Season in Review: Van Wert Lady Cougars

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

The 2020-2021 girls basketball season turned out to be somewhat of a roller coaster ride for the Van Wert Lady Cougars. 

The team got off to a fast start with four wins in the first five games, followed by a 2-7 stretch in the next nine games, then three straight wins before three consecutive losses to end the season at 8-12 (4-4 WBL). 

Those last three losses were to state-ranked Bath, Division IV state semifinalist Crestview and Shawnee in the Division II sectional semifinals. Along the way, Van Wert had to deal with some creative scheduling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Looking back, second year head coach Hannah Phlipot said her favorite part of the season was the fast start, which included a pair of quality wins over tough opponents – Coldwater and Spencerville, plus a 4-4 finish in the always tough Western Buckeye League, which this year boasted a state finalist (Ottawa-Glandorf), the No. 6 ranked team in Division II (Bath) and two teams with 15 or more wins in Shawnee and St. Marys Memorial. The 4-4 WBL record was the highest finish since 2013. 

She also noted there were multiple bright spots during the season.

“Throughout the season I thought we were a very unselfish team,” Phlipot stated. “We were most successful when numerous girls were contributing. Our defense has always been a strength of ours. We pride ourselves on forcing teams to tough shots and I thought we did a great job of that throughout the season.”

The Lady Cougars allowed 46.5 points per game, but struggled at times offensively, finishing with an average of 43.7 points per game. For the season, Van Wert converted 40.5 percent of all two-point shots and 24.6 percent of all three point attempts. 

“This off-season we need to focus on consistency,” Phlipot explained. “Skill work and weight training will be a main focus of our spring and summer workouts.  We are really looking forward to some normalcy and opportunities for our girls to play together prior to the start of the season.”  

Sophomores Sofi Houg and Kyra Welch led Van Wert in scoring this past season, with Houg averaging a team high 14.3 points per game, while Welch added 8.8 points per outing and a team best 6.3 rebounds and three assists per contest. Houg was tied for second in rebounds at 4.8 per game. Seniors Jaylyn Rickard (6.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Allison Schaufelberger (4.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) were also among the team leaders in scoring, along with junior Carlee Young (3.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg). 

While reflecting on her three seniors – Rickard, Schaufelberger and Carly Smith – Phlipot offered nothing but praise for the trio.

“Our three seniors- Carly, Jaylyn, and Alli- will be very tough to replace next year,” Phlipot said. “These three have had a monumental impact on the program throughout their four years and they were positive leaders for our underclassmen both on the court and in the locker room.”