Ottawa-Glandorf’s Colin White, left, shoots overtop the outstretched arms of Kenton defenders Gavin Payne (25) and Ethan Yoder (4) during Friday’s game in Ottawa.
Jessica Trinko | The Lima News
OTTAWA — Ottawa-Glandorf’s seniors wrapped up an incredible regular-season run Friday night by doing what they’ve grown accustomed to doing.
The Titans played phenomenal defense. They hit a baker’s dozen of 3-pointers, and they won their third outright Western Buckeye League championship in a row, going 9-0 in the league and 19-3 overall after an 82-46 win at home against Kenton.
“I think sometimes we might take everything for granted,” said Caden Erford, who scored 22 points in his final regular-season game. “But on nights like this, it just makes you grateful for all of it. I give all the credit to our fan base and our student section because they come out like this every single game. It’s just a great feeling.”
The Titans, ranked No. 3 in the most recent Division III state poll, have won seven of the past 10 WBL championships, including six outright titles. In these seniors’ four years, Ottawa-Glandorf finished 89-15.
The Titans opened up the game on an 8-0 run and led by as many as 18 in the first quarter and 20 in the second quarter.
The only real surprise in the game came with the opening tip. The Titans’ Ohio State-bound leader, senior Colin White, sat on the bench to begin his final regular-season game on senior night. He opted to let O-G’s other five seniors start the game while he watched for the first two minutes.
“I feel like I get a lot of the spotlight, and my teammates put in just as much work,” White said. “They’re there every day at practice, shooting extra after practice. I thought I’d give them the chance to start in their last regular-season game. They really deserved it, and it went pretty well.”
The Titans’ starting five ended up being seniors Erford, Connor Kitchen, Grant Schroeder, Alex Wagner, and Dave Westrick.
O-G coach Tyson McGlaughlin said White came to him at the end of the school day Friday and told him “the decision was final.”
“He said, ‘I want the other seniors to start,’” McGlaughlin said. “When you’ve got a kid like that — an Ohio State recruit who has all the recognition and rightfully so — but he cares about his teammates and classmates getting to start tonight, it speaks volumes for who Colin White is.”
White still finished with a team-high 23 points, including a dunk for his first basket of the game and two other crowd-pleasing jams. He called senior night “bittersweet,” but the Titans will play one more game on their “Supreme Court” at Robert J. Hermiller Gymnasium, a Division III sectional final game next Friday against the winner of Tuesday’s Van Buren-Elmwood tilt.
Wagner finished with 11 points, and teammate Grady Toumazos scored 10, as the Titans had four players in double-figures.
The Titans turned on the running clock in the third quarter, as they went on a 33-12 run and pushed their advantage over 35 points.
Kenton (11-11, 2-7 WBL) looked to Gavin Payne for 17 points, including two 3-pointers. Payne also had a team-high seven rebounds. The Wildcats open their playoff run in a Division II sectional final at St. Marys on Friday.
For most of the night, the Titans just looked like high school boys playing a game they love. Ten different players got in the scoring column, and five different players hit 3-pointers. Overall, the Titans hit 58% of their shots and 45% of their 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Kenton connected on just 38% of its shots.
“On this team, it can be anyone on any given night,” Erford said. “There are multiple guys who hit threes tonight. It really is fun watching everyone else on this team succeed, and that’s probably a testament to this team this season.”
Ottawa-Glandorf dominated in nearly every statistical category, with a 31-20 rebounding edge led by Erford’s seven boards. They also held an 11-2 turnover edge and had four steals.
The Titans checked a regular-season WBL championship off their to-do list. Now, after three consecutive trips to the state tournament without a championship, they have their next goals to pursue.
“Coach (McGlaughlin) is very good at keeping us focused on the task at hand,” White said. “That’s going out and winning the sectional title, then the district title, winning the regional title, and winning the state title. We know what goals we have and what goals we came in the year with, and we plan on accomplishing those goals.”
Ottawa-Glandorf 82, Kenton 46
Score by quarters:
Kenton 7 14 12 13 — 46
Ottawa-Glandorf 22 17 33 10 — 82
KENTON
Steven Piper 8, Blaine Bushong 5, Ethan Yoder 7, Dawson Miller 7, Trenton DeLong 2, Gavin Payne 17. Totals: 16-8-46.
OTTAWA-GLANDORF
Alex Wagner 11, Grant Schroeder 2, Grady Toumazos 10, Connor Kitchen 5, Dave Westrick 2, Ross Maag 3, Brody Fortman 2, Colin White 23, Caden Erford 22, Grant Leopold 2. Totals: 32-5-82.
3-pointers: K-Miller 2, Payne 2, Bushong 1, Yoder 1. O-G-Erford 6, Wagner 3, Toumazos 2, Kitchen 1, White 1.
Records: Kenton 11-11, 2-7 WBL; Ottawa-Glandorf 19-3, 9-0 WBL
Reach David Trinko at 567-242-0467 or on Twitter @Lima_Trinko.
