Lady Knights win, advance to D-IV district

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

PAULDING — It wasn’t easy, but No. 3 seed Crestview pulled away from a stubborn Edon team on the way to a 53-37 Division IV lower bracket sectional championship at Paulding on Saturday.

Leading by just two, 20-18, to start the third quarter, Crestview’s Lexi Gregory scored 12 of her game high 24 points in the period, giving the Lady Knights a 34-29 edge entering the fourth quarter. The 5-8 senior connected on five baskets and a pair of foul shots in the period.

Gregory then added five more points in the fourth quarter and Bailey Gregory scored 11 of her 13 points in the final period, all from the free throw line, while Crestview’s defense clamped down and held Edon to just eight points.

“Overall our defense was pretty sound,” Crestview head coach Mark Gregory said. “We had a stretch were we gave up some open looks, but overall we communicated well and out-rebounded Edon.”

“We had many girls step up in the second half,” Gregory continued. “Bailey went 11-13 from the line for us, Lexi had 12 points in the third quarter and we got some huge rebounds from Laci McCoy and Kaylee Wolford.”

Claire Radabaugh led Edon (11-13) with 11 points while Sydney Bignell added eight, all in the second quarter.

“Edon was well coached and played really hard,” Gregory said. “They didn’t make anything easy.”

The game was tied 6-6 after one quarter and the Lady Knights found themselves trailing 14-9 at one point in the second period before rallying for a two point halftime lead.

Crestview (15-9) will face No. 2 seed Ottoville in the Division IV district semifinals at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at Defiance High School.

“Ottoville is well coached and shoots the ball really well,” Gregory stated. “They will look to continue that and we will have to take care of the ball and make some shots of our own.”

Scoring summary

Edon HS 6 12 11 8 – 37

Crestview 6 14 14 19 – 53

Edon: Claire Radabaugh 5-1-11; Sydney Bignell 3-0-8; Riley Blair 2-0-4; Paige Briner 2-2-6; Natasha Warner 0-2-2; Breanna Heinze 1-0-2; Carlie Kiess 1-0-2; Ashley Kaylor 1-0-2

Crestview: Kaylee Wolford 1-0-2; Bailey Gregory 1-11-13; Lexi Gregory 9-3-24; Laci McCoy 1-1-3; Raegan Hammons 1-0-2; Olivia Cunningham 3-2-8