Oak Hill vs. Versailles...State Semi-Final

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

The gameday preview for Thursday's Times-Journal. Many thanks to Ron Greeson of The Greenville Daily Advocate whom I exchanged team rosters, results and other information with.

I won't be on here again until I get back from Columbus Thursday night. Enjoy.

Lady Oaks face defending champs in state semi

By PAUL BOGGS

Sports Editor

OAK HILL — So what is the “reward” for advancing to the Division III girls basketball state tournament?

For the youthful Oak Hill High School girls basketball team, it’s a date with the defending state champions, which are making their third straight state appearance.

But at some point, you have to play them all, especially in order to win a state championship.

As they say, to be the champs, you have to beat the champs.

The Lady Oaks aim to do just that, as they tangle with the defending Division III state champion Versailles Tigers tonight in the state semifinals at Value City Arena in Columbus.

Tipoff time at the Schottenstein Center is set for 8 p.m.

The Lady Oaks enter with a record of 24-1, as Versailles ventures to Columbus — for the third season in a row — at 18-8.

The winner of tonight’s second semifinal will face the winner of the 6 p.m. semi, set between Findlay Liberty-Benton (23-1) and undefeated South Euclid Regina.

Regina, with a record of 25-0 and ranked second in the final Division III Associated Press statewide poll, is considered the heavy favorite to capture the Division III state championship.

The Lady Oaks would love nothing more than to play the role of David versus Goliath, but first things first, they have to dethrone the defending champion Tigers.

Oak Hill head coach Doug Hale, who has 238 career wins in girls at the school, said it can be done.

“To be honest with you, our girls don’t seem satisfied at this point with just making the Final Four,” he said. “We’re excited about being in the state tournament, but we don’t feel just one game is enough. We’re going to prepare to win and so far we’ve done that.”

Hale would know, as he coached the Lady Oaks to their only other state tournament berth, which was five years ago.

The Lady Oaks upended Smithville 70-50 before losing to Youngstown Ursuline in the championship tilt.

In an interview on Tuesday, he was asked if the program’s second regional championship on Saturday had sunk in yet amongst his family or his team.

His wife and assistant coach Linda was also an assistant five years ago, as his daughter and assistant Whitney was a standout senior center on that squad.

“Linda and I were digesting everything from Saturday on Sunday evening,” he said. “We looked at each other and I said that those things just happened yesterday. But it seems like so long ago.”

While all of the current Lady Oaks were either in elementary or junior high school in 2004, Hale said they have had some connection to the tradition which has been built over the past dozen seasons.

“We’ve been to the regional eight times in the last 10 or 12 years. These girls have all been part of the fan bus and the youth programs which have followed those,” he said.

The Lady Oaks are indeed youthful in terms of years in school.

Of Oak Hill’s regular eight-player rotation, three are freshmen, three are juniors and two are sophomores.

The Lady Oaks will start freshmen Taylor Hale (5-10) and Breanna Butler (5-7), sophomore point guard Mikie Strite (5-5), and juniors Karissa Adkins (5-9) and Rebecca Puckett (5-10).

The three regulars off the bench are freshman Lakin Caudill (5-10), sophomore Kelsey Burton (6-0) and junior Taylor Butler (5-9).

Prior to Saturday, only Adkins, Burton and Taylor Butler had played in last year’s regional final.

Now the stage is even bigger, but Hale said his team has “had just two super practices” prior to Wednesday’s practice following school.

“The girls are excited about the opportunity to keep playing, to showcase the Southeast District and represent the best we can,” he said. “I think we’ll do a great job. Our kids have been focused.”

The focus tonight is on the tall and talented Tigers, who have several players on their roster which played Alexander in the Division III state volleyball semifinals in November.

Alexander, from the Southeast District like Oak Hill, went on to capture the state championship.

The Tigers’ smallest player is five-foot-five-inch junior Ashley Henry, but half of the roster stands at five-foot-eight inches or taller.

The Tigers’ top and tallest player is six-foot junior Megan Campbell, who was Division III first-team all-Southwest District and second-team all-Ohio from the Associated Press.

Campbell averaged 11.2 points per game in the regular season, followed by third-team all-district selection Emily Frey (5-11, sr.).

“Megan Campbell inside and Emily Frey on the perimeter are really strong,” said Hale.

