Columbiana rallies for two-point win

The Clippers overcame a
14-point deficit.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

STRUTHERS — No lead is safe where there is the will to win.

Those words best describe the moral of the basketball story between Columbiana and Lake Center Christian of Hartville, in their Division IV district semifinal game Wednesday night at Struthers Fieldhouse.

Lake Center Christian reeled off a 28-9 run, including a 17-1 spurt, spanning the second and third quarters to build a commanding 14-point lead, 46-32.

But Columbiana, determined to bounce back, rallied with a 30-14 run to win the game, 62-60, on Joe Blinsky’s two foul shots with about nine seconds left.

However, the game was in doubt until the final buzzer when Cody Miller missed a 15-foot goal attempt to seal the Tigers’ losing fate after a fine showing.

Columbiana (21-1) advances to the district final Friday at 7 p.m. against McDonald (18-4) at Struthers Fieldhouse.

“Josh Harold led the will of the team,” said coach Eric Whitmer of Columbiana, noting that Harold emerged as a leader in the clutch even though he is a substitute.

Harold’s goal and foul shot lifted the Clippers into a 58-58 tie with 2:15 left. And he scored nine of his 12 points in the final period, and also added seven rebounds.

“I am pleased for Josh because he doesn’t play a lot,” Whitmer said. “But he doesn’t flinch as the eighth or ninth man on the team. He’s not afraid to take the big shots and he made them.”

Josh Weikart led Columbiana with 19 points, including two foul shots with about a minute left to pull the Clippers into a 60-60 tie.

Weikart finished with 19 points, including three 3-point goals and three blocks, to lead Columbiana, while Andrew Tirpak added 11 points and four steals. Blinsky contributed seven points and seven assists, Ryan Williams adding eight points and four steals.

“Our offensive rebounding picked up an we got some good put-backs,” said Whitmer of his team’s comeback.

Lake Center Christian was led by Shane Byler’s 20 points and four assists, and Cody Miller’s 17 points and four steals,

Coach Brad Beun of Lake Center Christian said his Tigers were able to take the 14-point lead because, “We played great half-court defense. Our transition defense was there. We got turnovers and scored.”

But after that, “We had defensive lapses and we allowed them to set their offense,” Beun said. “They got some rebounds and made some points from underneath. They started to close the gap.”

Shane Byler scored seven points in the final period, including two foul shots at about 2:25 to give the Tigers a 58-55 lead, and later a goal to push them ahead, 60-58.

Beun credited his team’s strong, two-way play to seniors Cody Miller and Brad Miller — “Cody on offense and Brad on defense.”

Ned Ring added nine points and seven rebounds to pace the Tigers.

kovach@vindy.com