Lady Lions' season closes in sectional final loss to Wheelersburg

LUCASVILLE — It wasn’t the ending the Fairfield Lady Lions wanted, but their successful, record-setting season came to a close on Saturday in the Division III SE District Sectional Finals by the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates by a 66-44 score.

Fairfield’s season includes 18 wins, the program’s first-ever Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division II championship and saw senior Grace Shope achieve multiple scoring records for both boys and girls basketball, becoming Fairfield’s all-time leading scorer in school history.

The Lady Lions had to face off with the Lady Pirates, the No. 3 seed, on Saturday, and from the start, the Lady Pirates made Fairfield play at their pace. Not only that, Wheelersburg unofficially shot 67 percent from the field in the first half. For the game, WHS totaled 12 3-pointers, 10 in the first half.

In that first half, Wheelersburg controlled every aspect of the first two quarters with a 29-8 lead at the end of the first frame, and at halftime they extended their advantage to 47-17.

“We kept it close for the first couple minutes, but they just came out on fire. No matter what defense we were in, any open look, they knocked it down,” FHS head coach Chad Hamilton said. “There isn’t a whole lot you can do when a team is shooting like that. Their defense was great, and we really struggled offensively. When you get a team that is that good already and they have a shooting night like they had, it is a tough task.”

Fairfield’s first frame included six points by Blake Adams and two points by Samara Cannon, as Cannon totaled six points for the game and  Adams finished with 12 points for the game. 

Wheelersburg was playing on another level in the opening eight minutes, making seven 3-pointers in the quarter, including Abbie Kallner sinking four 3-pointers, two two-point baskets and one free throw for a 17-point first frame. Kallner finished the game with 21 points.

Ellie Ruby made one 3-pointer in the first frame, along with three free throws, and Kaylee Darnell totaled two 3-pointers in the first frame to conclude the 29-point first quarter for the Lady Pirates, giving them a 21-point lead.

Ruby totaled four 3-pointers in the game and finished with 17 points. Darnell chipped in with 15 points and three 3-pointers for the Lady Pirates. In all, eight players scored points for the Lady Pirates.

The second quarter didn’t help matters for the Lady Lions either, being outscored 18-9. Fairfield’s second frame included a 3-pointer from Grace Shope, two points by Ashley Sowards and four points by Adams, who made two baskets in the quarter.

Shope finished the game with 16 points to lead the Lady Lions in scoring. 

Wheelersburg was still making treys in the second frame with Darnell, Ruby, Abbie Kallner, Ellie Kalllner and Bella Williams combining for the 18 points scored in the quarter. Of those players, Darnell and Ruby combined for three trifectas in the second.

The game was well in hand to start the second half, but the Lady Lions showed they still had some fight left in them, outscoring Wheelersburg, 11-9, starting the frame off with four straight points by Adams and Cannon. Following a basket by the Lady Pirates, Shope scored four consecutive points.

Wheelersburg’s Ruby answered with a 3-pointer at the 3:48 mark of the quarter, but FHS was there with a steal and layup by Shope at the 3:26 mark, though FHS still trailed by a 52-27 score. The third ended with WHS scoring four of the next six points for a 56-28 advantage.

Fairfield scored 16 points in the final eight minutes of play, while Wheelersburg added 10 points to their lead. The Lady Lions had points by Shope, Cannon, Lyndee Spargur, Kami Magee and Barnes.

Seniors for the Lady Lions are Grace Shope, Blake Adams, Carli Reiber and Ashley Sowards, as Coach Hamilton spoke about the seniors and the season as a whole.

“The girls are responsible for everything we’ve done in terms of turning things around,” he said. “We won our first conference championship, and that was a big deal and I was very happy for that. I’m very proud of these girls. The four seniors will definitely will be missed.”

Wheelersburg will play in the district semifinals on Feb. 24 at noon at Waverly’s Downtown Gym.