Minford handles Meigs
By: Charlie Ihlenfeld
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MINFORD, Ohio (WOUB) — The 1-20 (0-12) Meigs Marauders traveled to face the 16-5 (9-1) Minford Falcons in the first round of the OHSAA girls state tournament. After some early sparks, Meigs was unable to keep up the momentum as the Falcons rolled to a 62-24 victory. The loss eliminates Meigs from the tournament, and now, Minford will face the winner of Chesapeake and West Union.
In the first quarter, the Marauders jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but from that point onward, Meigs would never lead for the rest of the game. Allie Hysell hit a three to tie the game at four, but Minford never trailed for the rest of the way. Hysell and Shelby Yost paced the Marauders in terms of scoring, but while the duo put together, “one of the best offensive first quarters of the season,” according to head coach Heath Hudson, they were still behind 17-8 after one.
Minford jumped on Meigs to start the second quarter, opening the quarter with a 13-2 run. The Falcons deep bench gave the Marauders trouble all night as 10 different players tallied points in the win. Meigs struggled to deal with the pressure Minford applied on the ball and in passing lanes. The Falcons finished the night with 12 steals, and they consistently forced jump balls with their aggressive defense. Lexi Conkel was a force in the first half, compiling all 10 of her points against Meigs before the break. Minford entered the second half ahead, 39-15.
More of the depth of the Falcons entered the game as the second half got underway. While she did not start for Minford, Lainey Howard provided excellent play for the Falcons, finishing the night with eight points and six rebounds. Meigs struggled to keep up their early offensive success, being outscored by Minford 16-6 in the third quarter. In her final period of play, Marlee Pendelton concluded her 10-point and five rebound performance by adding two more buckets in the period. Minford utilized their size to dominate under the bucket, and it was smooth sailing to the final quarter. The Falcons cleared out the bench to win 62-24.
The game brought the Marauders season to an end, but there is not a single senior on the roster. With a full class returning, Meigs has a chance to improve in a brand-new TVC-Ohio next season. Minford, a roster dominated by seniors, will have a chance to keep running the table in Division Five Region 19.