Vikings unable to overcome balanced Grizzlies

BERLIN  Wadsworth held off the Hoover High School girls basketball team Sunday, edging the Vikings 50-47 at Hiland High School in the Classic in the Country.

Wadsworth's Kacie Evans helped seal the win with a defensive rebound off a Hoover missed 3-pointer with 13 seconds left. The Vikings were down 49-47 at that point. Evans was fouled and hit one free throw to provide the final margin. Evans finished with a game-high 10 points and 10 rebounds, as Wadsworth came up big on the glass throughout the game.

“We talked about that. Wadsworth did a great job. They play hard and go to the boards hard for the rebounds,” Hoover coach Abbey Allerding said. “We need to continue to keep working in there.”

The two teams were locked in a rough and tumble game through much of the first two quarters before the Grizzlies went on an 11-2 run to close out the first half. Taylor Leatherman banked in a 3-pointer and Sophia Fortner swished a 3 to ignite the run that saw Wadsworth build a 31-24 lead at the half.

Annie Roshak scored in 13 of Hoover’s first 20 points, and finished with 22 points and eight rebounds. Alexis Green scored 10 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers for the Vikings (6-9).

Payton Davis had a steal and layup to help Hoover turn things around in the third quarter, and a Roshak bucket pulled the Vikings within one, 35-34, after three periods of play.

Evans scored a pair of put-backs to help the Grizzlies pull out the win.

Wadsworth had a balanced attack with seven players scoring, as Leatherman finished with nine points and Peyton Banks had eight.

“Our kids are battling and I was proud of their effort tonight,” Allerding said. “A few weeks ago, I’m not sure our team would’ve been in this situation, where the game was on the line at the end. I see our girls continuing to get better.”