Defending champion Bulldogs take care of Carey

LIMA – It took a little while for Columbus Grove to get going in Wednesday's Division VI district semifinal against Carey.But once the Bulldogs did, they didn't let up, using a 17-2 first half run to take control in a 53-20 win over the Blue Devils at Lima Senior.The Bulldogs (21-3) advance to play Colonel Crawford in the district final at 3 p.m. In Shelby.Carey's season ended at 18-5. For the first six minutes of play, the teams combined for just eight points. Carey, despite missing its first eight field goal attempts, trailed just 9-6 when Bella Phoenix converted a stickback with 1:25 left in the quarter.The Bulldogs -- Division VI state champs a year ago -- answered with five straight points to close the period. Elyse Fortman buried a 3 from the corner, then Kendal Palte hit a jumper.The quarter ended, but the Columbus Grove push did not.Nicole Nesby hit a jumper, then Brynn Calvelage nailed a 3 to push the Bulldogs' advantage to 19-6. Columbus Grove eventually led taking a 23-6, concluding a 14-0 stretch when Nicole Nesby delivered a jumper with 3:16 left in the half."I thought we played well for the first 5, 5 ½ minutes. and then they went on that little run, and we just kind of hung our heads," said Carey coach Keith O'Flaherty whose team lost to Columbus Grove 61-39 when the squads met Dec. 22 in a non-conference game.. "They just kind of took us out of our game."Columbus Grove coach Brian Schroeder said his team took awhile to get adjusted."That's kind of the way it goes sometimes in tournament," he said. "You have tournament jitters.""(We) didn't waver. (We) just kept playing the right way and getting good shots, and eventually, we were able to bust out one of those runs."Columbus Grove led 30-11 at the half, then held the Blue Devils scoreless in the third quarter. Grove put up 16 points in the frame, enacting the running clock in the final seconds of the period."Nothing was falling today," O'Flaherty said. "That's part of the game."The Bulldogs led 46-11 after three."I just thought we played really, really well tonight," Schroeder said. As usual, Nesby was a big part of it. She finished with 15 points and six blocks. Allison Thompson had eight points, as did Saige Benroth.But the Grove defense was the real standout."We are blessed with really good length, right?," Schroeder said. "Zones are better if you have good length and we have really good length on the back line. Nicole and (Lydia) Sarka and even Kendal Palte had a couple blocked shots. Everyone does their role."Emily Brodman and McKinnley Kessler each scored five for the Blue Devils."It wasn't our A game tonight, and you've got to credit Grove for that," O'Flaherty said. Still, it was another strong season for Carey, which won 18 games after a regional appearance a season ago."I can't fault the season for us," O'Flaherty said. I'm proud of what we accomplished."