Frey averages an estimated 12 points per game, as the pair will start alongside two other seniors — 5-10 post Emily Eilerman and 5-6 point guard Karen Smith.

Susan Berger, a 5-6 junior wing, will start opposite Frey.

Like Oak Hill, the Tigers play a maximum of nine regular players, including wings Olivia Liette (5-10, sr.) and Laura Schlater (5-7, jr.) and posts Tara Winner (5-11, jr.) and Bethany Ahrens (5-9, jr.).

The 10 full-time players on the roster consist of four seniors and six juniors — all of which have been part of the three state tournament teams.

Three sophomores were added to the postseason roster, but aren’t expected to see the floor unless its an emergency or reserve role.

“They are a solid team,” said Hale. “You don’t win the state championship and make it to the Final Four three times without being solid. We have our work cut out for us.”

Versailles, a member of the Southwest District and located in Darke County in western Ohio, has appeared in four straight regional finals.

It is a perennial district and regional powerhouse, which went a perfect 28-0 last season en route to winning its first-ever state championship in girls basketball.

This is the school’s fifth state tournament appearance, with the others occurring in 1992 and 1998.

They were the runners-up two years ago before returning to — and winning — the state tournament last season.

The Tigers are coached by six-year mentor Jackie Stonebraker, who has 108 career victories.

This past season, Versailles went 12-8 in the regular campaign, but competes in the brutal Midwest Athletic Conference where six of the eight losses were registered.

“That’s a tough conference when you consider they play teams like Coldwater, Saint Henry, New Bremen and (Casstown) Miami East,” said Hale.

Three of the conference losses, citing sports editor Ron Greeson of The Greenville Daily Advocate, came to state-ranked Division IV clubs.

The Tigers also lost non-conference games to two state-ranked teams in Division II — Celina and Tippecanoe, which was the undefeated and Division II AP poll champion before losing to defending state champion Kettering Alter in the regional championship.

Versailles started the season at 6-2, but lost six of 11 games before defeating Division I Greenville in the regular-season finale.

And it hasn’t lost since either.

Despite the fifth seed in their sectional, the Tigers opened tournament play by eliminating the second seed and state-ranked West-Liberty Salem 49-36.

They cruised through their next two sectional games, including a 43-24 rout over top-seeded Milton Union in the finals.

In the one-game district championship, they held off Cincinnati Roger Bacon 50-44 before edging archrival Casstown Miami East 26-23 in the regional semifinal.

Greeson said the Tigers scored only four points in the entire first half, but rallied back to win in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers rallied again in the regional finals, defeating Middletown Madison 43-31.

Indeed, Versailles adheres to the axiom that defense wins championships.

“Versailles is known for its half-court, man-to-man pressure defense,” said Greeson. “Emily Eilerman is the team’s defensive specialist and can guard either perimeter or post players.”

The Tigers have allowed no more than 36 points in five of the six tournament games.

“They are a tremendous defensive team,” said Hale. “If you turn the ball over, they’ll get up and down the floor with you. But they are going to try and run their offense, and hope that somebody makes a mistake defensively and take advantage of it.”

This despite the fact that they are the only team in the state tournament in all four divisions which averages less than 50 points per game (45.5).

The Lady Oaks are averaging 68 and only allowing 41.

Greeson described the Tigers as “a physical, defensive, mostly half-court man-to-man team that is never out of the game, because it is a school and a team that has found a way to win so often through the years.”

“It is not a pretty style, but it is an experienced and gritty team that wants to prove it can win a state title without the four seniors that graduated from last year’s team,” said Greeson. “They were state-ranked early, then fell out of the rankings with the midseason losses and no one, even in Versailles, would have considered them a threat to win state a month ago.”

But Hale said his team “is a tough team to prepare for as well.”

“We play eight kids and play baseline-to-baseline defense,” he said. “The key for us is to rebound and play great defense.”

As in full-court, trapping pressure defense which forces the opponent into turnovers.

With the inclusion of Caudill, all five Oak Hill starters average at least 6.4 points per game, paced by Adkins at 14.2 and Puckett at 11.4.

“We just need to shoot our shots, not be tight, get up and down the floor and if you’re open, shoot it,” said Hale. “Just like we’ve been doing all year.”

Hale said the Lady Oaks, especially against the taller and half-court-happy Tigers, must rebound better than they did against South Point in the regional final.

Oak Hill rallied from a pair of early nine-point deficits to win 50-45, as none of its first four tournament games were within 23 points.

