SHELBY — The last time Shelby advanced this deep into the postseason, coach Natalie Lantz was leading the charge on the floor instead of the bench.
It was 1992 and Natalie Britt was a talented junior point guard for the Whippets. Shelby won the regional title en route to a Division II state runner-up finish. Britt, who would later star at Division I Ohio University, scored eight points in a state semifinal win over Canfield before dropping 16 in a 65-55 loss to Urbana in the championship game.
Fast forward 30 years and the Whippets (27-0) are one step from reaching the Final Four for the first time since that magical 1992 season. Shelby will play Columbus Bishop Hartley at 7 p.m. Friday at Mansfield Senior’s Pete Henry Gym for a regional championship.
The ’92 team was coached by Ellen Lawrence, who piloted the Whippets to a Class AAA state crown in 1983. Lawrence is still a regular at Shelby games and was in attendance Tuesday as the Whippets scored in the final seconds to beat Copley 35-33 in the regional semifinals.
“Has it been that long ago?” Lawrence asked Tuesday while offering congratulations to her protégé. “Don’t remind me.”
The ’92 team boasted a balanced attack. Britt, Amy Helinski and Rachelle Gurney were all capable scorers, as were Jenni Hamilton and Heather Rietschlin.
“Similarity-wise, anybody could score,” Lantz said. “Anyone can score on this team. We have five girls who have scored 18 or more (in a game).”
The 2022 edition is led by the talented senior trio of Sophie Niese and Haylee and Olivia Baker. All three will play college basketball, Niese at Division II powerhouse Ashland University, Haylee Baker at Division III Baldwin-Wallace and Olivia Baker at West Liberty University in West Virginia.
Haylee Baker suffered a partially turn knee ligament late in the regular season and has been used sparingly in the postseason. She saw 8:31 of floor time against Copley and attempted only one shot.
Niese scored a team-high 11 points against Copley, but it was her assist to Audi Albert in the final seconds that sealed the victory. Olivia Baker added seven points and five rebounds.
While Shelby’s terrific trio rightfully command star billing, the supporting cast has been instrumental in the squad’s postseason success. Undersized guard Demi Hipp came back from a head injury suffered in the district semifinals and scored eight points Tuesday. Albert battled against Copley’s big and physical front court and scored four points — the game-winner with four seconds left was her only field goal and just her second attempt of the evening.
“Audi Albert is just so good at finding the open spot,” Niese said amid a wild celebration Tuesday night. “I knew she’s be there for me.”
Sophomore Mallary Gundrum and freshman Eve Schwemley played key roles in last week’s district semifinal win over Sandusky Perkins. Sophomore forwards Sarah Reiser and Alexis Booker provided valuable minutes off the bench Tuesday, as did freshman swing player Sophia Long.
“With Haylee being (limited), our younger kids have really stepped up and it’s been different kids each night,” Lantz said. “We saw some nerves in our younger kids tonight, but once they settled down they did really well.”
