TECUMSEH – The Franklin Monroe Lady Jets earned a 44-38 first-round DIII OHSAA tournament win over the Bradford Lady Railroader, giving veteran coach Tim Barga his 600th career varsity high school win.
The Lady Railroaders took an early 8-6 lead after one-quarter of play. Franklin Monroe took advantage of 10 C Nichols second-quarter points, outscoring the Lady Jets 12-8. The teams went to the break, with FM leading 18-16.
Rylee Dotson led Bradford to its third consecutive eight-point period, knocking down two third-quarter 3-pointers. Franklin Monroe used five Presley Cox third-quarter points, taking the third by a 10-8 score, giving the Lady Jets a 28-24 lead with one quarter to play.
Both teams picked up the pace in the fourth quarter scoring column, with Lilly Canan hitting for eight Bradford points, including two triples, leading the team with 8 points. Franklin Monroe was two better in the fourth, tacking on 16 points led by Nochols’ seven points and six by Cox to earn the six-point win and advance in tournament action.
Franklin Monroe was 15-26 at the free-throw line, while Bradford was just 4-8 at the charity stripe. Bradford knocked down eight 3-pointers to one trey for the Lady Jets.
- Nichols led Franklin Monroe and all scorers with a game-high 19 points.
BOXSCORE:
FRANKLIN MONROE 44, BRADFORD 38
FRANKLIN MONROE – C. Nichols 19, P. Cox 12, A. FIgel 5, K. Barnes 4, P. Buhl 4 – TOTALS 13 15-26 1 44
BRADFORD – R. Dotson 15, L. Canan 13, M. Wood 5, C. Hill 4, H. Evans 1 – TOTALS 5 4-8 8 38
3-POINTERS
Franklin Monroe 1 (K. Barnes)
Bradford 8 (R. Dotson 5, L. Canan 3)
