Eastern District – Division III East 2 Sectional Preview

The Eastern District Division III East 2 bracket mirrors East 1 in that there is a clear-cut favorite(s). In East 1, Hiland is the show pony and should advance to the regional semifinal. Waiting for the Hawks will likely be one of two teams, No. 2 seed Fort Frye and No. 3 seed Union Local, both of which are currently are on opposite sides of the East 2 bracket. Fort Frye is a balance of seniors and juniors and is ranked No. 4 in Division III. The Cadet’s (15-1) only loss came in a 40-38 come-from-behind win by Division II’s No. 4 Vinton County. Fort Frye owns wins against Bernie Union (No. 2 in Division IV) along with Union Local (56-44). Recently Cadets’ junior sharpshooter [player_tooltip player_id="159360" first="Hannah" last="Archer"] went over 204 career 3-pointers to become the school’s all-time leader. Archer is also due to eclipse the 1,000-point mark within the week. She’s joined by seniors Lexie Huck (5-7), Liv Schneider(5-6), and Ohio Wesleyan signee Karlee Ross (5-7). The floor general is a dynamic junior point-guard in Kenzi Dalton (5-4). Her quickness and handles allow her to turn any play rapidly into a one-woman fast break. The Cadets reached the state’s final four last season in Division IV and #unfinishedbusiness has been their mantra all season. Many are calling for and looking forward to a regional showdown between Hiland and Fort Frye. But if there’s one team that can throw a wrench into the dream regional match-up, it’s the Jets. Fort Frye may own an early-season victory against UL at Beverly earlier this season, but UL has proven it can be a dangerous team. The Jets are led by 6-1 sophomore post [player_tooltip player_id="157703" first="Reagan" last="Vinskovich"], a scoring and rebounding machine that poses match-up problems for most teams, especially ones like Fort Frye that doesn’t have a player whose listed height begins with a “6”.  She is joined by fellow sophomore, 6-0 wing [player_tooltip player_id="157710" first="Torre" last="Kildow"], both listed in the top 40 of Ohio’s 2023s. The lone senior on the team, Casey Kildow, runs the offense at point while juniors Hannah Merritt and Keira Gregor round out an experienced starting five. Vinskovich averages 22.9 and 12.1 per game while the younger Kildow hits for 17.9 a night. Casey Kildow (10.9) and Merritt (11.3) also average double figures. Fittingly, the Jets like to play fast and apply a lot of pressure. Of the top three seeds, they lack the most depth, however, which could play a factor as they get deeper into the tournament. Fort Frye’s first two off the bench are capable of starting for most teams and sophomore Riley Medley (5-8) is rounding into a skilled and dependable guard. <h5>Section Semifinals (All Games start at 7 p.m.)</h5> No. 16 Ridgewood at No. 2 Fort Frye, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. No. 10 Buckeye Trail at No. 2 Fort Frye/No. 16 Ridgewood winner, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. No. 12 Barnesville at No. 7 West Muskingum, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. No. 14 Edison at No. 4 Tuscarawas Valley, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. No. 13 Bellaire at No. 3 Union Local. Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. &nbsp; Seeding <table> <tbody> <tr> <td width="312">1. Hiland</td> <td width="312">10. Garaway</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">2. Fort Frye</td> <td width="312">11. Cambridge</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">3. Union Local</td> <td width="312">12. Barnesville</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">4. Tuscarawas Valley</td> <td width="312">13. Bellaire</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">5. Harrison Central</td> <td width="312">14. Edison</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">6. Martins Ferry</td> <td width="312">15. Buckeye Trail</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">7. West Muskingum</td> <td width="312">16. Ridgewood</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">8. Sandy Valley</td> <td width="312">17. Buckeye Local</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="312">9. Morgan</td> <td width="312">18. Coshocton</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> &nbsp; <h5>Intriguing First-Round Matchup</h5> There are more clear-cut favorites on this side of the bracket, but if there’s any game that has some play in potential outcomes it’s the No. 12 v. No. 7 matchup between Barnesville and West Muskingum. It all depends on which Shamrocks team shows up. Barnesville has experienced a few rough patches this season, but has won three-straight games. The key is the increased offensive output out of senior guard Rylee Stephens (5-8). The team’s best perimeter threat, Stephens’ ability to be a major factor offensively opens up the interior game with 6-footers Halle Markovich and Anna Yater. If their recent string of solid play is a trend and not an aberration, the Shamrocks could give West M a game. The key defensively will be getting a handle on juniors Ava Van Reeth and Brooke Pauley. The Tornadoes’ starting lineup lacks any seniors, but the group is seasoned and can either push the tempo or play in the half court. Predicted First Round Winners Fort Frye (2), West Muskingum, Tuscarawas Valley, Union Local <h5>Other Players of Note</h5> Tuscarawas Valley: The Trojans are having another solid season and are second in the IVL South standings behind Hiland. Seniors Arora Levengood (5-8) and [player_tooltip player_id="212626" first="Ali" last="Shane"] (5-8) lead the charge. Levengood averages 16.6 per game and is a 46-percent shooter (41 of 89) from behind the arc. She canned nine in a win against Indian Valley. Shane, meanwhile, is the team’s leading rebounder and chips in 13.9 points per game. Edison:  Junior guards Alysea Fiedorczyk (5-5) and Savanna Ankrom (5-7) give the Wildcats a nice combo of options between Fiedorczyk’s ability to attack off the dribble and Ankrom’s perimeter shooting. Sophomore post Olivia Huff (6-0) is developing into a solid post presence but is more looked for her rebounding and defense for now in the ’Cats guard-centric offense. Buckeye Trail: Guard Brooke Baird (5-7) is the lone senior on the Warriors team and provides the main offensive punch, both from the perimeter and off dribble penetration. She’s also a solid on-ball defender with quick hands to force turnovers. Junior point guard Abby Wayble (5-5) has come a long way this season and has turned into a viable No. 2 option and is a relentless defender and rebounder. &nbsp;