HOLMES TOWNSHIP — A win is good, but when it’s over a backyard rival, it’s a little more special.
Wynford coach Amy Taylor-Sheldon was particularly satisfied that her Lady Royals put an end to a mini losing streak to Bucyrus by the convincing score of 61-25 in a Northern 10 Athletic Conference game at W. R. Donnenwirth Gymnasium.
“It’s been a while since we beat Bucyrus,” Taylor-Sheldon said. “And I’m always happy to beat Bucyrus.”
The win ended a three-game skid to the Lady Redmen and it started with the defense.
“They do a really good job of moving with their hands up,” Bucyrus coach Taylor Tackett said of the Royals. “Even if you’re using your body, that’s not a foul. It’s good, solid defense.”
The tone was set early, when Wynford (3-2, 2-1 N10) forced seven Redmen turnovers in the first seven minutes of the game to blow out to a 14-0 lead. Bucyrus (1-1, 0-1) also went 0-9 from the field and 0-2 from the line during that time.
“That’s something we’re trying to do this year in terms of setting the pace,” Taylor-Sheldon said of the defense. “I think we’ve done a better job of setting the pace defensively, but maybe not catching up with ourselves offensively, being able to finish, to make shots in transition. I was glad we had several finishes in transition today as opposed to just getting the stop but not the conversion.”
The Redmen trailed, 16-2, after one and never got within single digits after that. Wynford held an 11-9 advantage in the second period to stretch the lead to 27-11 at intermission.
Tackett was not pleased with 28 turnovers committed by her team.
“They were so jumbly with (the ball),” Tackett said. “It was like hot potato tonight. We wanted to get rid of it. Whether we were throwing up a shot or trying to get it off to someone else. We needed to relax our minds and bodies and try to take care of the ball.”
Wynford’s depth took its toll as the second half unfolded. Three Royals scored in double figures but nine Wynford players scored in all.
“We have several kids that are interchangeable, so we like to do that,” Taylor-Sheldon said. “Sometimes, whoever’s playing the best plays the most. Tonight, we were able to sub a lot of kids.”
Savannah Tobias led all scorers with 14 points for the Royals. Lyndie Williams added 13 — including three 3-point shots — and Olivia Grove added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Redmen hadn’t played a game in two weeks and Tackett thought that might have contributed to her team being a little flat.
“Potentially,” Tackett said of the layoffs affect. “You have long practices. You practice every day for two hours. It kind of starts to lag and drag.”
Bucyrus hit only nine of 46 shots from the field and two of seven from the line. Ni’Georia Floyd topped the Redmen with seven points. Jill Wise grabbed 10 rebounds.
Wynford also won the junior varsity game, 33-18. Atlee Miller and Chloe Kaple led the Royals with nine points each. Hayli Stoffer, Taisha Spears and K. Grady had four each for Bucyrus.
Bucyrus 2 9 10 4 — 25
Wynford 16 11 17 17 — 61
Bucyrus: (1-1, 0-1 N10): Shots 11-46; 3-pt. shots 1-10 (Ni’Georia Floyd); Free throws 2-7; Rebounds 31 (Jill Wise 10); Turnovers 28. Scoring: Ni’Georia Floyd 3 0 7, Caleigh Rister 1 1 3, Alivia Lewis 2 0 4, Lauren Kohler 2 0 4, Clair Schifer 1 0 2, Jill Wise 2 1 5.
Wynford: (3-2, 1-1 N10): Shots 22-54; 3-pt. shots 6-14 (Lyndie Williams 3, Mia Leuthold, Atlee Miller, Averi McMillan); Free throws 11-24; Rebounds 44 (Olivia Grove 10); Turnovers 21. Scoring: Chloe Kaple 1 0 2, Mia Leuthold 1 0 3, Briley Pollock 1 2 4, Atlee Miller 1 0 3, Savannah Tobias 5 4 14, Averi McMillan 1 2 5, Hannah Messmer 2 1 5, Lyndie Williams 5 0 13, Olivia Grove 5 2 12.
JV: Wynford 33-18.