“I was crying mostly because I’m still kind of shocked that I’m a senior and that was my actual last game,” Martin said. “Yellow Springs is a small community and we all grew up together, so knowing that I’m never going to play with them again just hit me. That’s what made me cry the most.”
Martin scored 23 points and led her team of eight players back from a 13-0 deficit to trail 20-15 at halftime against the heavily favored Patriots, who were ranked fifth in the final Associated Press state poll. But foul trouble – starters Kennedy Harshaw and Angela Allen fouled out in the third quarter – and Brianna Ayers limping on a bad ankle crippled the Bulldogs in the second half.
“We knew we had a chance, but things had to go our way,” Bulldogs coach Tim Barga said. “We didn’t come in here thinking we were beat.”
Martin, who will play in college at Miami Middletown, made five 3-pointers.
“I thought Maryah Martin played a great game, not just because of her shooting,” Barga said. “Her defense was there, she hustled the whole time. That’s what you’ve got to do when you’re a senior.”
In his second season, Barga guided the Bulldogs (18-8) to their first sectional title since 1987.
“Our head coach is the best coach,” Martin said. “Yes, he yells at us a lot, but that pushes us even more.”
Tri-Village (23-2) will play Mechanicsburg in the Region 16 semifinals at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Tippecanoe High School. Mechanicsburg won its first district title since 1990 with a 71-51 victory over Cincinnati Country Day (19-7) behind 24 points from Brook Dodane.
Mechanicsburg (23-3) saw a 35-24 halftime lead cut to 48-44 at the start of the fourth quarter that reminded coach Christie Dodane of the sectional final. In that game, Russia rallied to tie the Indians entering the fourth quarter and Dodane’s players promised victory. This time the Indians got their fast break rolling against Country Day for a 15-2 run and a 63-46 lead with 3:37 left.
“It was just the confidence of the kids,” Dodane said. “That’s the kind of mentality that we have – we’re going to do what we have to do to win this ballgame.”
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