GALION — In a sloppy, hard-fought game, Galion seniors Gracie Groves and Gabby Kaple were the difference.
Groves scored 14 and Kaple added 15, making 11 of 19 free throws for the game, as the Tigers held off a second-half Crestline charge to beat the Bulldogs, 46-43, in the season opener for both teams Friday night.
Galion made 19 of 38 free throws for the game, while Crestline hit on nine of 17. Clearly, free throws were the difference in the game.
Led by their captains, the Tigers got out to a quick start, taking a 13-1 lead en route to a 13-5 lead after one.
The Bulldogs were not able to cut into Galion’s lead in the second period and the Tigers held a 29-17 lead at halftime.
Crestline, however, made its charge in the second half, outscoring Galion, 26-16, but fell just short.
“We missed too many layups, didn’t rebound very well in the first period and got behind too much,” Crestline coach Kyle Strauch said. “We kept fouling and sending a girl to the line that we preached for two weeks not to send her to the line. Just little things and we just dug a hole too deep.”
The Tigers scored just one field goal in the final period but hit seven of 15 free throws to keep the lead.
“First games are always kind of sloppy,” Galion coach Shani Rush said. “There were a lot of fouls called. It is what it is, and it was good for us to shoot the ball from the line.”
Still, Crestline had chances to win the game in the fourth period, twice cutting the lead to two, the final coming 45-43 on a Kennedy Moore free throw with 19 seconds left.
Galion freshman Teanna Grater hit one of two free throws with 10 seconds left to increase the lead to 46-43. The Bulldogs had a chance to tie the game with two seconds left but Lauryn Tadda’s 3-point attempt from the top of the key just bounced off the rim.
Rush said that her captains led the way for the Tigers.
“They are our captains and our returners, and they really stepped up in every game and every practice,” Rush said. “They work hard every day.”
Tadda paced the Bulldogs with 15 points and Moore added 13. Alandra Tesso scored 11.
Strauch said the little things were the difference in the game.
“It’s simple things,” Strauch said. “We don’t take that next step over, we get lazy and reach. They’re a good free throw shooting team and we knew that coming in.”
Crestline won the junior varsity game, 35-20. Freshman Jocelynn Morgan led the Bulldogs with 15 points, while freshman Natalie Perkins topped Galion with eight.
Crestline 5 12 16 10 — 43
Galion 13 16 8 9 — 46
Stats
Crestline (0-1): Shots 14-47; 3-pt 4 (Alandra Tesso 3, Kennedy Moore); Free throws 9-19; Rebounds 23; Turnovers 22. Scoring: Kennedy Moore 4-4-13, Lauryn Tadda 6 3 15, Daija Sewell 0 1 1, Alandra Tesso 4 0 11, Brianna Briggs 1 1 3.
Galion (1-0): 13-34; 3-pt shots 2 (Gracie Groves 2); Free throws 19-38; Rebounds 42; Turnovers 28. Scoring: Heaven Phelps 0 2 2, Teanna Grater 3 3 9, Gracie Groves 6 0 14, Gabby Kaple 2 11 15, Natalie Perkins 1 3 5, Morgan Kimble 1 0 2.
JV: Crestline 35-20.