Wayne County girls basketball dominates districts

The state of the union for girls basketball had one theme.

It’s pretty darn good.

With six area girls basketball teams clinching district titles, that statement was hammered to the rest of the state. No matter what the OHSAA wants to use for seeding, it doesn’t take away the element of hard work, good competition and the motto, “Iron sharpens iron.”

In recent years, the OHSAA took away seeding from its basketball coaches and went with the MaxPreps-powered RPI. It hasn’t been widely accepted by coaches statewide, as this new metric doesn’t factor in strength of schedules to the degree that it should and puts a heavy emphasis on any win. As evidenced by this sectional and district play, that hasn’t slowed down or stopped any area team, especially the elite Wayne County Athletic League. It only creates the element of an upset, whereas some area coaches have said, “How is it an upset when you walked in expecting to win because of who you have played?”

Four district champs

Coming into this season, there was no question that the WCAL was the best conference, regardless of division, in the area. With a returning Division V state finalist squad in Norwayne that returned loaded, Waynedale looking primed, Chippewa being Chippewa, Dalton coming of age and Smithville rowing the boat, the stage was set. It didn’t disappoint either, as the conference earned marquee wins. The Golden Bears beat the OCC champion and Div. III Ashland (43-42) and the Cleveland West Conference champion and Div. III Rocky River (51-32). The Bobcats beat fellow Div. V power Tusky Valley (58-39) and perennial power Hiland (63-53), and the Chipps beat Div. IV and 18-6 Elyria Catholic (58-47) and took Div. III and 23-2 Canfield to the end in a 46-40 setback. The Smithies put it together down the stretch with wins over league rivals Chippewa and Waynedale and then took No. 1-seeded Rootstown and No. 2-seeded Canton Central Catholic to the wire in losses.

All of that paid huge dividends as, for the first time in WCAL history, four teams clinched district titles. Chippewa (fifth seed) beat Poland Seminary 52-41, Norwayne (second) anticlimactically beat Mentor Lake Catholic 65-37, Waynedale (seventh) handled Southern 56-38 and Smithville (13th) beat Rootstown 43-38. Just missing making it five district champions was Dalton, which fell to Richmond Heights 48-37.

“It just shows how many good basketball players and coaches are in the league,” said Smithies coach Eric Nickles. “I think we take it for granted sometimes, but when you look around the area, there is a lot of good basketball being played around here and in Holmes County. I am just proud of our league, how competitive it was all year, and it is showing with tournament wins.”

Smithville finally beat Rootstown behind Leah Keib’s eight points and 11 rebounds, with all of her points coming in the crucial fourth quarter. Rebekah Keib scored a team-high 16 and Caylee Zimmerly finished with 11 for Smithville as it clinched its eighth district title.

“We told Leah at the start of the fourth quarter, ‘If you want to win this game, you need to score,’” said Nickles. “She took it to heart and came up big for us. Rebekah and Caylee also really stepped up big for us.

“That win felt really good. We worked really hard, and we knew we could beat them. I am glad to get over the hump. The girls were locked in. We had former players back to support us, and it was a big program win.”

Snyder good

Missing out on last season was tough, not just for Triway senior Payton Snyder, but for her coaches to see. Putting it together with her best friend Sydney Frank this year has been a ton of fun to watch.

Making it more exciting was that Snyder saved one of her best career performances for the biggest stage yet, the district finals. Sinking a career-high and a school-record eight 3-pointers and matching her career high set earlier in the season against West Holmes by scoring 27, Snyder had her father and assistant on the coaching staff, Travis, leaping in the air and fired up. It all added up to a 54-40 win over No. 6-seeded Keystone for the 11th seed and the program’s second district title and second in three years.

“She stepped up at the biggest moment of the year for us,” said Triway coach Mike Miller. “It was a team effort. Teammates were setting great screens. They were finding her, and she was able to shoot in rhythm.

“Payton is a huge part of our success, and we love having her back. I know it was special for Travis, being on the bench and getting to see that, no question about it.”

As for clinching their second district title.

“This group of seniors has been part of both,” said Miller. “That’s really special for them, and they are setting the standard for the program moving forward.”

Over the hump

Who would have imagined that at the outset of the OHSAA tournament, only one team would be dancing at regionals from the OCC? That one squad was West Holmes, as it finally broke through on its sixth straight trip to the district finals for its first district crown since 2016 and 20th overall.

The fourth-seeded Knights dispatched No. 1-seed Carrollton 49-45 behind Briar Cline’s 23 points, nine rebounds and three assists, and Zalina Proper, who poured in 13, grabbed seven boards and had three steals.

Recap

Hiland, a perennial power, saw its season come to an end at Cambridge, where it fell 57-39 to Shenandoah in the Div. VI district semifinals.

In Div. II, with a smaller group of schools and most teams starting in districts, Wooster went 1-1 and lost in the finals to Twinsburg 62-34.