Two games, two wins: Warriors head to district tourney

By Dan Ries

Sports Reporter

The Carrollton Lady Warriors are set to compete in the East District II district tournament for the second straight year.

The Warriors secured the slot after defeating the New Philadelphia Quakers and the Maysville Panthers in sectional tournament action last week in the Carrollton gym. The two games couldn’t have been more different.

Hillari Baker scored 29 points as the Warriors defeated the Quakers 61-51 Feb. 21. But it was the officials who almost stole the show. Twenty three fouls were called on the Warriors to just 11 on New Philadelphia, eight of which were called late in the fourth quarter as time was running out on the Quakers. The Warriors also received a bench warning early in the first quarter and two technical fouls on the coaches. Two Warriors fouled out.

Baker started the scoring for the Warriors with an early basket on the way to a 9-3 lead at the five-minute mark. New Philadelphia pulled to within 9-7 with a three pointer by the Jazzee Barker. It was her second three pointer of the first quarter. Carrollton held a 13-10 lead after the first quarter.

Two baskets by Kylie Ujcich and a breakaway layup off a steal by Baker increased the Warrior lead to 19-10 and a timeout by the Quakers with 4:59 left in the half. Coming out of the timeout, the Warriors commited three straight fouls and, while trying to call their own timeout, the Carrollton coaches were given their first technical foul of the game.

The Warriors stretched the lead to 32-19 entering the half. In the first half, Carrollton was called for 12 fouls to New Philadelphia’s two. The Quakers were 13 for 22 from the free throw line. Carrollton was 2-3.

The hosts expanded the lead to 35-19 early in the third quarter with the help of two Demi Leary steals. By the four-minute mark, Carrollton held a 41-24 advantage. The Quakers outscored the Warriors 8-3 over the last half of the third, cutting the lead to 44-32 at the end of the third.

The teams combined for 15 fouls, shooting 26 foul shots in the fourth quarter. Carrollton stretched the lead to 53-38 with 4:24 to play. The Quakers went on a 10-0 run, including seven points from the foul line, to pull within 57-48 with 1:08 left to play.  Baker went four-for-four at the foul line down the stretch to seal the victory.

Coach Nik Schweikert didn’t want to talk about the officiating after the game. “I’m not even sure what that was. We got two technical fouls trying to call timeouts. I wanted to calm the girls down. We just told them to play through it and not let it get to them. I’m proud of our girls. They kept their composure.”

Baker’s 29 points included three 3-pointers and a six-for-seven performance at the foul line. Her points came in bunches: 11 in the second quarter and 13 in the fourth. Ujcich contributed 13 points and pulled down eight of Carrollton’s 28 rebounds. Paige Davis scored two 3-pointers and Brae Roudebush had one 3-pointer.

Maysville

The Lady Warriors defeated the Maysville Panthers 71-37 Feb. 24 in what could only be described as a team effort. Baker, Ujcich, and Roudebush each scored 15 points while teammates Maleyna Havens added nine points and Emma Shafer knocked down eight. For the third time, the team tied the school record for 3-pointers with 13.

Four different Lady Warriors found the bottom of the net to give Carrollton an early 10-5 lead at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter. 

Schweikert’s team continued keeping the pressure on the Panther’s offense, forcing turnovers and increasing the lead to 18-9 with two minutes left. A Ujcich steal and layup gave the girls a 22-10 first quarter lead.

Early in the first quarter, with the score tied 2-2, Havens found herself wide open at the top of the key with the ball. See eyed the basket and prepared to fire off a shot, but pulled the ball down as a murmur went through the crowd.  Looking for a teammate to pass to, and finding none, her attention returned to the basket. Still wide open, she fired off a high arcing shot that would find the net for her first 3-pointer of the season. The crowd roared.

Maysville started the second quarter on an 8-2 run to pull within 24-18 with 5:39 left in the half.  The Warriors went on a run of their own, outscoring the Panthers 10-2 on the strength of two 3-pointers by Roudebush and a 34-20 advantage at the half.

Carrollton continued to pressure the Maysville offense to build a 57-31 lead after three quarters. Offensively, Roudebush would hit three 3-pointers and Baker added two of her own. Most of the fourth quarter was played with a running clock. Schweikert began to pull his seniors off the court one at a time to a round of applause and hugs and tears on the bench, The Warriors would win the fourth 14-6 and the sectional title.

Roudebush’s five 3-pointers were scored over the second and third quarter. Baker had three 3-pointers, Shafer scored two and teammates Leary, and Ujcich each had one.

Carrollton had 31 rebounds with Ujcich pulling down eight. She also had four of the team’s 17 assists and three of the 14 steals.

Schweikert spoke about the upcoming district game as he watched his girls cut down the net. “We’re enjoying this now before we focus on the next game. We just have to go 1-0 each game. We’re 0-0 right now. We’re excited. It’s going to be fun.”

The Warriors open district play on Feb. 28 against John Glenn at Claymont at 7 p.m. The Warriors look to avenge last year’s loss when John Glenn hit the winning basket at the buzzer.