Arlington 'tested' but hangs on against Bulldogs

ELIDA – The margin of victory was earned in the first six minutes of the game.The actual victory itself was earned with 32 minutes of gut-check, lock-down defense.Arlington used 3-pointers by Jase Vermillion and Drew Metzger to open a 10-2 lead over Edgerton six minutes into Tuesday's Division VII regional semifinal at the Elida Fieldhouse. The Red Devils 2-3 zone defense then held Edgerton to one of its lowest offensive outputs of the season in beating the Bulldogs 38-33 and moving one step away from the Division VII state semifinals.Arlington, 23-3 and riding a 12-game winning streak, will take that next step on Saturday when the Red Devils face Delphos St. John's at 3 p.m. in the Division VII regional at Bowling Green State University. St. John's (23-2) beat Fort Jennings 69-41 in Tuesday's first semifinal at Elida.Arlington built as much as a 20-7 first-half lead and never trailed in the game.Edgerton never threw in the towel, though, trimming that huge deficit to a single point – 22-21 – in the third quarter when Cory Herman's two baskets fueled a 9-3 run by the Bulldogs.Arlington went back up by seven in the fourth quarter – 36-39 – on a 3-pointer by Vermillion, Calvin Willow's basket off an assist from Brady Griggs, and Ayden Cavinee's free throw with 3:13 left in the game. Maddox Baker's two free throws and a bank shot by Kellen Sanchez after an offensive rebound again made it one possession game at 36-33.Edgerton would miss two NBA 3-pointers, though, and Willow, Arlington's 6-10 junior center, came down with a huge rebound with 15.5 seconds on the clock. He was fouled, and converted two free throws for the final margin."We got tested tonight. We got challenged really well," said Arlington coach Jason Vermillion."We weren't always clean with our play, but we're satisfied. We held them to 33 points. When (Edgerton) started making little runs, our guys persevered and held them."Vermillion led Arlington with 17 points. Griggs had eight points and Willow six.Herman finished with a game-high 19 points for Edgerton (17-9).ARLINGTON (23-3)Vermillion 7-12 1-2 17, Metzger 1-4 1-2 4, Griggs 4-6 0-0 8, Cavinee 1-4 1-2 3, Willow 2-4 2-3 6, Heacock 0-4 0-0 0. TOTALS: 15-37 5=9—38.EDGERTON (17-9)Krontz 0-3 0-0 0, Baker 1-4 2-2 5, Herman 8-16 0-0 19, Walkup 1-5 1-2 4, Sanchez 2-3 0-1 5, Weaver 0-0 0-0 0. TOALS: 12-31 4-5—33.Arlington 10 10 9 9—38Edgerton 5 8 9 11—333-POINT GOALS: Arlington 3-16 (Vermillion 2-7, Metzger 1-4, Griggs 0-1, Cavinee 0-3, Heacock 0-1); Edgerton 5-19 (Krontz 0-2, Baker 1-4, Herman 3-10, Walkup 0-1, Sanchez 1-2).REBOUNDS: Arlington 20 (Metzger 4, Griggs 4, Cavinee 4); Edgerton 23 (Krontz 6, Walkup 6, Sanchez 6).TURNOVERS: Arlington 3; Edgerton 11.