Classic In The Country Challenge: Day 1 Results Overview

Mazie Gracemeyer shoots over Perryn Mishler. She finished the game with 9 points. (Chuck Cordes/Ohsfbmedia.com)

BERLIN, Ohio - The opening day of the yearly Classic in the Country Challenge during the holiday weekend for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was packed with excitement, and it was also given the green light to implement the 35-second clock.  

Springboro vs. Akron Hoban Knights

In our first game of coverage, it would put the always tough Akron Hoban Lady Knights against Springboro, and the Panthers would prevail 41-28.

Hoban would also play without one of their key players, Neira Stevens, who will be listed as 'out' due to an injury.

Springboro gained the upper hand over Hoban after the first quarter ended in a tie at 10-10, and they maintained their lead for the rest of the game, while the Lady Knights continued to struggle from the field. 

Sprinboro's Baylee Cumbow drives past Zoey Hodge to the basket en route to getting fouled during the first quarter. (Chuck Cordes/Ohsfbmedia.com)

"I think every point they had in the first quarter was at the rim," said Coach Holweger as he reinforced the lack of outside shooting for Hoban. "We wanted to match their speed."

McKenzie Jones of Springsboro brought the energy after a sluggish start to the game, even though the team played well together overall. She would lead all scorers with 12 points for the game, scoring every quarter."I felt like our energy and toughness was always there," said Jones.

With Amaiya Davis and MaKenzie Grant in foul trouble, both would have a combined 17 points of the 28 total points scored for the game. 

Hoban would fall to 11-3 and head for a matchup with Toledo Start, while the Panthers will improve to 12-3 and will face an undefeated Kettering Fairmont. "I think they're the best team in the state," said Holweger about playing Fairmont. 

There were four shot clock violations in this game. 

Bellevue vs. Berlin Hiland

In the final game of the evening, Bellevue narrowly defeated Berlin in the last quarter, holding on to a 46-39 victory. 

Bellevue would find itself in a bind early as they would go down 15-6 at the end of the first quarter, only scoring goals from Ellie Freitag and Carrington Savage. 

Macy Mullet, attacking the basket as she splits Ellie Freitag and Carrington Savage. (Photo: Chuck Cordes/Ohsfbmedia.com)

The Lady Red defense would hold the point guard, Macy Mullet, to one point in the first half of play and just three in the third quarter. 

In the second quarter, Freitag really got into the game, hitting two 3-pointers and scoring 8 out of her 13 points for the whole game."We had to make sure we were executing offensively," said Freitag.

The Lady Red struggled to handle Berlin's Reagan Zerger and Perryn Mishler, who both controlled the paint and the field, helping to keep Berlin in a close game. As they both would combine for 27 points for the game. 

This game had a lot of lead changes and ties, with both teams tied at 35-35 as they entered the fourth quarter. 

Bellevue took the lead at 41-37 with only 3:38 left in the game. 

They started to apply a full-court press on Hiland, which led to turnovers due to the game's fast tempo.

As the shot clock reared its ugly head with 1:44 left in the game, would cause a turnover and put the game away for Bellevue.

Bellevue will improve to 13-0 and face a two-win Sandusky team. Berlin will be the night game of the third night of the Classic in the Country as they play Norwayne. 

There were two shot clock violations in this game.

In other games during the first day:

Wadsworth 63 Carrollton 26

Toledo Start  51 Medina  42

Dublin Coffman  51 Notre Dame Academy 26

Magnificat  30  West Branch  21

Bellbrook  48  Procterville Fairland  31

Mount Notre Dame  66  Berea-Midpark  50