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Arcanum’s
Abbey O’Donnell drives on an Ansonia player in the
consolation game of the
Burkett Tournament. The Lady Trojans won the
game 46-38. CNO Photo by George Starks.
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Lady Trojans knock
off Ansonia
By George Starks
Sports Editor
NEW MADISON- While Tri-Village may have won the Annual Bill Burkett
Girls Basketball Tournament, Arcanum coach Rachael Fearon and her team,
may have been the happiest.
It may very well be a night the 2011-12 edition of the Lady Trojans
will never forget. The 46-38 victory Arcanum scored over Ansonia gave
the Trojans third place in the tournament. More than that, it gave
Fearon her first ever victory as a high school varsity coach.
“These kids are really excited and this is what we needed to fuel our
fire a little bit,” Fearon said. “I’m very happy for them.”
While the Trojans posted the eight point victory, it was scary for a
while. After building as much as a 13 point lead in the third quarter,
the Tigers started to chip away. With 4:06 remaining, Ansonia was
trailing by just two points, 36-34.
“We were forced to hold on,” said Fearon. “We got in some foul trouble
and we had to mix things up a little bit. At one point I had to throw
in a 1-3-1 which we haven’t really practiced this season and the girls
were able to execute it as well as they could just from going into a
time-out and telling them what to do.”
Not knowing much about the zone press, Arcanum made it work. By games
end, the Trojans had forced 23 Tiger turnovers total.
“I can’t be happier with the way we used the press,” Fearon stated. “We
held them to just two points in the second quarter. I can’t ask for
anymore than that. I keep telling the girls defensively that we have to
be up on it, and that’s what I would like to see on defense every
quarter.”
It was not only the first win for Fearon as a coach but the first win
as a team for the Trojans,
“This was a team effort,” commented Fearon. “The girls on the floor got
the job done and the support system on the bench was just as important
in getting the win.”
Abbey O’Donnell led the Trojans with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
“She really stepped it up for us. She needed to get a game like this
under her belt and give her some confidence,” Fearon said of her post
player. “I think the confidence level of this team sky rocketed tonight
with this win. Now, they know they can come out and beat a team. They
know they can do it.”
Arcanum (1-1) will host National Thursday night while Ansonia will be
at home with Newton looking for its first victory of the season.
Around the county, Greenville will travel to Xenia on Tuesday for the
Lady Wave season opener. Thursday, Versailles will to go to New
Knoxville, Miami East is at Bradford and Mississinawa Valley will play
at Bethel.
Friday night will mark the start of the boys hoops season as Franklin
Monroe will visit Tri-Village, Bradford will travel to Ansonia,
Greenville will host Versailles and Mississinawa Valley will to go to
Newton to battle the Indians.
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