Bulldogs unable to sustain good start against Crestview

ELIDA -- Columbus Grove got off to a good start. The Bulldogs controlled most of the first quarter, but struggled to muster much the final three. No. 4 Convoy Crestview dominated the rest of the way, topping Columbus Grove, 53-29, in a Division IV regional final Saturday at Elida Fieldhouse. "They're really, really good," CG coach Brian Schroeder said. "They're very talented and really well-coached. They have so many different weapons (that) it is kind of a pick your poison." The Bulldogs finish the season 21-6. "We were never able to get Lauryn (Auchmuty) going," Schroeder said. "Credit them. They did a hell of a job on her. They have length that gives you all kinds of challenges." Grove kept the Knights (26-2) off the scoreboard the first four minutes of the game as buckets by Kendal Palte and Auchmuty staked the Bulldogs to a 4-0 lead. Even after Crestview tied the game at 4, Auchmuty drilled a pair of triples for a 10-4 advantage. The Knights got within 11-9 after one quarter, but still, Grove led after eight minutes. "They missed some shots early," Schroeder said. "Lauryn was able to knock a couple 3s and that gave us some good energy. We were able to get some stops." Despite the lead, the Bulldogs scored just one point over the final 2:49 of the quarter and that drought continued into the second. Crestview scored the first eight points of the quarter - including 3s from Cali Gregory and Kaci Gregory - to go up 17-11. Despite a drought of 7:26 without a field goal, Grove was still in the game. Allison Thompson hit a foul line jumper and then banked in a 3 for the Bulldogs. Cali Gregory canned a 3-pointer for Crestview, but Auchmuty picked a steal and scored to bring Grove within 20-18 just before the half. Being within two points after an awful stretch like that was something the Bulldogs could deal with. But, Crestview got a huge shot from Ellie Kline - a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the half - to put Grove down 23-18 at halftime. "There wasn't a bigger shot in the first half than Ellie Kline hitting that shot," Crestview coach Mark Gregory said. "I thought us going up five opposed to going up two was huge. That gave us momentum coming in with our ball coming out in the third quarter." That swung the pendulum fully in the Knights' favor when the second half began. Buckets by Cali Gregory and Kaci Gregory in the first 43 seconds forced a Grove timeout. That did little to slow Crestview as Myia Etzler scored and Cali Gregory buried a 3 to force another timeout with the Bulldogs down 32-18. "Kline hit that big 3 at the end of the second quarter and the third quarter was kind of just a buzzsaw for us," Schroeder said. "Once you get yourself in a hole against a really, really talented team, it's hard to get yourself out of it." The lead ballooned to 36-18 after consecutive tallies by Kaci Gregory and later to 41-21. Grove showed some life though, using a 6-0 run over the final 2:34 to get within 41-27. Despite snatching some momentum, the Bulldogs couldn't carry it into the fourth quarter. Grove scored just two points - a bucket by Abby Stechschulte with 5:51 to play - making just the one of six shots it took in the final eight minutes. "They stacked their 2-3 zone similar to what we did against (Gibsonburg's Elly) Evarts on Wednesday night," Schroeder said. "We tried to ballscreen to free her up, but Kline and Gregory did a really nice job. "We couldn't free her up." Cali Gregory scored 17 points to lead Crestview. Kaci Gregory added 12 points while Kline had eight points. The Knights outrebounded Grove, 21-13. Crestview topped Grove earlier this season, 52-39, in Convoy. "They do such a good job of moving the ball," Schroeder said. "They have three really elite shooters and Cali is above and beyond. They attack the high post with Etzler down low. They have shooters on the outside." Auchmuty finished with 12 points, eight of those coming in the first quarter. She added five steals. "Auchmuty is such a great player," coach Gregory said. "We knew we couldn't let her score 30 today. We just couldn't. I think we did a great job of always talking and always knowing where she was at." Grove will graduate three seniors -- Stechschulte, Jade Siefker, and Bella Wilson. The three helped lead the Bulldogs to heights rarely seen. "These three seniors weren't the most talented bunch in the world, but what they lack maybe in natural God-given talent they made up in heart and leadership," Schroeder said. "To be the first senior class to ever win four district titles I think is really special. "I feel fortunate to be able to coach them the last four years." CONVOY CRESTVIEW (20-2) M. Gregory 5-0--12; Kline 3-0--8; C. Gregory 7-0--17; Etzler 2-2--6; Kulwicki 2-0-4; Crider 2-0--4; Best 1-0--2. TOTALS: 22-35--2-2--53. COLUMBUS GROVE (21-6) Auchmuty 5-0--12; Myers 2-0--5;Palte 1-0--2; Stechschulte 1-0--2; Nesby 1-1--3; Thompson 2-0--5. TOTALS:12-35--1-2--29. Crestview&emsp;9&emsp;14&emsp;18&emsp;12 -- 53 Columbus Grove&emsp;11&emsp;7&emsp;9&emsp;2 --29 3-POINT GOALS: Crestview 7-13 (C. Gregory 3, K. Gregory 2, Cline 2); Columbus Grove 4-12 (Auchmuty 2, Myers, Thompson). REBOUNDS: Crestview 21 (Etzler 8); Columbus Grove 13. TUROVERS: Crestview 13; Columbus Grove 11.