SPORTS

YSHS guard Brent Robinson, working against a Miami Valley defender during the Bulldogs’ win Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the University of Dayton arena.

Boys advance to second round of sectionals—
Bulldogs beat Miami Valley
After the YSHS Bulldogs jumped out to a 21–3 first quarter lead Tuesday, no one in the stands was asking whether or not the ’Dogs would pull out the win. Fans just wondered by how many points the Bulldogs would win.
In the end, the YSHS boys basketball team won 83–30, beating Metro Buckeye Conference foe Miami Valley for the third time this year and advancing to the second round of the Division IV sectionals at the University of Dayton.
As they have done all season, the ’Dogs jumped out to an insurmountable first-quarter lead with a tenacious full-court press and transition offensive attack. Miami Valley could not find an answer to the Bulldogs defense, either turning the ball over or taking low-percentage shots on nearly every offensive possession.
As well as the YSHS defense played, the Bulldogs offensive game may have been more impressive. In their half-court offense, the Bulldogs worked the ball in and out, getting good low-post play from senior Andrew Richlen and hot outside shooting from junior Jordan Skinner.
As a team, the Bulldogs were 7–13 for the game from three point range.
When asked about the final score — a 53-point drubbing of an opponent YSHS beat by 20 and 21 earlier in the year — coach Brad Newsome said, “We came out with as much intensity as we have all season. It’s almost scary to see how well we can play when everyone is intense for the entire game.”
Every Bulldog played and played well. Four players scored in double figures, and every player found his way into the stat-book one way or another. Skinner lead all scorers with 16 points. Senior Brent Robinson had 13, Richlen 12 and junior Aaron Cobb added 12 off the bench. Skinner also led the team with eight assists and five steals, while junior Dustin Rudegeair led the team with six boards.
Newsome said that he was especially pleased with Skinner’s play. “Jordan had a great game; he’s really come into his own near the end of the regular season, and that will only make us more dangerous from here on out,” Newsome said.
The Bulldogs will play the winner of the Bethel–Xenia Christian game on Monday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m., at the U.D. arena.

YSHS girls advance after outlasting Miami Valley
With a 55–52 victory over Miami Valley last Wednesday, Feb. 12, the Yellow Springs High School girls basketball team advanced to the second round of Division IV Twin Valley South sectional.
The Lady Bulldogs will meet second-seeded Covington tonight (Thursday), at 7 p.m., for the right to play in the sectional semifinals.
The Lady Bulldogs exploded out of the gate against Miami Valley, forcing several early turnovers and converting those turnovers into easy baskets.
At the end of the first quarter, YSHS was up by a dozen, 24–12.
The Lady Bulldogs’ lead climbed to 15 in the second quarter as the YSHS defense continued to thwart Miami Valley’s attempts to establish an offensive rhythm.
Coach Shirley Cummins said that she was proud of the statement her team made in the first half and with the 37–22 lead the Lady ’Dogs took to the locker room at the break.
“We came out red-hot on defense, our girls played great in the first half. We were in control of the game,” she said.
But, as the Lady ’Dogs have done many times this season, they followed a great half with a poor one. Yellow Springs could not force as many turnovers in the third quarter as they had in either of the first two, but they continued to play tough defense and finished the quarter still up by 15, 50–35.
In the fourth quarter, though, YSHS seemed to fall apart, surrendering easy baskets and failing to convert opportunities that came easily during the first three periods.
Yellow Springs held on to win despite being outscored 17–5 in the final frame, but Cummins was not pleased with the way the girls played down the stretch.
“We seemed to get very anxious, and we really started to lose our composure in the final minutes of the game,” she said.
Overall though, Cummins was pleased with the team’s play. “Everybody contributed to this win. I really think the girls are starting to understand their roles,” she said.
Sophomore Evin Wimberly led the Lady Bulldogs with 16, and added seven assists and five steals. Another sophomore, Tricia McLinden, had 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and five steals. Freshman Megan Burrick had 9 points and six assists.
Sara Finn, Mary Keefe, Becky Pasch and Jessica Yelton also scored for YSHS. Miami Valley’s Angela Bethel led all scorers with 30.