MACEDONIA, Ohio – Youth was served Thursday night in the Nordonia district final, as freshman Lanae Riley scored 18 of her game-high 27 points in the second half to lead St. Vincent-St. Mary to a 64-53 win over Laurel.
Riley scored three straight baskets for the Irish in the middle of a 9-2 run in the fourth quarter to give STVM a 56-44 lead that put the game out of reach.
“She is a matchup problem,” STVM coach Carley Whitney said. “She finishes so well around the basket that it is hard to guard her.”
Despite also possessing an elbow jumper, Riley took advantage of a size mismatch inside and scored most of her points in the paint on point-blank looks.
“I think it’s all about keeping the ball high,” Riley said. “That way the smaller players couldn’t get it.”
Laurel took its only lead at 34-33 on a 3-pointer by Aubrey Schrimsher halfway through the third quarter, but the Irish responded quickly on baskets by Riley and Sophia Williams. STVM then went on a 12-3 run the end the third quarter to take a 45-37 lead into the final stanza.
“I think we just keep our composure all the time, we are very focused,” STVM senior guard Maria Dobson said. “They hit a shot and we just come back for you. It’s all about the next play.”
Riley led three STVM players in double figures, as Dobson and Williams each scored 10.
Even after the run to close out the third quarter by STVM, Laurel scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to draw within 45-41, forcing Whitney to call a timeout. The Irish responded with an Annie Lawson layup and then after two Laurel free throws, STVM went on the 9-2 deciding run.
“It’s not all about X’s and O’s at this time of the season, it’s really about heart and passion and patience,” Whitney said. “They are very passionate and they play very hard. You have to find a way to win and they persevered tonight.”
The game was a rematch of last year’s district final, won by STVM 53-28 and the Irish will head back to Barberton High School, where they will play Perry in the regional semifinals on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. STVM lost in the Barberton regional final last year by 19 to Gilmour, ending its hopes of a trip to Columbus.
“This is back-to-back district championships, but it’s not the next one we want. We want to go to Columbus,” Whitney said. “You don’t know how bad you want something until you go through heartache and that loss last year was hard on everybody. Last time we were there, we got beat. As much as it was heartbreak, we got beat.”
If the Irish can get through the Barberton regional, they will get that trip to Columbus for the first time since 2014.
Ryan Isley is a freelancer from Akron.
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