OHIO— A frequent visitor to the OHSA Girls Basketball State Tournament, Waterford added a second state championship with a 35-26 victory over New Knoxville in the Division IV final.
The game started slowly, with the first points scored at the 3:09 mark of the opening quarter. The Rangers did not score in the first, the first frame in OHSAA girls basketball championship game history that had happened. The previous record was one point by Solon against Mount Notre Dame in 2006.
It was just 17-9 at half, and 21-18 after the third quarter, each time with Waterford ahead. The teams came close to combining for the fewest points in OHSAA championship game history (56), which ironically was set by Waterford and Fremont St. Wendelin in the Wildcats 2016 Division IV 29-27 win.
The Rangers got it to within a point, at 21-20, just 12 seconds into the fourth quarter. However, the Wildcats stretched it to 29-21 under the five-minute mark.
Waterford had five players score between five and eight points, with Kendall Sury leading the way. Haley Fledderjohann was the only one in double-figures with 11 for New Knoxville.
The 26 points by New Knoxville were the fewest in a Division IV championship game since— more irony— St. Wendelin’s 27 against Waterford in 2016, and 27 from New Knoxville against Africentric in 2007.
After reaching the Final Four six times in the last eight years, Waterford will have expectations to continue that stretch. Eight of the 11 players on the roster are expected back next season.
