FRANKFORT — The Washington Lady Blue Lions had recently played perhaps their most-consistent, well-executed game of the season with a 56-48 win over the Miami Trace Lady Panthers.
They followed that with a make-up game at Logan High School Wednesday, Feb. 12. That was a 52-43 win by the Chieftains.
The Lady Lions bounced right back with another well-played game in the Sectional tournament Saturday at Adena High School.
Washington came from behind to post a 58-47 win over the Lady Falcons.
The Sectional championship victory raises Washington’s record to 12-11 overall and sends them on to the District tournament at Southeastern High School where a daunting task awaits as they will face the No. 4 team in the State, as ranked by the Associated Press, Vincent Warren. That District semifinal is scheduled for Friday at Southeastern High School at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, Washington senior Shawna Conger entered the game needing 33 points to reach 1,000 for her career.
She got almost half the way there with 15 points. Conger now has a career total of 982 points, leaving her 18 shy of 1,000.
Senior Halli Wall scored 17 points (one away from her career high) for Washington and sophomore Jeleeya Tyree-Smith scored 13, giving Washington a trio in double figures.
Fairfield Union senior Katie Burke was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points.
Sophomore Hannah Rauch scored eight points for the Lady Falcons.
Fairfield Union led by as many as eight points in the first quarter.
At the end of the initial period, the Lady Falcons held a 16-12 lead over the Lady Lions.
Washington went on a 9-2 run to take a 21-18 lead.
Fairfield Union reclaimed the lead, but Tyree-Smith scored four, including a bucket after an offensive rebound.
Fairfield Union, who made 14 of 17 free throws, sank two near the end of the quarter to settle the score at 25-24 in favor of Washington.
After going 2 of 7 from the field in the second quarter, Fairfield Union remained icy cold in the third quarter, making 1 of 7 field goal attempts.
At the same time, Washington made 6 of 10 shots on their way to outscoring Fairfield Union, 16-4 to take a 41-28 lead.
Washington just needed to basically swap baskets with Fairfield Union to claim the Sectional championship.
They essentially did that, being outscored by just two points (19-17) to take a 58-47 victory.
Fairfield Union did fight their way back to within six points with 4:25 to play in the game.
Washington made 8 of 10 free throws in the final four minutes to help secure the victory.
The Lady Lions made 13 of 23 total free throw attempts in the game for 57 percent.
“In the third quarter, we picked up our pressure,” Washington head coach Samantha Leach said. “We started picking them up full-court. I felt like we were able to just put more pressure on them, kind of force the pace a little bit.
“They weren’t really comfortable playing at such a fast pace,” Leach said. “They really started to turn the ball over and we capitalized on those turnovers and converted offensively.
“(Halli Wall) was definitely our spark, right from the get-go,” Leach said. “She really stepped up. Everyone knows Halli can shoot the ball. She was feeling it today. At one point, I looked over at Coach (Mychal) Turner and I said, ‘Halli’s feeling it. We have to find more ways to get her the ball.’
“At any point in the season, we’ve had a different kid step up,” Leach said. “Off the bench today, I felt Kaelin Pfeifer did a good job. She was another spark for us. Anyone who subbed in, they were ready to go. I thought everyone did well contributing.”
This is the third year in a row Washington has won a Sectional championship.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
W 12 13 16 17 — 58
FU 16 8 4 19 — 47
WASHINGTON — Allie Mongold 0-0-0; Aaralyne Estep 0-0-0; Kaelin Pfeifer 0 (1)-1-4; Kendall Dye 0-1-1; Jeleeya Tyree-Smith 4-5-13; Megan Sever 1-0-2; Natalie Woods 3-0-6; Halli Wall 5 (2)-1-17; Shawna Conger 2 (2)-5-15. TOTALS — 15 (5)-13-58. Free throw shooting: 13 of 23 for 57 percent. Three-point field goals: Wall, 2; Conger, 2; Pfeifer. Field goal shooting: 20 of 43 for 47 percent. Turnovers: 9.
FAIRFIELD UNION —Braidyn Reed 1-1-3; Olivia Spillers 1-2-4; Evie Wolshire 0 (2)-0-6; Brenna Reed 0-0-0; Hannah Rauch 3-2-8; Katie Burke 5 (1)-7-19; Marisa Malone 2-2-6. TOTALS — 12 (3)-14-47. Free throw shooting: 14 of 17 for 82 percent. Three-point field goals: Wolshire, 2; Burke. Field goal shooting: 15 of 34 for 44 percent. Turnovers: 15.
