OTTAWA – Three times in the four all-time meetings between Ottawa Glandorf and Fort Loramie the road team not only left the opponent gym victorious but also snapped a long home winning streak on the way out. This time around the Redskins emerged the Supreme Court with the feat thanks to a 55-52 Saturday afternoon victory in Ottawa.
When Fort Loramie last visited Putnam County they left with a 60-31 win that ended an OG run of 36 consecutive home triumphs. Ottawa Glandorf returned the favor to the Redskins a year later when they visited, ending a 55-game run for Carla Siegel’s squad.
Fort Loramie (10-1) survived a late game surge by the Titans in the final minutes led by Kaitlin Kimmet and Karsyn Erford to snap the 19 straight wins accrued since the last time the Redskins visited Robert J. Hermiller Gymnasium on a Saturday afternoon.
“Coach Yant and his program are just phenomenal” said Fort Loramie longtime head coach Carla Siegel. “I love playing this game, the entire community is awesome from the moment we get off the bus to the minute we leave, so very classy.”
OG (10-1) jumped out to a quick lead in the first period behind Erford, Myka Aldrich, and a four point performance by senior Katie Kaufman to take a 13-6 lead. Fort Loramie fought back however over the last minutes of the stanza on the strength of six points from Victoria Mescher and a triple near the quarter break from Jaden Rose to cut the deficit to 13-12.
Summer Hoying’s six point run in the second pushed the visitors further ahead on the scoreboard early after senior Skyler Albers seventh triple of the season sent the Redskins into the lead just :20 in by a 15-13 mark.
Erford who finished the day as the games leading scorer with a career high 20 points pulled the Titans back to within 17-15, and later ahead 24-23 as the half wore down. OG utilized a trio of baskets from Aldrich, Carlie Brinkman, and finally Katie Kaufman just before the buzzer to aid the host blue and gold sophomore standout in acquiring a 26-23 halftime advantage.
Third quarter action saw the lead bounce back and forth between the two squads as Albers hit for six of her team high 16 in the period and 13 in the second half while helping to set up teammate Summer Hoying for the final half dozen of her own 14 markers.
Early dominance from Erford included a white hot period of offense that saw the OG guard account for a three pointer and a trio of two point goals to tie the game at 35-35. Unfortunately for the Titans their contributions were limited to the duo of Erford and Kaufman who notched seven of her career high tying 18 in the stanza.
Kaufman’s and one with 2:08 left in the penultimate period accounted for the final Titan basket until a triple from the wing from Kimmet with 2:24 that brought the deficit to within 50-45.
Multiple times as the hosts attempted to cut into the five point lead they were met with back door open layups from Fort Loramie by Victoria Mescher, Skyler Albers, and Avery Brandewie that kept them from cutting the total closer.
“We needed more practices throughout the month of December to prepare for some of the things we needed to overcome, we just didn’t have enough days” said OG boss Troy Yant whose team survived a similar battle with Crestview on the road just 48 hours earlier.
Fort Loramie connected on six of nine free throws in the final eight minutes of play from Albers and Jaden Rose to secure their tenth straight victory of the season.
“What an intense 32 minutes of basketball!” exclaimed Siegel. “They had spurts and we had spurts today. I am proud of how hard our team battled, especially when we trailed early. OG is a hard team to guard with their strong post presence, super guard play, and a few sharpshooters. This game will make us better down the road.”
Next up for the Redskins is a Shelby County League clash with Russia on Thursday, the same night Ottawa Glandorf will jump back into defending their Western Buckeye League crown from a season ago when they visit the Elida Fieldhouse and take on the Bulldogs.
Scoring:
Ft. Loramie (55):
Ariel Heitkamp 2
Victoria Mescher 12
Skyler Albers 16
Jaden Rose 6
Avery Brandewie 5
Summer Hoying 14
3PT: 2 (Albers, J. Rose)
FT: 7/11
TO: 17
OG (52):
Karsyn Erford 20
Carlie Brinkman 2
Katie Kaufman 18
Myka Aldrich 4
Kaitlyn Kimmet 8
3PT: 4 (Erford 2, Kimmet 2)
FT: 5/5
TO: 14
JV: Fort Loramie 53-39