Wadsworth senior Jodi Johnson put the trip to the Final Four into an unusual perspective. “We’re here on a business trip to reach our main goal, to be state champions”.
It’s a Columbus business trip for a bunch of Wadsworth High School kids.
The Wadsworth Lady Grizzlies are one win away from capturing the Division One Girls High School Basketball championship.
In order to win the championship, Wadsworth will have to defeat the team that handed them their only loss this season.
In the Division One State Semi-final at the Schottenstein Center Friday night, Wadsworth defeated Reynoldsburg 58-48. The Grizzlies, now at 27-1 on the season, will play Mason for the State Championship. At the Classic in the Country in the middle of January, Mason defeated the Lady Grizzlies 41-30
The semi-final game was a struggle for the Lady Grizzlies. Wadsworth trailed at the end of the first quarter 19-11. The Lady Grizzlies shot only 21.4% from the field in the first period. The Lady Raiders torched the Wadsworth defense by hitting 8-15 from the field, including 3-5 from beyond the arc.
Wadsworth closed the gap to 31-27 at halftime. But, Reynoldsburg was still hot from the field, hitting 12 of 23 from the field. The Lady Grizzlies were 9-28 from the field after 2 quarters.
In the third and fourth quarters, Wadsworth returned to what they do best, that’s defense.
Reynoldsburg shot only 6 of 23 from the field in the second half. That defense led Wadsworth getting easy baskets. The Lady Grizzlies were 9-18 from the field in the second half.
Wadsworth Head Coach Andrew Booth said ‘our defense was able to limit their penetration in the second half. Plus, they may have been a bit tired”. Reynoldsburg’s starting backcourt of Adrian Crockwell and Brooklyn Pannell played 63 of 64 minutes.
Leading the way for the Lady Grizzlies was the co-Division One player of the year Jody Johnson, who tallied 24 points. The senior was only 5 of 15 from the field. At the free throw line, Johnson was 14 of 16. Sophia Fortner chipped in with 9.
For Reynolds, Brooklyn Pannell had 19 points.
The Wadsworth/Mason championship game will begin at 8:30 Saturday night. If you can’t get to Columbus, you’ll be able to hear the game on 97.1/Wadsworth Community Radio, on Wadsworth Community Radio.com, the Wadsworth Community Radio app on your smart phone or on Channel 18 on WCTV.
