SPORTS

Ross, Oak Harbor earn noteworthy Battle victories

Josh Morgret

FREMONT – After drawing the likes of Hathaway Brown and Wadsworth last year in pool play, and suffering a 39-19 loss Monday to North Canton Hoover, Fremont Ross’ girls basketball team had yet another stiff test in Division II perennial powerhouse Lima Bath at the Battle of Fort Stephenson tournament.

The Little Giants hit three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the second half to knock off the Wildkittens 47-40. Ross finished third in Pool B.

“We played more as a team,” Ross coach Juan Vela said of his team’s second game. “We were supportive and played for each other. There was too much selfish play in the first game.”

Ross faces Toledo Central Catholic at 12:15 p.m. today at Fremont Rec Center. The Little Giants will play again at 4:35 p.m. to determine their overall finish among 20 teams.

“We enjoy playing tough teams, really,” Vela said. “It’s just like our league where we play tough teams every night. It’s a good win for us though.”

Oak Harbor won both of its pool play games, topping Central Catholic 52-43 and NCO Magic 52-28. The Rockets led the Irish by one point at the half before surviving an up and down shootout.

“It was a nice day to get out and run a bit,” Oak Harbor coach Tom Kontak said. “We had three goals. First, we wanted to play and compete hard. Second, we wanted to win and third, we wanted to spend quality time off the court.

“With our games being over six hours apart, we were able to go to Tiffin, eat lunch and watch a movie. It was a good day.”

Rockets senior Andrea Cecil, who has committed to play college basketball at Bowling Green, outscored the Magic in the first half with 17 points. Oak Harbor led 30-11 at the half.

Rathbun scored 14 points in the game while Cecil added six rebounds.

“Andrea, like she does many times, set the tone for us,” Kontak said. “We look at this tournament as something to build on. This isn’t an open gym for us. It’s something to help us get better.”

The Rockets, despite an undefeated record in their pool, will play in the second-place bracket because of a tie-breaker with Toledo Notre Dame. Oak Harbor faces North Coast Showtime, which also is undefeated, at 2:25 p.m. today.

NCS topped Margaretta 47-44 and Lima Bath 54-47. Clyde’s Morgan Bannister and Bree Dowling, St. Joseph Central Catholic’s Miranda Wammes and Adrienne Wehring, and Old Fort’s Peyton Miller are on the roster for Showtime.

Margaretta lost 46-15 to North Canton Hoover in its other pool game.

Vela praised the job Showtime president John Cahill does setting up the tourney, which is being held for the second time. Akron, Eastern Michigan, Ohio Northern, Ashland, Heidelberg, Baldwin-Wallace and John Carroll were among the colleges with representatives attending Monday’s games.

“He does a great job with this,” Vela said.