ASHLAND — Shelby’s 20-plus year district title drought came to an end Saturday afternoon.
Senior Sophie Niese made sure of it.
A pass-first point guard headed to Ashland University, Niese scored a game-high 18 points as the top-seeded Whippets dispatched No. 3 Clear Fork 57-33 in the Division II championship game inside Arrow Arena.
The win was the third for Shelby (26-0) over the Colts this season and sends the Whippets to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.
“We really wanted this one, as a senior class especially. We’ve been so close the last four years,” said Niese, who led the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in assists and steals while averaging 8.9 points a game. “It’s been kind of frustrating because we have been to the district tournament all four years, but we haven’t won.”
With high-scoring classmates Hayley Baker sidelined with a knee injury and Olivia Baker saddled with foul trouble, Niese took it upon herself Saturday. She scored nine points in the second period as the Whippets erased a 10-9 first-quarter deficit.
“Today she needed to score and she tends to do that when we need her to,” Shelby coach Natalie Lantz said. “She’s a very unselfish player. She’s going to get all of her teammates involved.
“Today she did a great job of taking control and taking the shots she needed to take.”
Clear Fork (21-5) led 12-9 early in the second quarter when Niese went to work. Her 3-pointer with 3:48 remaining gave the Whippets a 17-12 advantage and came as part of 15-1 run that changed the complexion of the game.
Shelby outscored the Colts 19-6 in the second quarter and led 28-16 at the break.
“Their pressure got to us,” Clear Fork coach Scott Sellers said. “You face that pressure and you get beat continuously by them like we did this year, you have a couple doubts.”
Any thoughts Clear Fork had of making a comeback were put to rest early in the third quarter. Shelby opened the period on a 14-6 run and took a 42-22 lead on freshman Eve Schwemley’s offensive rebound and putback with 2:46 showing in the quarter.
Shelby led 44-26 going to the fourth and coasted from there. Olivia Baker backed Niese with 12 points despite picking up her fourth foul midway through the third quarter. Audi Albert added 11, while Sarah Reiser chipped in with seven.
“It feels awesome. It’s what we’ve been working for for four years,” Olivia Baker said. “It was just such a fun atmosphere to be a part of and I’m so glad we pulled off that win.”
Bekah Conrad and Pacey Chrastina led the Colts with 13 points apiece.
Next up for Shelby is a regional semifinal date with Copley, a surprise winner of the Elyria district. The regional semifinal is set for 8 p.m. Tuesday at Mansfield Senior’s Pete Henry Gym.
“Our girls stepped up in a big way. It’s so special for them,” Lantz said. “It’s one thing to dream it, but it’s another to achieve it.
“They worked hard and wanted it and that’s where we are right now, giving ourselves a chance to play on.”
