South Range is unable to stop Rootstown, Mims in district final, 42-30

Monica Mims had 24 rebounds and 11 points to lead Rootstown’s win.

By JIM FLICK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

MINERAL RIDGE — Rootstown High burst out to an early lead over top-seeded South Range and went on to post a 42-30 victory in the Division III girls district basketball championship game Saturday.

The second-seeded Rovers (16-6) were led by the dominant inside play of senior Monica Mims, who hauled down a school record-tying 24 rebounds and scored 11 points.

Rootstown advanced to play Brookfield-Maplewood Wednesday in the regional at Cuyahoga Falls.

“We felt if we could get up in the first quarter, [South Range] would have a hard time getting back in the game,” said Rootstown coach Tom Deighan.

The Rovers controlled the opening tip, but missed their first two shots. However, Mims converted an offensive rebound to score the first points of the game.

After a turnover, Rootstown’s Paige Berger launched a 3-point shot to give the Rovers a 5-0 lead.

The pattern was set. Rootstown players shot the ball frequently in the first quarter, and Mims grabbed rebound after rebound. At the same time, Rootstown’s strong defense clamped down on South Range’s offense.

The first quarter ended with Rootstown leading South Range (20-4) 13-6. While five different players put points on the board for the Rovers in the first quarter, all six of the Raiders’ points came on three field goals by Autumn Carter, the school’s all-time leading scorer.

Rootstown launched 15 shots in the first quarter, compared to only eight for South Range.

Raiders coach Matt Reel admitted Mims dominated inside play all during the game.

“She’s the most physical post player we’ve seen all year,” he said. “She’s an exceptional player.”

The pattern continued in the second quarter, when Rootstown posted 13 more points to nine points for South Range to take 26-15 halftime lead. But while three of her teammates joined Carter in the scoring column for South Range in the second quarter, Rootstown’s defense blanked Carter.

Deighan said his players focused on shutting down Carter after the first quarter. She scored only more four points in the game and not until the second half when the game was out of reach.

The pace of the game slowed down in the third quarter, with each team scoring only six points. But while the scoring pace slowed, Mims’ efforts under the boards continued, as she grabbed rebounds and blocked shots.

Rootstown’s lead grew to 30-17 late in the third quarter. With the big lead, the Rovers slowed down the game, running minutes off the clock with a spread offense that frustrated the Raiders.

South Range tried to pick up the pace in the fourth quarter, but the Raiders’ shots often failed to fall. The Rovers outscored the Raiders 10-9 in the final period.

Ashley Christiani also scored 11 points for Rootstown. Carter led South Range with 10, while Alicia Withers had six and Caitlin Carter and McKenzie Pfeiffer each five points. Gabby Naples came off the bench to grab six rebounds.

Rootstown finished with a 37-27 edge in rebounds.

“Rootstown definitely was the better team today,” said Reel. “We just didn’t make the shots we needed to make.”