BUCYRUS — Ontario coach Sarah Kirchbaum wants a third shot at Bellevue.
Her Warriors earned that opportunity on Saturday night with a convincing 61-37 win against Mansfield Senior in a Division II sectional title game at Bucyrus High School.
The two Northern Ohio League foes will collide Thursday at 6:15 p.m. in a district semifinal game at Willard High School. The second game at 8 p.m. that evening also includes NOL teams with co-champion Shelby taking on Norwalk.
Ontario (16-7) lost twice to Bellevue (19-4), the Northern Ohio League co-champions, during the regular season, by 23 in their first meeting on Dec. 28 and then by 11 on Jan. 21.
Bellevue pounded Tiffin Columbian, 70-29, in the first game Saturday night at BHS.
“Anything can happen at tournament time,” Kirchbaum said as she watched her team cut down the nets. “We will prepare for them this week and see what happens on Thursday.
“It’s fun to play a team three times in one season. There are no secrets. You both know each other well. The girls are petty pumped to get a chance to play them again.”
FAST START: Ontario pressed Mansfield Senior from the start on Saturday night and then used a halfcourt zone to deny the speedy Tygers penetration.
“We wanted to keep them in front of us and mix it up a little bit defensively so they wouldn’t get comfortable,” Krichbaum said. “I thought we did a good job containing them and keeping them out of the lane. We wanted them to take jumpers and outside shots.”
Mansfield Senior, playing without injured star Erica Johnson, finished just 3-for-21 from behind the 3-point line. All three came in the fourth quarter from sophomore point guard Talayzha Catchings.
At the other end, the Warriors had balanced scoring from NaShail Shelby (21 points, including 15 in the first half), Emily Yeager (13), Amanda Nething (13) and Faith Nigh (10).
Mansfield Senior coach Todd Krill said the absence of Johnson was no excuse.
“We didn’t play really good defense,” Krill said. “It doesn’t matter if we didn’t have our star. Our shots weren’t going in and we could’ve gotten ourselves back into the ballgame by having better defense.”
Catchings, who scored 23 in the tournament opener Tuesday against Sandusky, finished with 17 points against Ontario — 15 in the second half.
“We get to see her for two more years,” Krill said. “She is still young, but skill-wise as a basketball player, she is pretty darn good.”
Catchings was the only Mansfield Senior player in double figures. Brooklyn Grose finished with six.
Kirchbaum said the upcoming all-NOL district tournament speaks volumes about the talent of the league in its final year of existence.
“Great coaches, great players .. playing in the (NOL) helped us prepare to get where we are.”
The winners of Thursday night’s games play next Saturday at Willard for the district title at 7 p.m.
