Lady Warriors start fast, pick up three wins

By Dan Ries

Sports Reporter

Leading by two points at halftime, the Carrollton Lady Warriors used a dominant third quarter to defeat Eastern Buckeye Conference foe Marlington Dukes 47-32 Nov. 27 in Carrollton.

The Warriors used a stingy defense to create turnovers, seemingly grabbing every loose ball, while controlling the defensive boards and limiting second chance shots on the way to a 19-5 third quarter. Marlington made just two baskets in the third, including one in the last minute of the quarter.

Neither team shot well in the first quarter. Carrollton took an early 5-1 lead, but Marlington tied things up at five. Emma Shafer hit a basket to give the Warriors a 7-5 lead with 4:20 left in the quarter. Neither team found the net the rest of the quarter.

Carrollton  extended` their advantage to 11-5 at the 5:20 mark, but Marlington ran off off seven straight points to go up 12-11. The lead changed several times before foul shots by Ivy Bishop and Emma Shafer gave the Warriors a 17-15 halftime lead.

Halftime adjustments by the Warriors were obvious right away. Emma Shafer started the third quarter with a three pointer. Several forced turnovers by the defense later and the Warriors were up 25-15 before the Dukes scored a basket at the 5:05 mark. The Warriors’ defense continued to create breaks as they increased the advantage to 34-17 with 1:40 left in the third. After an exchange of baskets, the third quarter ended in the Warriors in charge 36-20. 

“Stay composed and go back to our defense,” Carrollton Head Coach Mikayla Poole told her girls at halftime. “(Hitting our shots) will come with our defense. Going back to our defense. That’s what we focused on at halftime”

Baskets by Haley Leslie and Braelynn Roudebush gave the Warriors their biggest lead of the game, 40-20 with 6:12 left in the fourth quarter. Both teams began to substitute backup players. The Dukes narrowed the lead slightly before the final buzzer. 

Carrollton was led by Roudebush with 12 points, including two three pointers. Kylie Ujcich added 10 points with a three pointer, and Emma Shafer had nine points with a three. Bailee Pietz led Marlington with 10 points. The Warriors had 37 rebounds, 22 defensively, led by Ujcich and Ivy Bishop with seven each.

Carrollton was called for 17 fouls while Marlington 13. Carrollton converted nine of 18 free throws. Marlington hit eight of 13 foul shots.

The Carrollton junior varsity (1-1, 1-0 EBC) won 23-13. Julianna Miller scored 10 points.

The Warriors (3-0, 2-0 EBC) return to action at home against Salem on Dec. 4.

Alliance

The Warriors opened the season Nov. 22 with a visit to Alliance, defeating the Aviators 54-9. Ujcich led Carrollton with 13 points. Roudebush and Bishop each had eight points.

Northwest

The Warriors travelled to Northwest Nov. 25 and returned home with a 36-31 victory.

Carrollton took a 9-6 first quarter lead, but Northwest battled back to close the gap to one point at the half 18-17. The Warriors were able to outscore Northwest 18-14 in the second half to secure the win.

Ujcich led the Warriors with 13 points, including two three pointers, three steals and six rebounds. Bishop added nine points with a three pointer and three rebounds.