“I thought against South Point, our rebounding was non-existent in the first half. Then we came out and held them to four total rebounds in the second half,” said Hale. “We had to start boxing out, holding that box and ripping the rebounds down. We have to have that mentality on the offensive and defensive boards.”

The Lady Oaks also need to play relaxed, as if they are the ones without any of the tournament pressure.

While Versailles sports a bevy of state tournament experience, Oak Hill’s youth can serve it well.

“Some of the girls on the 2004 team have been in and talked to the girls. We’ve talked about some of the things to look for and to expect,” said Hale. “But it’s just another game. Really. Our girls have been playing in big games all year. Our theme is to be loose and be confident and go out and play as hard as we can. I don’t feel pressure and I sure hope the girls don’t feel it. We’re just excited about the opportunity to be playing the defending state champions in the state tournament. That’s a hard scenario to beat.”

Sounds like a “reward” for advancing to the state tournament.

Hale said the Lady Oaks planned to depart for Columbus today by 2:30 p.m., and will check into a Columbus-area hotel before arriving at Value City Arena.

They will watch the first semifinal as well, prior to their prime time tipoff time of 8 p.m.

sports@timesjournal.com

* * *

Information about Versailles was provided to the Jackson County Times-Journal by Ron Greeson, sports editor of The Greenville Daily Advocate.

[bball fan123]

Prior to Saturday, only Adkins, Burton and Taylor Butler had played in last year’s regional final.

Starting point guard last year: Mikie Strite

[Regulator]

heard regina has 2-3 div I committs on their roster

I like the movie Hoosiers. hA hA. The Lady Oaks are my Hoosiers and will face the big city girls and will pull it off. GO OAKS

Hopefully they are not worried about the 2-3 div 1 commits and more worried about the defending state champions that have flown under the radar.

[JJ Hale]

Gameday! Let's Go Oaks!

[crazee-oakaholic]

GO LADY OAKS!! YOU CAN DO IT

[SENDEM]

What radio station will be covering these game or is it on the Ohio Sport Channel? Good Luck an hope to see u in the Championship Game.


An if any of u at are going to the game an get to watch Regina pay very close to #22 Jackie Cook she is a beast.

[SOMAGIC]

Good luck to the LADY OAKS tonight. Play hard...the game you know how to play and you will come out with the big "W". I'm excited for all you girls and with your talent I know you can pull it out!!!

[kcarth305]

GAME DAY!!! Best of luck to the Lady Oaks in the state semifinal!!

[son of busdriver]

Good Luck Lady Oaks, all of Minford and Muletown are cheering for you ,bring it all back to Southern Ohio.

[dave]

Good luck Lady Oaks! - I am on my way to Columbus now.

[Leaving Minford]

Good Luck to the Lady Oaks. You will be a great representative for the village of Oak Hill. Play hard and bring back some hardware for your trophy case.

I imagine that their will be a lot of black and white in the stands tonight.

[alabama mike]

Good luck to Oak Hill, represent the SOC and southern Ohio well.

[blondebomb]

[size=150]GO LADY OAKS !!!!!! Keep your head in the game & don't take any smack. We'll all be there to cheer you on !!!!!!!! Have fun with this experience & take it all in. Oak Hill is very Proud of our Oaks, Girls & Boys !!!!!

[sportsfanatic3]

Can you watch both games on the same ticket? I wouldn't imagine so, but just wondering if girls were different than boys.

I live up here at OSU, so was wanting to catch both games.

[seohiofan]

1 ticket gets you in for the 6 pm and 8 pm games

[LetItRide]

Regina score?

[godsgeneral]

Regina vs Liberty Benton

1st Qtr
Regina - 14
Liberty - 10

2nd Qtr
Regina - 16
Liberty - 13

3rd Qtr
Regina - 15
Liberty - 5

4th Qtr
Regina - 14
Liberty - 2

Final
Regina - 59
Liberty - 30

[godsgeneral]

Watch Oak Hill vs Versailles Live on www.ohiohssports.com

[drrabbit]

I am out of state tonight. Updates would be appreciated.

BTW-Good luck to the Oaks.

[FalconX]

1st Qtr - Versailles 8 - Oak Hill 3
Halftime - Oak Hill 19 - Versailles 17
3rd Qtr - Versailles 34 - Oak Hill 29