarter. She sealed the victory with free throws with 25.7 seconds left to play.
“It was a great game with a tournament atmosphere,” Ottawa-Glandorf coach Troy Yant said. “They are a well-coached team, it felt like we never really got out of the mud tonight.”
Read more at bit.ly/47cd37f.
‘D’ is the key
Miller City’s girls basketball team is 7-3 now, thanks in part to its defense in a 46-44 win against Toledo Christian on Thursday night.
“We stayed the course and kept to the game plan, got some stops and stayed aggressive,” Miller City coach Ross Huerman said. “We knew that we were going to see one of the best players that we are going to see all year in (Kendal) Braden. All of our game plan focused on our defense, and it won us the game.”
Andrea Pfau led the Wildcats with 15 points, and Jordan Schnipke scored 13.
Read more at bit.ly/3NLm7sy.
Whew!
Lima Senior found its way into the championship at the Vicki Mauk Holiday Classic by the skin of its teeth.
The Spartans, up by 15 with less than three minutes to go in the game, held off a frantic New Knoxville comeback attempt and escaped with a one-point win, 46-45, in the first game of the Vicki Mauk Holiday Classic at the Elida Fieldhouse.
“We’ve been struggling this year with finishing strong,” said Lima Senior coach LaKeisha Sigman. “We did a lot of talking about we needed to do at the end of games to finish strong and get the win.”
Maisie Strawser scored 20 points in the win against New Knoxville. She was selected for the all-tournament team by media members and coaches.
Read more at bit.ly/4aHac95.
Hot and cold
Ottoville felt both hot and cold during its 45-34 loss to Wayne Trace last Saturday.
The Big Green used a 12-4 run to get ahead by four points at the half but then scored just one basket in the third quarter to fall behind.
The Big Green try to have a short memory after a loss, coach Vaughn Horstman said.
“We have a short-term memory,” he said. “We really don’t say more than 22 words in the locker room at the end of a game, win or lose. It’s short-term memory. Move on to the next opponent, and work to get better in practice.”
The game included the oddity of a pair of twins starting for each team. Ottoville offered juniors Carly Thorbahn (16 points and six rebounds) and Erica Thorbahn (six steals). Wayne Trace brought sophomores Careen Winans (10 points) and Caroline Winans (eight rebounds).
Read more at bit.ly/41HRRVf.
Big scorers
Several area girls basketball players topped the 15-point plateau in recent games:
• Lauryn Auchmuty, of Columbus Grove, is a regular member of this list. On Wednesday, she scored 30 points in a 62-25 win against Cory-Rawson. Last Saturday, she scored 22 points in the Bulldogs’ 51-36 win against Delphos St. John’s last Saturday.
• Shawnee’s Grace Freiberger tallied 24 points and seven rebounds in a 53-37 loss at Bellefontaine last Saturday.
• Maggie Pothast of Fort Jennings scored 21 points in a pair of losing efforts, against McComb last Saturday and against Arlington on Wednesday.
• Continental’s Kenzie Shock scored 21 points, 19 in the second half, in a 52-39 loss at Upper Scioto Valley.
• Upper Scioto Valley’s Nevaeh Lowery had 20 points, including 10 of 13 from the free-throw line, in USV’s 52-39 win against Continental.
• Bath’s Claire Foust scored 19 points and had seven rebounds to lead the Wildkittens to a 43-31 win at Coldwater, snapping the team’s two-game losing streak after starting the year 6-0.
• Nicole Nesby, of Columbus Grove, scored 19 points in the Bulldogs’ 51-36 win against Delphos St. John’s last Saturday.
• Waynesfield-Goshen’s Tatelyn Faraglia scored 18 points in the Tigers’ 48-45 win against Ada.
• Bluffton’s Ayla Grandey scored 18 points in the Pirates’ 47-46 win against Kenton.
GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS
Western Buckeye League
`WBL `All
Ottawa-Glandorf `2-0 `10-0
Bath `2-0 `7-2
St. Marys `2-0 `5-4
Kenton `1-1 `4-5
Wapakoneta `1-1 `4-5
Shawnee `1-1 `3-6
Van Wert `1-1 `2-6
Celina `0-2 `2-5
Elida `0-2 `2-7
Defiance `0-2 `0-10
Northwest Conference
`NWC `All
Crestview `2-0 `9-1
Columbus Grove `2-0 `8-1
Delphos Jefferson `2-0 `7-1
Lincolnview `2-0 `4-4
Allen East `0-1 `7-1
Bluffton `0-1 `4-5
Leipsic `0-2 `4-3
Spencerville `0-2 `4-4
Ada `0-2 `4-6
Northwest Central Conference
`NWCC `All
Ridgedale `2-0 `4-5
Cory-Rawson `2-0 `4-7
Perry `1-0 `6-3
Waynesfield-Goshen `1-0 `3-4
Elgin `1-1 `7-1
Hardin Northern `1-1 `2-5
Upper Scioto Valley `0-2 `3-5
North Baltimore `0-2 `1-5
Ridgemont `0-2 `0-7
Putnam County League
`PCL `All
Columbus Grove `2-0 `8-1
Ottoville `1-0 `8-2
Miller City `2-1 `7-3
Leipsic `2-1 `4-4
Kalida `1-1 `5-4
Continental `0-1 `0-9
Pandora-Gilboa `0-2 `1-7
Fort Jennings `0-2 `1-9
Toledo City Athletic League
`TCAL `All
Rogers `3-1 `7-4
Start `3-1 `4-4
Bowsher `2-1 `5-5
Scott `2-2 `5-5
Lima Senior `2-2 `5-7
Woodward `1-2 `1-5
Waite `0-4 `1-6
GIRLS BASKETBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Arlington 42, Fort Jennings 37
Wednesday
Bath 43, Coldwater 31
Columbus Grove 62, Cory-Rawson 25
Elida 57, Van Buren 50
Lima Senior 46, New Knoxville 45
Thursday
Bluffton 47, Kenton 46
Elida 50, Lima Senior 37
Findlay 50, Shawnee 27
Kalida 47, Archbold 33
Miller City 46, Tol. Christian 44
Ottawa-Glandorf 47, Convoy Crestview 45
Upper Scioto Valley 52, Continental 39
Van Buren 45, New Knoxville 35
Wapakoneta 61, Sylvania Southview 35
Waynesfield-Goshen 48, Ada 45
Today
Fort Jennings at Delphos St. John’s, 1:30 p.m.
Fort Loramie at Ottawa-Glandorf, 12:30 p.m.
Van Wert at Delphos Jefferson, 12:30 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Olentangy, 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 2
Waynesfield-Goshen at Indian Lake, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 4
Allen East at Delphos Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.
Bath at Kenton, 7:30 p.m.
Bluffton at Ada, 7:30 p.m.
Celina at Shawnee, 7:30 p.m.
Columbus Grove at Crestview, 7:30 p.m.
Kalida at Ottoville, 7:30 p.m.
Lincolnview at Lima Central Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
New Bremen at Delphos St. John’s, 7 p.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf at Elida, 7:30 p.m.
Spencerville at Leipsic, 7:30 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa at Van Buren, 7:30 p.m.
St. Marys at Wapakoneta, 7:30 p.m.
St. Ursula at Lima Senior, 7:30 p.m.
Upper Scioto Valley at Perry, 7:30 p.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Hardin Northern, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 5
Continental at Miller City, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 6
Ada at Arcadia, 2:30 p.m.
Bluffton at Pandora-Gilboa, 1:30 p.m.
Elida at Botkins, 1:30 p.m.
Fairlawn at Waynesfield-Goshen, 12:30 p.m.
Ottoville at Columbus Grove, 1:30 p.m.
Spencerville at Fort Jennings, 1:30 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Wednesday
Bowling Green 47, Wapakoneta 41
Crestview 46, Kalida 41
Delphos St. John’s 73, Delphos Jefferson 45
Elida 54, Perry 28
Ottawa-Glandorf 68, Canton Central Catholic 39
Thursday
Cardinal Stritch 60, Bath 46
Lima Central Catholic 75, Shawnee 49
Riverside 61, Temple Christian 54
Toledo Christian 69, Miller City 59
Waynesfield-Goshen 69, Ada 55
Friday
Games ended after The Lima News deadline. Find scores, game stories, photos and more on LimaScores.com.
Columbus Grove at Van Wert, 7:30 p.m.
Crestview at Ottoville, 7 p.m.
Elida at New Bremen, 7:30 p.m.
Fort Jennings at Temple Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Lima Senior at Findlay, 5 p.m.
Lincolnview at Kalida, 6:30 p.m.
Miller City at Tinora, 7:30 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa at Patrick Henry, 7:30 p.m.
St. Marys at Spencerville, 6:15 p.m.
Today
Ottawa-Glandorf at Lima Central Catholic, 4 p.m.
Ottoville at Van Wert, 5:30 p.m.
Perry at Columbus Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Reynoldsburg at Lima Senior, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 2
Arcadia at Ada, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 5
Ada at Bluffton, 7:30 p.m.
Crestview at Columbus Grove, 7:30 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Allen East, 7:30 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s at New Bremen, 7 p.m.
Elida at Ottawa-Glandorf, 7:30 p.m.
Hardin Northern at Waynesfield-Goshen, 7:30 p.m.
Kalida at Lima Central Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Kenton at Bath, 7:30 p.m.
Leipsic at Spencerville, 7:30 p.m.
Perry at Upper Scioto Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Shawnee at Celina, 7:30 p.m.
Start at Lima Senior, 7:30 p.m.
Temple Christian at Ridgedale, 7:30 p.m.
Van Buren at Pandora-Gilboa, 7:15 p.m.
Wapakoneta at St. Marys, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 6
Columbus Grove at Fort Jennings, 7:30 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Celina, 5 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s at Shawnee, 7:30 p.m.
Elida at Coldwater, 7:30 p.m.
Kalida at Spencerville, 6 p.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf at Liberty Center, 7:30 p.m.
Ottoville at Minster, 7:30 p.m.
Van Buren at Bluffton, 6:30 p.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Vanlue, 7:30 p.m.
