Three Miami Trace seniors played their final game on the storied court at Miami Trace High School Tuesday when the Braves from Logan Elm came in for a non-league contest.
Miami Trace sent seniors Kyla Johnston, Alexis Schwartz and Harmonee Napier off on a high note with a 73-40 victory.
Miami Trace improves to 18-2 on the season. Logan Elm falls to 4-15 overall.
Miami Trace dropped one notch in the AP Division II poll this week to No. 12 in the state.
The Lady Panthers had a balanced offensive attack, with five players scoring at least seven points.
Sophomore Tanner Bryant was the game’s leading scorer for Miami Trace with 22 points.
Sophomore Victoria Fliehman had 15 points, senior Kyla Johnston scored eight, and juniors Samantha Ritenour and Hanna Reisinger both scored seven points.
Sophomore Jill Congrove led Logan Elm with 18 points.
Senior Emily Hardin was next in the scoring column for the visitors with five points.
Miami Trace shot what may be a season-high 90 percent from the free throw line, hitting 18 of 20 from the charity stripe.
Miami Trace shot 53 percent (25 of 47) from the field and had a season-low six turnovers.
Logan Elm was 13 of 49 from the floor for 27 percent. The Braves made 4 of 14 shots from behind the three-point line for 29 percent. They were 10 of 19 from the free throw line for 53 percent and committed 13 turnovers.
Miami Trace took a 7-0 lead to start the game.
Logan Elm hit a couple of buckets, including a three-point shot, to make it 7-5 with 2:27 to play in the first quarter. That was as close as Logan Elm would get on this night.
Miami Trace went on a 6-0 run to close out the first quarter with a 13-5 lead.
The Lady Panthers outscored Logan Elm 21-11 in the second quarter to take a 34-16 halftime lead.
Miami Trace built upon its lead as the third quarter unfolded.
The Lady Panthers, twice leading by as many as 27 points, led 50-26 after three quarters of action.
Miami Trace led by as many as 36 points late in the game before the horn sounded with a 73-40 final.
“I thought we came out with good energy and the kids were ready to play,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said. “It was very important that we send our three seniors off on a good note. They’ve meant so much to the program over the last four years. They’ve led in such a good manner all year long.
“The seniors have led the right way all year long,” Ackley said. “They’ve handled situations the right way. They’re all going to be successful in the long run. I’m very proud of them.
“I thought we did a better job of attacking the basket in the second quarter,” Ackley said. “We got some easier shots.”
“We knew Miami Trace had a lot of offensive weapons,” Logan Elm head coach Tom Congrove said. “We were real concerned about their size, their length. That caused a lot of problems for us on the offensive end.
“They have a nice team,” Congrove said. “They play well together. We didn’t do a very good job defensively as a team. Against teams like that, if you don’t play together, you’re going to struggle. They did a good job of sharing the ball.”
Logan Elm is home Friday, hosting Hamilton Township in the Mid-State League. The j-v game starts at 6 p.m.
Miami Trace is at Ross Southeastern Saturday with a j-v tip at noon.
In the Associated Press Division II State poll, released Tuesday evening, Kettering Alter is No. 1, followed by Oak Harbor, Bellbrook, West Holmes, Ottawa-Glandorf, Bellevue, Toledo Rogers and Zanesville Maysville.
Clinton-Massie, a team Miami Trace split games with during the regular season, is ranked No. 9 in the state.
Circleville and Steubenville are tied for 10th place and Miami Trace is No. 12.
In other SCOL girls action Tuesday, Chillicothe defeated East Clinton, 55-34.
Hillsboro girls won a non-league game against Zane Trace 42-31.
On Monday, in girls play, Washington won at North Adams, 53-49; McClain beat Zane Trace, 69-37; Hillsboro beat Paint Valley, 59-46 and Chillicothe fell to Eastmoor Academy, 49-37.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MT 13 21 16 23 — 73
LE 5 11 10 14 — 40
MIAMI TRACE — Kyla Johnston 3-2-8; Cassidy Lovett 2-0-4; Becca Ratliff 0-0-0; Hanna Reisinger 1 (1)-2-7; Morgan Miller 0-0-0; Harmonee Napier 3-0-6; Victoria Fliehman 3 (2)-3-15; Tanner Bryant 5 (2)-6-22; Rachael Campbell 0-0-0; Alexis Schwartz 2-0-4; Samantha Ritenour 1-5-7. TOTALS — 20 (5)-18-73. Free throw shooting: 18 of 20 for 90 percent. Three-point field goals: Fliehman, 2; Bryant, 2; Reisinger. Combined field goal shooting: 25 of 47 for 53 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 5 of 12 for 42 percent. Turnovers: 6. Rebounds: 28 (5 offensive). Assists: 13. Steals: 10.
LOGAN ELM — Mckenzie Jones 0-2-2; Rhianna Lucas 2-0-4; Lauryn Vanhoose 0 (1)-0-3; Jill Congrove 3 (2)-6-18; Madison Haupt 1-0-2; Maria Boldoser 1-1-3; Emily Hardin 1 (1)-0-5; Destiny Alderman 1-1-3. TOTALS — 9 (4)-10-40. Free throw shooting: 10 of 19 for 53 percent. Three-point field goals: Congrove, 2; Hardin, Vanhoose. Combined field goal shooting: 13 of 49 for 27 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 4 of 14 for 29 percent. Turnovers: 13. Offensive rebounds: 13.
In the j-v game Tuesday, Miami Trace defeated Logan Elm, 33-26.
For Miami Trace (now 14-5 overall, 10-3 in the SCOL), Becca Ratliff was the game’s leading scorer with 14 points.
Olivia Wolffe scored eight and Morgan Miller had eight points.
Haley Paul led Logan Elm with 12 points.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MT 9 4 13 7 — 33
LE 7 4 5 10 — 26
MIAMI TRACE — Kaylee Hauck 0-0-0; Becca Ratliff 3 (2)-2-14; Olivia Wolffe 2-4-8; Morgan Miller 2-4-8; Krissy Ison 0-0-0; Tori Evans 0-1-1; Rachael Campbell 0-0-0; Jessica Camp 0-0-0; Lena Steele 1-0-2. TOTALS — 8 (2)-11-33. Free throw shooting: 11 of 17 for 65 percent. Three-point field goals: Ratliff, 2. Combined field goal shooting: 10 of 40 for 25 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 2 of 10 for 20 percent. Turnovers: 15.
LOGAN ELM — Lexi Long 3-0-6; Hannah Affolter 3-0-6; Haley Paul 2 (2)-2-12; Sarah Hanley 0-0-0; Alex Hettinger 0-0-0; Laney Haupt 0-0-0; Maria Boldoser 1-0-2; Kaylin Roese 0-0-0. TOTALS — 9 (2)-2-26. Free throw shooting: 2 of 3 for 67 percent. Three-point field goals: Paul, 2. Combined field goal shooting: 11 of 30 for 37 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 2 of 10 for 20 percent. Turnovers: 27.
