Friday Flashback: Lady Cougars win

Editor’s note: The Friday Flashback feature is back on the Sports page of the VW independent until the end of August. Each Friday, the VW independent will turn back the hands of time by featuring a sports story dating back 10 years or longer. This installment goes back to February of 2011 and a non-conference girls basketball game between Van Wert and Lima Sr. Below is the story as it appeared on the Sports page.

Van Wert independent sports

It took an overtime period, but the Van Wert Lady Cougars finally prevailed over a feisty Lima Senior team, 57-51, in a non-conference game Tuesday evening in the Cougar’s Den.

In one of Van Wert’s higher-scoring games this season, Destri Long’s Cougar girls were led by a 19-point effort from Alex Morrow. Kaitlyn Hall added 9 points for Van Wert, while Molly Gamble scored 7 points. The Lady Spartans had more offensive balance, with three players in double figures – Callahan with 17 points, Hurley with 12 and Benjamin with 11 markers – but the Cougars had more players in the scoring column, especially with three players with 6 points (Brooke Keber, Ashley Mohr and Toni Aquaviva).

Van Wert led 15-10 at the end of the first period, but had a major letdown in the second quarter as the Lady Spartans outscored them 23-4 to lead 33-19 at the half. The Cougars chipped away at the lead in the third quarter, trailing by 10, 42-32, with a period yet to play.

Van Wert made a 15-5 run in the fourth period and it was tied up at 47-all at the end of regulation. The Cougars then outscored Lima Senior 10-4 in the overtime period to ice the victory.

With the win, Van Wert goes to 5-12 on the year, but is 1-6 in the Western Buckeye League.

Also Tuesday, Celina eked out a 47-43 victory over the Crestview Lady Knights in a non-conference match-up at Crestview.