OTTAWA – Ottawa Glandorf’s victory on Monday evening was important for more than just a WBL victory, it also signaled head coach Troy Yant’s 200th career victory.
Yant who is in his 9th season as the bench boss of the Titans became just the sixth girls coach in Putnam County history to join the list of coaches with 200 or more victories as his troops got back into the win column with a 60-27 WBL victory over visiting Elida.
“I’ve been fortunate and lucky to have good girls and assistants who were willing to put up with me through the last nine years to be able to build a successful program. It’s more of a testament to the teams that have come through here during that time and all of the hard work they’ve put into the program” Yant said after the game when asked about the accomplishment.
Senior sharpshooter Anna Siefker started the scoring for Ottawa Glandorf with a three pointer for a 3-0 lead before teammates Chloee Glenn and Katie Kaufman helped to run the advantage to 7-2 with baskets over the next minute and a half.
Elida, playing without their leading scorer Amira Freeman got on the board at 5:41 on a basket by Brooke Reese but found themselves trailing the Titans 13-6 at the end of the period.
Ottawa Glandorf continued to add to their advantage in the second quarter with four players each contributing a pair of baskets or more, led by Chloee Glenn with six of her first half ten markers.
Kelsey Erford and Erin Kaufman combined to score ten more points for the Titans and led a pair of fast break scores with passes off of Elida turnovers to teammates for scores.
The only basket from the field for the Bulldogs came from Addisyn Freeman that cut into the lead and stopped a nearly six minute span without a point for Elida who headed into the break trailing 33-10.
In the third quarter the Titans continued to sub in and out players from their deep bench and extend their lead from both the field and the free throw line to take a 45-17 lead into the final eight minutes of play.
Over the course of the final stanza the Titans rotating group of players rotated between one another punching in scores as seven players notched scores.
OG sophomore Alexa Fortman scored a career high six points for the Titans in the win while freshman teammate Katie Kaufman tossed in a pair in the final quarter on her way to a career high eight of her own to secure the 60-27 victory.
Elida senior Brooke Reese scored six points in the final stanza on her way to eight points, but Addisyn Freeman led the Bulldogs with 10 on the night.
Ottawa Glandorf (11-1, 3-1) who were led by Erin Kaufman’s 14 and Chloee Glenn’s 12 markers moves into second place in the Western Buckeye League standings and will next be in action on Thursday when they play host to Van Wert.
Next up for Elida (6-4, 2-2) is a trip to Defiance on Thursday to battle the Bulldogs in a WBL tilt.
“I know Elida was a bit shorthanded but we needed a get right game that just allowed us to work through some self doubt that was a part of our loss to Bath so we will take it. It was nice to get a different lineup in there and see some of the younger girls take advantage of the extended minutes early in the game. I felt Chloee Glenn and Ella Okuley did a good job responding in a productive and positive way to be taken out of the starting lineup for the game. We also saw some nice growth from Katie Kaufman and Myka Aldrich and I thought our team defense was much improved” Yant opined about his team and their performance after the game.
Scoring:
OG (60):
Kelsey Erford 10
Anna Siefker 3
Ella Okuley 4
Alexa Fortman 6
Emille Horstman 1
Erin Kaufman 14
Katie Kaufman 8
Kaydree Frey 2
Chloee Glenn 12
FT: 9/10
3PT: 1 (Siefker)
TO: 16
Elida (27):
Pip Johnson 2
Addisyn Freeman 10
Diani Lawrence 1
Brooke Reese 8
Payton Kuhn 6
FT: 6/10
3PT: 1 (Kuhn)
TO: 24
JV: Ottawa Glandorf 50-36