GIRLS DIVISION I Wollet aids Canfield's 29-23 win

Behind Emily Wollet, the Cardinals surged past Howland into the district.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- There's probably only one positive thing that the Canfield High girls basketball team can take away from Saturday's game against Howland: It won.
"We played the worst we could play and we still won," said Cardinal senior Emily Wollet. "It can't get any worse."
Then she paused for a second and smiled.
"Maybe I shouldn't say that," she said.
Why not? Offensively, at least, the Cardinals will be hard-pressed to play worse than they did in a 29-23 win over the Tigers.
They shot 10-for-31 from the field (33 percent). They shot 6-for-17 at the line (35 percent). They were out-rebounded, 30-18.
"We had a short talk at pre-game, a short talk at halftime and a short talk after the game," said Canfield coach Pat Pavlansky. "I just said, 'Hey, we're moving on.' "
Wollet delivers
And Wollet was a big reason.
She scored a game-high 12 points -- including six in the fourth quarter -- and added three rebounds and three steals to lead Canfield in the Division I sectional final at Alliance High School.
The Cardinals advanced to play North Canton Hoover in a district semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Alliance. Hoover beat Massillon Perry, 58-31, in Saturday's second game.
"Boy, I really hope teams scouted us really hard during this game," said Pavlansky. "We want them to think that we play like that."
Canfield beat Howland by more than 20 points in two previous games this season, but the Cardinals had a two-week layoff before their first tournament game.
"I think the two weeks hurt us," said Wollet.
Lagged at halftime
Canfield scored just two first quarter points and trailed 12-11 at halftime. But with the score tied at 23-all with four minutes remaining, Wollet scored two straight baskets to take control.
Canfield held the Tigers to 0-for-8 shooting down the stretch.
"The first thing I told our girls was that I didn't know whether to be upset with you or happy with you," said Howland coach John Diehl, whose team has no senior starters. "I think we got kinda tired at the end.
"This is the first time these girls have played in a real pressure situation."
Stephanie Zunic added eight points for Canfield (14-7).
Carolyn Hanshaw had nine points and six rebounds for Howland (11-11). Ana Cvengros added eight points and 11 rebounds.