By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
The Buckeye Central Buckettes punched their ticket to the Division IV Regional semifinals Saturday night, surviving a second half surge of the Norwalk St. Paul Flyers.
Winning the tip off, the Flyers scored the game’s first two points for a quick 2-0 lead to open the game. The Buckettes soon gained control over the game by going on a 10-3 run. The Lady Flyers made a late first quarter push to bring the game to 20-15. In the waning seconds of the first Norwalk St. Paul’s Ashley Painley scored her 1,000th career point.
The Buckettes outscored the Lady Flyers 18-17 to go into the half with a 38-32 lead behind Haley Green’s 13 first half points. Jenna Karl added another 11 points for the Buckettes in the first half.
The Buckettes went up 10 points in the third quarter, but a third quarter rally by the Lady Flyers brought the game within three, 51-49, to start the fourth quarter.
The Flyers’ rally continued into the fourth as they tied the game for the first time since the first quarter with 4:24 to go in the game. Thirty seconds later they gained their first lead since the first basket of the first quarter to go up 57-55. A time out and adjustment by Coach Greg Moore, along with key foul shots by the Buckettes late in the game, sealed the victory at 70-64, and earned the Buckettes their first trip to the regional round of the State Tournament since 1997.
With the win the Buckettes improved to 20-4 on the season and became the first team from the school to go this deep in the playoffs since the boys basketball team made it to the regional semifinals three years ago.
The Buckettes were led by Karl’s 25-point, 9-rebound performance. Green would add 13 points, and Courtney Pifher contributed 10 points.
The Buckettes will travel to Elida High School to take on the Ottoville Lady Big Green at 8 p.m. on March 9.
The St. Paul Lady Flyers featured three players reaching double digits as well. Painley led the way with 18 points, Caitlin Good added 15 points, and Lauren Lukasko scored a double-double with a 13-point, 11-rebound performance.
The Lady Flyers closed out their season with a 19-5 record.