E. Canton ends McDonald's run

The Wizards' defense was too tough in the 65-36 loss.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MASSILLON -- In romping to 24 wins in 25 games, it's safe to say the McDonald High girls basketball team didn't see anything quite like East Canton's gunners.
The Blue Devils stayed close for the first four minutes of Saturday's Division IV regional final at Perry High School.
Then the Wizards began firing shots from everywhere, outscoring the Blue Devils 14-4 in the last part of the opening frame to jump ahead, 18-8.
The situation then deteriorated for McDonald (24-2), which saw the Wizards roll to a 65-36 victory to earn a trip to the state semifinals.
"Their matchup zone is one of the best I've seen," McDonald coach Rob Hilbun said of East Canton (23-2). "They really made our scorers work for our shots.
"And once we got an open look, we tried to do too much with it," Hilbun said. "We just couldn't hit, but that was because of their defense. We played hard and did the best we could."
Opening highlights
Baskets by sophomore Amy Dolsak and senior Ashshena Stephens sparked the Blue Devils to a 4-0 lead. But East Canton's Vanessa Gantz and Caitlyn Sharp countered those for the early tie.
"We had that 4-zip lead because we hit some [good] shots, but they really just clamped us down," Hilbun said. "They extended that matchup zone out and really pressured us.
"And once they started hitting threes, we tried to come back but their defense was too great and we would only get one shot," Hilbun said. "If we're not hitting [well,] then we're in trouble."
Fouls were also a problem for the Blue Devils as the 5-foot-11 Dolsak took her third personal foul with 5:06 remaining in the second quarter.
Eighty seconds into the third quarter, Dolsak had her fourth and she fouled out with 5:11 remaining.
McDonald also lost senior guard Tomisa Sangregorio moments after Dolsak left.
Minus Dolsak, the Blue Devils had little chance in the battle of the boards.
"They rebound really well," Hilbun said. "We knew that we had to rebound well to compete with them and they just got too many looks. And then they started hitting threes and it kind of snowballed from there."
East Canton coach Tom Davis said the Wizards' strategy was to double-team McDonald's ace point guard Ashleigh Tondo.
"We knew that once we got the ball out of her hand, it was going to be hard to get it back," Davis said.
"And when it did come back, it wasn't in the spot she was normally accustomed to getting the ball," Davis said. "She's a prime player, she showed she could shoot at the end of the game. She's a great passer."
Tondo finished with 15 points, including all 13 the Blue Devils scored in the fourth quarter. Dolsak had nine, Stephens eight and Amy Dolsak four.
Strong offense
The Wizards sank six of their 19 3-point attempts, with Katie Momirovic making three and Sharp two. Sharp led East Canton's balanced attack with 16 points, followed by Katy Arick's 13, Gantz's 10 and Momirovic's nine.
"We tried to pressure them to create turnovers [but] they are good ball handlers," Hilbun said. "Their inside people are great shooters.
"Overall, they are a great team. They have it all," Hilbun said. "I was very impressed with our start, but East Canton is a great team and they are going to do well at the state tournament."
Despite the loss, Hilbun was pleased with what this year's team means to the school's program.
"It's been a great experience for our team and our program," Hilbun said of the 19-1 regular season and Inter-County League title. "It really created excitement in the community and at the schools, and it's really nice to be here."
williams@vindy.com