Wednesday, December 6th, 2017

Downright defensive

Wildcats hold off rival Redskins in clash at Minster

By Colin Foster
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Minster's Ivy Wolf makes a pass around a Fort Loramie defender during Tuesday's game at Wildcat Gymnasium. The Wildcats used a 20-4 run in the second quarter to defeat the Redskins 35-26.

MINSTER - Various media outlets were on site at Minster High School on Tuesday.
Why? Because a Minster-Fort Loramie girls' basketball game is always newsworthy.
On this night, the Wildcats took control with a 20-4 run in the second quarter and held on to defeat the Redskins 35-26 in a defensive battle between teams that will likely have a ranking beside their name when the Associated Press state poll is released.
"Minster-Loramie is a low-scoring game," Minster coach Mike Wiss said. "Minster-Loramie is a defensive battle. It's a matter of who's the strongest No. 1) with the ball and No. 2) between the ears. It taught Loramie and it taught us."
Courtney Prenger had nine points, seven rebounds and a handful of blocks for the winning side. Taylor Kogge added eight points and seven boards.
The Xavier-bound Prenger did the bulk of her damage in the first quarter, scoring six points and stuffing a pair of shots. The Wildcats held Fort Loramie scoreless for nearly six minutes out of the gate and forced eight turnovers. But the Redskins closed on a 7-2 run and trailed 8-7 after one.
The score was 10-9 early in the second quarter before Minster launched a 16-0 assault. Prenger's hoop-and-harm three-point play kicked off the run. Ivy Wolf followed with a baseline drive and score, Demaris Wolf added a layup off a turnover, and the Cats were off and running as they stretched their lead to 28-11 by break.
The Redskins finished the first half with more turnovers (15) than points.
"We weren't taking care of the ball. We weren't making good passes," Fort Loramie coach Carla Siegel said. "Fundamentally, we weren't jump stopping. We weren't using our pivots. We were on the go and trying to make crazy things happen. We weren't disciplined. That's the word we used at halftime. We needed to be disciplined on the offensive end and we just weren't. But credit Minster's defense. They're fast. They're quick. They're good. We're lucky they didn't beat us by 40."
Fort Loramie got back into the game with its defensive intensity in the second half. The Redskins cut the lead to 30-17 by the end of the third quarter. This time, Minster finished with more turnovers (five) than points.
The Redskins opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run, with a three-pointer by Kennedi Gephart cutting the deficit to 30-24. But Kogge finally broke Minster's scoreless spell with a turnaround in the lane and later added another bucket to help ice the game. Fort Loramie had its chances at the foul line in the fourth but finished the quarter just 2-of-7.
"Some of (the 20-4 run) was our transition," Wiss said. "And notice in the second half, Minster didn't get anything in transition. We take a little bit of pride in getting the ball out as quickly as we can. I thought Loramie did a really good job of taking away our transition game. That got to our head a little bit."
Gephart netted seven points to lead Fort Loramie (3-1), which travels to face Fairlawn on Saturday in Shelby County League play.
The Wildcats (4-0) will open up defense of their MAC title on Thursday, hosting Parkway.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Minster's Alli Fischer gets on the floor for a loose ball during Tuesday's game with Fort Loramie.

Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Minster's Courtney Prenger goes up for a shot in front of Fort Loramie's Marissa Meiring, 42, and Macy Imwalle, 33, on Tuesday in Minster.

Additional online story on this date
Redcoat makes sure opposing team is ready to face the Buckeyes
CELINA - For the past 13 seasons, retired teacher Gary Hensley of Celina has been working a dream job as a Redcoat for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, escorting the visiting team and officials at Ohio Stadium. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Auglaize Acres
WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County commissioners are considering two bids submitted for the county-owned Auglaize Acres Nursing Home on Tuesday but are unsure if either is acceptable.
Funds to be used to help those affected by local twisters
CELINA - Three area friends have organized a benefit relief show to raise funds for families impacted by the Nov. 5 tornadoes, which swept through western Mercer County and Celina.
ROCKFORD - The village's 2018 budget will include a 3 percent pay raise for all full-time village employees.
Village administrator Jeff Long will be paid $60,419 per year, and clerk Lisa Kuhn will be paid $45,302 per year.
Department has $565K carryover
CELINA - Mercer County Board of Health members on Tuesday approved the 2018 budget of just under $2.5 million in estimated revenue and nearly $2.4 million in estimated expenses.
GRAND LAKE - Several trees have been removed near the Grand Lake St. Marys State Park office to make space as a dropoff site for dredged material being removed from the lake.
A final recount of the New Bremen school board race did not change the results of the election.
Auglaize, Mercer and Shelby county boards of elect
MENDON - A malfunctioning electric heater reportedly caused a fire at a vacant home at 7470 Deep Cut Road early on Tuesday morning.
Mendon firefig
COLDWATER - Construction recently began on new independent living cottages on the Briarwood Village campus with the goal of having the cottages ready to use by spring.
By GARY R. RASBERRY
grasberry@dailystandard.com
NEW BREMEN - One could see the frustration on the faces of the New Bremen players and coaches at the end of Tuesday's game with Anna.
Area Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry and Colin Foster
Coldwater pulled away from Kalida in the second half to improve to 2-1 with a 58-49 win over the Wildcats at the Palace on Tuesday night.