Hardwood Heroes Sports
Spartans Can’t Match Eastern Brown in Family Affair
By: Max Brunke
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WAVERLY, Ohio- Tonight, residents of Sardinia and Albany gathered in Waverly to witness not only a battle between two talented basketball programs, but a battle of families.
The Alexander Lady Spartans (13-8) fell to the Eastern Brown Lady Warriors (22-2) in the Division Three District Semi-Finals 46-29, after an intense defensive battle.
The father-daughter duo was in full strength tonight as Eastern Brown Head Coach Kevin Pickerill and daughter Camryn Pickerill were pitted up against Alexander Head Coach Jeff Grinstead and daughter Marlee Grinstead. Even though only one could move on after tonight, both have something to be proud of. Pickerill finished the night with 12 points, while Grinstead totaled 13 points.
The Lady Warriors got off to a hot start in the first quarter, scoring 13 points in front of a hyped-up crowd. However, the Lady Spartans kept it close, suppressing the lead to just seven points.
For those who love to watch offense though, look away. There was just one point scored in all eight minutes of the second quarter. The lone point came from sophomore Kara Meeks, after going to the line after a blocking foul. The low scoring wasn’t a result of poor shooting, though. The Alexander defense was stellar, causing multiple turnovers and winning the defensive boards consistently.
This trend would continue for Alexander in the second half, but the halftime adjustments for Eastern Brown were effective nonetheless. They were methodical with their attack, passing the ball around and waiting for an open shot. They managed to outscore Alexander 33-22 in the second half, lifting them to a win.
Lady Warriors freshman stud Rylee Leonard led the overall scoring with 18 points, going 8-for-9 from the free throw line.
Although their season ended today, Alexander has much to look forward to in their future lineup. The Lady Spartans will lose just one player to graduation, senior guard Taylor Meadows. In fact, the number of sophomores on the varsity squad outnumber juniors and seniors combined. Notable returnees include center Kara Meeks, and guard Marlee Grinstead.