 |
| Cheslea Tebbe helped lead the Lady Buccs to a conference title. |
|
|
Untitled Page
|
Untitled Page
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
Team
|
CCC
|
ALL
|
|
Covington
|
11-0
|
17-3
|
|
Arcanum
|
10-1
|
16-4
|
|
Franklin Monroe
|
9-2
|
13-7
|
|
Tri-Village
|
7-4
|
11-9
|
|
Ansonia
|
7-4
|
9-11
|
|
National Trail
|
6-5
|
9-11
|
|
Mississinawa Valley
|
6-5
|
7-13
|
|
Bethel
|
4-7
|
6-14
|
|
Tri-County North
|
3-8
|
4-16
|
|
Newton
|
2-9
|
5-15
|
|
Bradford
|
1-10
|
1-19
|
|
Twin Valley South
|
0-11
|
2-18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 9, 2006 – NEW PARIS
By Rob Kiser, Piqua Daily Call
The Covington girls basketball team's game with National Trial Thursday night to close the regular season may not have been a thing of beauty. But, the hardware the 62-41 victory over the Blazers will look just as shiny in the trophy case.
For the second time in three years, the Lady Buccs used a road trip to National Trail to wrap up the Cross County Conference title.
"It does mean a lot ," Covington senior Michelle Meyer said. "Because it is the second time in my four years. I would have taken it (if she had been told they would have a 17-3 record and win the CCC title at the beginning of the season). But, there is always room for improvement."
Covington coach Chris Besecker echoed those sentiments.
"When I would looked at the schedule at the beginning of the year, I didn't see a game we couldn't win," Besecker said. "Did I think we would go 20-0? That would have been a stretch. We lost to Jackson Center by four. We lost to Versailles by seven. But, I think we would do better against them now because our defense is playing better than it was then. The Tipp City game was a two-point game with three minutes to go. We just have to work at getting better offensively."
Proof of that came in the first half, when to Trail's credit, they held a 17-15 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Lady Buccs finished the first half on a 9-2 run to go in front 23-19 and erased all doubt by upping the defensive intensity in the third quarter.
"I really don't know what to say about the first half," Meyer said. "Coach stressed to us at halftime to pick up our defensive intensity in the third quarter."
The result was nine National Trail turnovers as Covington scored the first 10 points to go in front 33-19. Covington maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
Ashley Johnson hit a big three to put Covington up 10 and Chelsea Tebbe had five points and two steals in the run.
"We were able to foce them into some mistakes early in the third quarter," Besecker said. "That changed the momentum."
Meyer scored 22 points to run her career total to 1,497 to surpass Erica Bowman for second in the all-time career scoring list for girls basketball at Covington behind only Lynette Roeth. Michelle also surpassed her brother Jason, who finished his high school career with 1,492 career points.
Two standouts in the second half were Alex Christian and Tebbe. Christian owned the paint in the final two quarters, going six of eight from the floor. She finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Tebbe, hustling all over the floor as usual, scored 13.
"That's what Chelsea (Tebbe) does," Besecker said. "She grabs loose balls, she does a great job on the boards. Alex (Christian) just had an outstanding second half."
Chelsea Halderman had 10 points and nine rebounds to lead Trail, while Rebecca Eyer pulled down seven rebounds.
Covington was 26 of 60 from the floor for 43 percent and nine of 12 from the line for 75 percent. National Trail was 18 of 40 from the floor for 45 percent and three of four from the line for 75 percent.
Trail won the battle of the boards 31-25, but had 26 turnovers to Covington's seven.
Covington will open Division IV sectional tournament play at Tipp City High
School at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday against Mississinawa Valley.
BOXSCORE
Covington (62)
Andrea Meyer 2-0-4, Ashley Johnson 2-0-5, Chelsea Tebbe 4-5-13, Alex Christian 7-0-14, Michelle Meyer 9-4-22, Amanda Furrow 1-0-2, LauriKate Bayman 1-0-2, Kristen Boggs 0-0-0, Renee Otte 0-0-0, Holly Tobias 0-0-0. Totals: 26-9-62.
National Trail (41)
Jennifer McWhinney 3-2-8, Kristen Bachman 0-0-0, Cristy Gibbons 2-0-6, Rebecca Eyer 4-0-8, Chelsea Halderman 5-0-10, Cindy Doolin 2-0-4, Lorie Deaton 1-0-2, Renee Longmiere 0-0-0, Courtney Flory 0-1-1, Amanda Grimes
1-0-2, Alyssa Joyce 0-0-0. Totals: 18-3-41.
3-point field goals - Covington: Johnson. National Trail: Gibbons (2).
Score by quarters
Covington ...........12.....23......42......62
National Trail ......13.....19......28......41
Records: Covington 17-3 (11-0), National Trail 9-11 (6-5).
Reserve score: Covington 45, National Trail 36.
|
