State Bound: Circleville Girls Make School History
Article presented by Litter Quality Propane …
“We get to go play some more!” A jubilant Josh Blakeman said after his Circleville Girls punched their ticket to the D-IV Final Four.
About the photo: Josh Blakeman filled Circleville’s Girls Head Coaching vacancy the week before the season began in November. Three months later, he and his team cut down the nets with a Regional Title and headed to the Final Four.
The Tigers scored a 40-26 win over Indian Creek Friday night in Zanesville. Circleville had reached the Regional Final before (2019-20), but this time they kicked in the door that leads to UD Arena next week.
“Unbelievable” Blakeman said with a smile. He was hired just before the start of what’s become a magical season for Circleville. “They’ve bought in little by little. They’ve just grown together… Unbelievable, just unbelievable.”
The strategy was to stop Indian Creek’s Kaydence Walker. After starting with a zone defense, Blakeman switched to assigning Brooklyn Cramer to spying Walker in the second period. Then Cramer shared duties with Juliana Sims-Ross.
“She’s a phenomenal player” said Blakeman. “I knew if she got 20 or 25 points we were in trouble.” The plan worked for the most part. Walker, who tallied 11-points, did have one flash when she launched a three-pointer while blanketed by Sims-Ross. She sank the shot for the tie and gave Indian Creek a 14-13 lead on a free throw completing a four-point play. The Redskins gained a momentum swing, but it was short lived. Maddie Blakeman and Addison Edgington hit back-to-back baskets to lift Circleville to a 17-14 lead at the break.
About the photo: Addison Edgington races to the basket as Circleville was posting a 17-14 lead at halftime.
The Tigers limited Indian Creek to 12-points in the second half. All the while, Circleville was mounting an offensive attacking the basket. As in their semifinal game earlier in the week, the Tigers began to separate themselves from their opponent. Circleville led 27-18 through three, leading to the 40-26 final.
“Our defense has just been… that’s what carries us” said Blakeman. “26-points in the Regional Final? I’m just so proud of them.”
Edgington scored 14 of her game-high 23-points in the final 16-minutes. “The first and second quarter, I was beating myself up” said Edgington. “I needed to get control of myself and feel how they were playing me. And after halftime, I did that and I was able to score for my team.”
About the photo: The State bound Tigers await their turn during the medal ceremony following a 40-26 win over Indian Creek.
Maddie Blakeman had 8-points with Sims-Ross with 5, Cramer and Mallory McConnell had two each.
Only two other Redskins scored. Riley Sadler with 12 and Gracie Wiley with 3.
Circleville (23-4) faces the winner of Saturday’s Genoa-Bellevue battle in the Bluffton Regional. That game tips off at 3pm at Bluffton University’s Sommer Center.
The Tigers will play in the second of the D-IV State Semifinal games at 2pm on Thursday March 12th. The Championship game is on Friday the 13th at 12:30pm in Dayton.
