Fairmont v Centerville: 2 instant classics next season
For those of us that live along State Route 48 in Ohio, between Centerville and Kettering, we know what a competition is between the 2 communities. For decades the two schools football teams have had its fair share of heart…
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Continue ReadingFor those of us that live along State Route 48 in Ohio, between Centerville and Kettering, we know what a competition is between the 2 communities. For decades the two schools football teams have had its fair share of heart thumping games, and inside the week leading up to the game, the two cities high schools have put on a giant charity competition. Both schools have raised in total over 1.1 million dollars given away to local charities. Then you have the boys basketball squads that have been vamping up the competition each and every time the teams take the court. 2 games between the schools this year were decided by a combined 4 points.
But what rivalry has started taking shape and cementing itself as a deciding factor in the Battle of 48 for each school year. The girls basketball teams have each had their success over the past few years, and this past season included both schools having great seasons at the same time. Every year when the schedules are released I have found myself circling both games when the Centerville Lady Elks and the Fairmont Lady Firebirds take on each other on each court. I mean where else can you get a Regional Finals game the 4th or 5th game of the season, and then again with like 3 games left in the year. The two schools this year didn’t disappoint this season either.
The last game between the schools this year featured a sophomore for Centerville, Amy Velasco score on a buzzer beating shot in a very defensive game 47-46. The two squads are loaded up and down their rosters. There will be a lot of star talent and a lot of college potential players on the court when these two meet each other in GWOC play.
For the Elks your starting 5 is probably gonna look like this. Juniors Amy Velasco & Kenzie Smith, Sophomore Cotie McMahon, and have a few role players switching in and out. Now the Elks have quite a few college scholarship offers between Velasco and McMahon. For Velasco she has quite a few local colleges looking at her including Akron, Bowling Green, Kent State, and Xavier. Outside offers include Loyola Chicago, Northern Kentucky, and Florida Atlantic. Now I can assume if Velasco keeps lighting it up like she has the first 2 years, she will have doubled the offers by her senior year. And now for McMahon, whom I remind you was just a freshman this season. Before McMahon stepped onto the Elks home court, she already had landed offers from Xavier and Northern Kentucky, as an 8th grader, is just mind blowing. And throughout this past season she accumulated offers from quite a few big time colleges including Tennessee, Ohio State, Louisville, Miami, Fl., Kansas, and Indiana. If McMahon can draw those schools her freshman year. Elks fans better be on the lookout cause I can almost guarantee you that you’ll UConn’s Geno Auriemma and Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw in the stands within the next 3 years.
Now for the Firebirds, which is not slouching in the talent that they will have on their court next season either. First off for the Firebirds will feature the #1 ranked player in the Class of 2020. Madelyn Westbeld is ranked #30 in the Nation by ESPN, and #6 in her position by ESPN. Westbeld holds many offers from a slew of numerous top colleges, but is still undecided on where she wants to go to college. But she is coming off probably her best statistical year ever. Averaging almost 16 point a game and 10 rebounds a game. The younger brother to former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Kathryn Westbeld, the incoming senior is certain to have a huge senior year, and might cement herself as a prime candidate for Player of the Year for Ohio.
The next Firebird in the starting 5 is the same stature as Westbeld, Madison Bartley is the 2nd part to the Firebirds menacing “Twin Towers” in the paint. Bartley is already committed to play college ball at Belmont University. Her numbers are just a similar to Westbelds stats, 14 ppg and 8 rpg. The senior also is another compatabled candidate to make a run for player of the year. The Firebirds next 2 starters are sparks of energy and glimmers of speed that the Firebirds use quite well. Makira Webster is a player that isn’t afraid to drive into the lane and take the contact from the bigger defender down low. And the other senior is Kierra Thornton. Thornton is an excellent ball handler and a great facilitator on the court. An excellent option to bring the ball up the court, Thornton is gonna have a huge year for the Firebirds.
So after this article, I think a lot of you might agree. We need to get ESPN on the phone and have them in Kettering and in Centerville when these 2 squads take each other on.