'We just have heart'

FINDLAY – There were a number of reasons for the Findlay girls basketball team's 45-35 win over Perrysburg in Thursday's regular season finale. But to the Trojans' Davinee Harris, one factor stood out. "We just have heart," said the sophomore, who led all scorers with 27 points. "Mihaya (Saito), (Mya) Hammer, everyone on the court has heart, and we're willing to do anything, honestly." Against the Yellow Jackets, that meant overcoming a number of swings, where one team would go on a big run, then watch the other one answer. It was Harris who scored eight of the Trojans first 10 points, putting FHS up 10-0 3 ½ minutes into regulation. But Perrysburg answered with seven straight points to close the first quarter, and was down 10-7 after one. Findlay pushed its advantage to 19-11 when Harris nailed a 3 with 2:06 left in the half. Then Perrysburg got hot. The Yellow Jackets scored nine straight, getting a layup from Hayden Siebenaler in the final seconds to lead 20-19 at the break. Perrysburg pushed the lead to 27-19 when Lauren McConnachie drilled a trey from the wing 3 ½ minutes into the second half. Overall, it was 16-0 run for the Yellow Jackets. "We didn't quit; we haven't quit all year," said Trojans coach Brian Rosendale. Rosendale had Findlay go to a 2-2-1 zone, and it paid dividends. Perrysburg was scoreless for 5 ½ minutes, and the Trojans began to cut into their deficit. After two free throws from Harris, FHS' Maggie Crates forced a turnover and scored a layup to make it 27-23. After another Perrysburg turnover, Saito hit an open 3 from the wing, cutting Perrysburg lead to 27-26. On Findlay's next possession, Harris hit another 3 – one of her six – and Findlay was back on top, 29-27 with 3:12 remaining in the third. "Once we got the lead, the girls got confident," Rosendale said. "(We) just made great plays." A basket by McConnachie re-tied the game at 29, but Harris hit another 3, and Findlay went to the fourth up 32-29. They never trailed again. The FHS defense clamped down on the Yellow jackets, limiting them to just 2 of 9 shooting – and six points – in the final quarter. "(We were) just playing hard, communicating," said Saito, a senior. "Keep doing what we've been doing. "It's so special," she said. "This is the last home game for me. It's pretty special." Saito finished with six points and four rebounds, and along with Hammer and Kaylee Mangas, held Perrysburg standout Addy Byrne to just five points. Harris, who had six rebounds Thursday and scored 28 points in Tuesday's win over Lima Bath, deflected the credit for her performance. "My teammates encourage me, coaches encourage me a lot," she said. "I don't know what I would do without this team." "There's nobody else I'd rather have on my team than Dav in the state," Rosendale said. "She doesn't get the recognition she deserves, because we don't score a ton of points. We play defense. She's it. She's Dav." The Trojans improved to 15-7, 4-4 in the NLL Buckeye Division. It's the fifth-straight season in which they've won at least 15 games. They will have to wait for Sunday's draw to see who and where they will play in the postseason. Whatever team it plays, Rosendale said Findlay will be ready. "You lose, you're done," Rosendale said. "We don't want to be done. Harris agreed. "We're already making history right now," Harris said, "so, why not go farther?" PERRYSBURG (9-12, 1-7 NLL BD) Siebenaler 4-0—8; Palmer 2-0—5; Byrne 2-0—4; Gray 1-2—4; McConnachie 3-2—9; LaFaso 1-0—3; Trzcinski 1-0—2. TOTALS: 14-41—4-12—35. FINDLAY (15-7, 4-4 NLL BD) Crates 3-0—7; Saito 1-3—6; Dotson 2-0—5; Harris 8-5—27. TOTALS:14-40—8-13—45. Perrysburg 7 13 9 6 – 35 Findlay 10 9 13 13 – 45 3-POINT GOALS: Perrysburg 3-7 (LaFaso, McConnachie, Palmer); Findlay 9-22 (Harris 6, Saito, Dotson, Crates). REBOUNDS: Perrysburg 28 (Trzcinski 7); Findlay 35 (Harris 6) TURNOVERS: Perrysburg 8; Findlay 12. JV: Findlay, 33-22.