OTTAWA – Ottawa Glandorf’s girls basketball program has not lost this season at any level.
Thursday night’s 61-22 victory over visiting Celina for the varsity gave the eldest Titans a perfect 20-0 regular season record. Earlier in the night the junior varsity program finished up their regular campaign at 20-0 as they defeated the Bulldogs 57-21. O-G’s freshman team played four games this year and won them all as well.
Ottawa Glandorf jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opening :30 against the Bulldogs on baskets by Karsyn Erford and Kaitlyn Kimmet. Celina pulled within 6-5 of O-G on their own run by Rachel Rammel and Kenlee Holstad, but were never able to get within one again as the hosts raced out to a 14-6 lead to end the period.
Celina (10-12, 4-5) was held to just a single field goal, a make from sophomore Brinley Korte as the buzzer sounded in the second period and outscored by O-G 12-6. Triples from Erford and Kaelyn Grothause extended the lead to 26-12 at the break.
Defensive pressure showed it’s usual self for the monster it has become for O-G to begin the third stanza. On the back of a multitude of Celina turnovers the Titan built a 22-point quarter thanks to their ability to flip opponent miscues for their own markers.
Junior Liv Grothause carried the scoring load for Ottawa Glandorf (20-0, 9-0) in the period as she connected for two fast break baskets and six of her 13 points in the game. Sophomore Gracie Lammers five-point personal run and eight of a game high 17 for Karsyn Erford helped to put the game away for the Titans.
“The defensive effort paid off and we were able to get out and jumpstart our offense, especially out of the halftime break” said Titan head coach Troy Yant.
Unable to connect on a basket from the field over the final 8:05 of the game after a near buzzer beater from Alex Kimmel in the third, the Bulldogs relied on free throws for their points in the fourth by hitting four of five. Overall the visitors connected on 11 of 16 from the foul line.
Utilizing their depth, the Titans sophomore post duo of Madison McKee and Ella White each found baskets and were joined by junior classmate Greta Liebrecht who pumped in four points of her own to finish off the victory.
“I’m just very pleased tonight with the defensive effort, it felt like the girls have embraced the idea of getting better on defense and letting it fuel our offense,” said Yant. “We got a bit stagnant on offense early and missed too many opportunities by not scoring on layups and bunnies.”
Celina will begin their postseason run on February 13th at 7pm when they host WBL rival Wapak. O-G begins their second season on the 19th in Defiance taking on the winner of Swanton and Bath in the district semifinals.
Scoring:
OG (61):
Liv Grothause 13
Karsyn Erford 17
Carlie Brinkman 5
Gracie Lammers 5
Madison McKee 2
Ella White 2
Kaelyn Grothause 7
Greta Liebrecht 4
Kaitlyn Kimmet 6
FT: 7/11
3PT: 4 (K. Grothause, C. Brinkman, Lammers, Erford)
TO: 13
Celina (22):
Rachel Rammel 4
Alaina Vehorn 4
Kenlee Holstad 3
Brinley Korte 4
Miley Werntz 1
Alex Kimmel 6
FT: 11/16
3PT: 1 (Holstad)
TO: 26
By Quarter:
O-G 14-12-23-12
C 6-6-6-4
JV: O-G 57-21