By Ray Sarvis
FPS Correspondent
A magical run that took the Carrollton girls basketball team to unprecedented heights made its last stop on Feb. 28 as the Lady Warriors fell in the OHSAA Division IV Region 15 final to Lancaster Fairfield Union, 56-35, at Zanesville High School.
Led by Christian Thompson’s 34 points and 14 rebounds, the Falcons remained undefeated at 27-0 while capturing the school’s second regional title. However, Fairfield Union’s final margin of victory does not reflect the competitiveness of the first half, when the outcome of the game was much more in doubt.
Fairfield Union’s pressure defense forced Carrollton into seven first-quarter turnovers, but the Lady Warriors (20-7) managed to stay within striking distance. Baskets from Kylie Ujcich and Haley Leslie helped Carrollton close the opening period down just 11-9.
As the second quarter got underway, Carrollton went on a 6-2 run to take a 15-13 lead. However, Fairfield Union responded with a quick 5-0 burst to reclaim an 18-15 advantage, eventually heading into halftime up 24-21.
First-year Carrollton coach Mikayla Poole was impressed by her team’s determination and grit, especially considering the Lady Warriors were without Brae Roudebush, who suffered a torn ACL in the regional semifinal win over Delaware Buckeye Valley.
“They came to play today,” Poole said. “They executed our game plan that entire first half. We were down by three and just continued to execute it. Each of them showed what they are able to do and what they are going to continue to grow to do, so it’s awesome.”
While Carrollton was within one possession at halftime, the game took a decisive turn in the third quarter. The Falcons opened the period on a 7-2 run, pushing their lead to 31-23. That was just the beginning, as Fairfield Union outscored Carrollton 17-6 in the quarter to take a commanding 41-27 lead into the fourth. The Falcons extended their advantage further, outscoring Carrollton 15-8 in the final frame to punch their ticket to the state semifinals.
Despite the loss, Poole, a member of Carrollton’s 2016 team that won the school’s first-ever district championship, praised her team’s historic season.
“I get to be a part of something that was awesome, but those girls were great the entire year,” she said. “They came to play every single day, and they never gave up. And that was something that we said from the very beginning in the summer: ‘Man, they play hard. You don’t have to ask them to do it.’ So, to see that for the entire season, we’re just so proud of it.”
That never-give-up attitude was on full display three days earlier, on Feb. 25, when Carrollton erased a 13-point deficit—while playing without three starters—to defeat Buckeye Valley, 41-39, in a thrilling Division IV Region 15 semifinal.
Ujcich, Roudebush, and Leslie, all key leaders, were unavailable late in the game as the Lady Warriors, who trailed 11-1 early, clawed back and took their first lead in the fourth quarter.
Ujcich, the team’s junior point guard and leading scorer, fouled out with 6:33 remaining in the fourth. Roudebush, who had gone down earlier clutching her left knee, left the game for good at the six-minute mark. Leslie then fouled out with 3:31 left.
With a patchwork lineup on the floor in crunch time, Ivy Bishop got a deflection and scrambled for the loose ball, converting an uncontested layup to give Carrollton its first lead at 38-37 with 2:01 remaining.
Tegan McMillen answered with a basket to put Buckeye Valley back in front, 39-38, but those would be the Barons’ final points of the game.
On Carrollton’s next possession, Emma Shafer crossed half court and drove past two defenders for a layup, giving the Lady Warriors a 40-39 lead with 1:36 left.
After a tense minute in which both teams had scoring chances, Carrollton gained possession following a Buckeye Valley turnover with 16 seconds left. The Barons (24-3) allowed nearly 10 seconds to run off before fouling Shafer, who hit the second of two free throws for a 41-39 lead with 7.2 seconds to go.
Buckeye Valley had one final chance, but a desperation heave bounced off the backboard, sending Carrollton to its first-ever regional final.
Despite falling one game short of the final four in Columbus, Poole is optimistic about the future, knowing her entire team—without any seniors—will return next season.
“I told the girls once we got to the locker room, it’s something special that you don’t have to mourn the loss of your seniors leaving you, that all you guys get to come back,” she said. “It’s a special group. You know, you get the exact same team two years in a row when they have a close bond. It’s pretty cool.”