SPARTA — Chalk one up for Chapman.
Highland High School’s new girls basketball coach Galen Chapman got his first career coaching victory as a Scot and it came against rival Centerburg Friday night by the count of 51-45.
“It’s a little bit relieving,” said Chapman. “I guess I was mostly nervous for the girls. I have been preaching to them if they play defense, it will pay off, and they really have been. It was satisfying, but it wasn’t for me. I am just the coach. This was for the girls.”
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Utica 68, Buckeye Valley 26
DELAWARE — Utica fans be warned: every game may not be this easy.
Four Redskin players scored in double figures, and Utica’s girls basketball team opened its 2008-09 season with a 68-26 rout of Buckeye Valley in a game played at Olentangy Orange High School on Friday.
Utica (1-0) shot just 50 percent for the game (29-of-60), and had huge advantages in every statistical category except turnovers. The Redskins grabbed 43 rebounds against 23 for the Barons (0-1), dished out 21 assists, made 19 steals and blocked five shots. Utica outscored Buckeye Valley by at least 12 points in each of the first three quarters.
The Redskins dominance was evident in the first quarter, as they allowed the Barons only one basket in leading 18-2 after the first eight minutes. Utica continued to pile on the points in the second quarter, adding 17 more points. Buckeye Valley scored just five points in the second period, and went to halftime down 28 points, 35-7.
The Redskins had their finest scoring quarter in the third, ripping the nets for 20 points. The Barons doubled their first-half output in the period, but fell behind 55-14 to start the fourth quarter. With reserves playing most of the way in the fourth quarter, Utica still outscored Buckeye Valley 13-12 in the period for a 42-point win.
Three Redskins had double-doubles in the game, led by Tricia Harvey with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Abbie Corbett added 13 points, including two 3-pointers, and 10 assists, and Tamra Londot recorded 11 points and nine rebounds. Kandice Walker contributed 10 points, 10 assists and five steals. Ashley Gorius and Mary Lugar finished with four points apiece, and Brittany Vickers blocked two shots.
Utica also earned a victory in the junior varsity game, 41-26.
Utica will play its first game in the Mid-Buckeye Conference on Thursday, traveling to Johnstown for a 6 p.m. start.
Highland (1-0) got its two cents in early and controlled Centerburg (0-1) throughout the majority of the game. The Scots never trailed in the contest after taking a 10-6 first quarter lead. Highland continued to add to the lead in the early second quarter and gained a 20-8 lead at one point. The Trojans fought back, though, and pulled right back into the contest. Centerburg finished the first half strong on an 8-2 run and went into the locker room down, 22-16.
The early minutes of the second half saw the Scots regain control of the game, and it’s offensive output. The Highland defense swarmed the Trojans, forcing 31 total turnovers in the game.
While the Scots were up by as much as 10 points in the third quarter, the Trojans finished the third quarter on another run, scoring the final six points of the quarter. Highland again stuffed Centerburg when it needed to, and it’s defense stepped up.
“Our defensive pressure was the difference tonight,” Chapman said. “We had some turnovers, some crucial ones, but you are going to have that. I tried to keep encouraging the girls. I want them to stay positive.”
While forcing turnovers on defense, the Highland offense was racking up the points lead by junior guard Kristen Anderson. Anderson finished as Highland’s leading scorer with 17 points, it’s leading rebounder with seven boards and it’s leading passer with four assists.
“I was a little bit nervous,” said Anderson. “I didn’t think it would be but it hit me about 20 minutes before the game. I wasn’t sure how we would come out and do, but obviously we did pretty well. Our defense really helped us a lot tonight.”
“Kristen is really trying to share the wealth,” said Chapman. “We count on her for her points. She is really working on my system. She really is buying into it.”
Centerburg was never able to get a run going, and dropped their first contest under head coach Todd Nauman, who returns to the team after a six-year hiatus.
“Tonight was frustrating,” said Nauman. “I feel we are a better team than this. We had poor execution, turnovers, lack of defense and lack of offense. You can pretty much take any part of the game and we found a way to make it look bad tonight. We played with the deer in the headlight look all night long.”
Centerburg was led by Camaranne Myles and Megan Hartley, who both finished with 12 points, respectively.
While the season is just beginning, Highland can be satisfied with it’s first victory, especially against one of it’s closest rivals in the Centerburg Trojans.
“We have been working on playing hard and playing together,” said Chapman. “They are buying into that and it makes me happy. They are doing well with it.”
In junior varsity action, Centerburg grabbed a 42-36 win. Centerburg was lead by a trio of freshman, Claire Harvey who had 17 points, Jessica Pitzer who had 11 and Macy Michel who had nine. Highland was lead by Tarren Thacker who had 12 points, Taylor Hawkins who had eight and Maddison Belcher who added five points.
Centerburg returns to action tonight, hosting Mount Gilead at 6 p.m. Highland will begin Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play on Tuesday, traveling to face the North Union Wildcats at 6 p.m.
