SHELBY — Even if she didn’t score 20 points a game, Sophie Niese’s fingerprints were all over every one of Shelby’s 27 wins.
The Richland Source Player of the Year, Niese averaged a pedestrian 9.1 points a game. The Ashland University recruit could take over when necessary, however, as was the case in Shelby’s win over Clear Fork in the district final. Niese scored 18 points as the Whippets advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.
“Today she needed to score and she tends to do that when we need her to,” Shelby coach Natalie Lantz said after the 57-33 win over the Colts at Ashland’s Arrow Arena. “She’s a very unselfish player. She’s going to get all of her teammates involved.
“She did a great job of taking control and taking the shots she needed to take.”
The 5-foot-6 Niese was back to her playmaking self in Shelby’s 35-33 win over Copley in the regional semifinals. Her assist on Audi Albert’s game-winning layup with four seconds remaining sent Shelby to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1992.
“I was supposed to come off of the screen and finish it, but every single time I know the help side (defense) is coming,” Niese said at the time. “Audi Albert is so good at finding the open spot and I knew she would be there for me.”
Niese was selected the Northwest District Player of the Year and the District 6 Player of the Year in Division II. She is centerpiece of a big and talented All-Richland Source first team.
Faith Kuhn, Madison: A Shawnee State volleyball recruit, Kuhn had a spectacular senior season on the basketball court. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game for the Rams. Kuhn shared the District 6 Division I Player of the Year award with Destiny Robinson of Fremont Ross and was an All-Northwest District first-team selection in Division I.
Bekah Conrad, Clear Fork: The 6-foot-4 Conrad, who is committed to the University of Dayton track and field program as a thrower, was one of the most dominant players in north central Ohio. The senior center averaged 17.3 points and a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference-high 11.5 rebounds a game. Conrad was a District 6 first team pick in Division II and a Northwest District second-team selection.
Olivia Baker, Shelby: A 5-foot-8 guard, Baker 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. She led the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference with 65 3-pointers, connecting on 36.5 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc. A West Liberty (West Virginia) University recruit, Baker was an All-Northwest District first team pick and a District 6 first-teamer in Division II.
Corri Vermilya, Loudonville: Just a sophomore, Vermilya already has scored 1,080 points at the midway point of her high school career. A 5-foot-9 wing, Vermilya averaged an area-high 26.6 points and 12.9 rebounds a game as well as 2.7 assists, 5.6 steals and 1.2 blocks a game. She was the District 4 Player of the Year in Division III and an All-Northeast Inlands first-team pick.
Emily Siesel, Buckeye Central: The 5-foot-8 senior point guard helped pilot the Buckettes to a regional title and a berth in the Division IV Final Four. Siesel averaged 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists a game. She was the District 6 Player of the Year in Division IV and shared the All-Northwest District Player of the Year award with Ellie Gabel of New Knoxville.
Claudia Pifher, Buckeye Central: A senior, Pifher became Buckeye Central’s career scoring leader despite missing the first half of the regular season with a broken wrist. The Ohio Dominican recruit averaged 22.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game after her return, helping the Buckettes to a regional title and a berth in the state semifinals. Pifher was an All-Northwest District and District 6 first-team pick in Division IV.
Haylee Baker, Shelby: A Baldwin-Wallace recruit, Baker averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists a game as the Whippets reached the Division II regional championship game. The 5-foot-8 senior was a District 6 first-team pick and a Northwest District third-teamer.
