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Web UPdate:
Bulldogs hold off Russia to capture district crown
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| Dustin Rudegeair scoring underneath during the Bulldogs'
win over Russia Wednesday |
The Bulldogs got the raging start they
said they wanted in the Division IV Dayton 1 district championship game
against Russia on Wednesday at Wright State’s Nutter Center.
Yellow Springs drove up a 21-point lead at the half,
and though the Russia Raiders clawed their way back to a tie in the fourth
quarter, the Bulldogs pulled out a tense 54–51 win.
The Bulldogs won their 14th in a row and improved
to 20–3. The win marked the first district championship for YSHS in
12 years.
“We would like to have played better in the
second half, but a win’s a win,” said senior forward Dusty Rudegeair,
who led the Bulldogs with 16 points and 15 rebounds .
The Bulldogs ran up and down the court in the first
half, tipping the Raider charge off balance and building a 33–12 lead
at the half.
But Russia — 16–8 and seeded second
in the Piqua bracket — charged out of the locker room after the break.
With aggressive defense and accurate shooting, the Raiders outscored the
Bulldogs 24–8 in the third quarter.
With the momentum on their side, the Raiders eventually
tied the game at 43 early in the fourth.
Yellow Springs could not get out from under a magnetic
Raider defense and found the score tied twice more before several Bulldog
foul shots put YSHS up 54–48 with 22 seconds to go. The Raiders countered
with their fifth 3-pointer of the game to pull within 3, 54–51.
YSHS forward Jordan Skinner, who had 10 points and
8 rebounds, then was fouled but missed the front-end of a one-and-one.
The Raiders called a timeout with nine seconds remaining
and set up one last play to try to tie the game. The Raiders quickly worked
the ball around the 3-point line and Jordan Grogean got an open shot that
bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
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| Dustin Rudegeair, left, Rory Hotaling, Anthony Matheny
(4), Brandon Frye and Jordan Skinner (23) celebrate with their teammates
after the Bulldogs' 54–51 win over Russia on Wednesday at Wright
State's Nutter Center (By Robert Mihalek) |
The Bulldogs met at half court for a short but jubilant
celebration.
“I really, really feel like they deserve it,
they’ve worked so hard for me all year,” Yellow Springs coach
Brad Newsome said of his team, after the Bulldogs cut down their net.
The Bulldogs advanced to the sweet 16 and will play
in the regional semifinals on Tuesday, March 16, at Miami University in
Oxford. Tip-off is 6:15 p.m. The Dogs will face the winner of Friday’s
Marion Local and Minster game.
The regional finals — with a spot in the
final four — will be held Friday, March 19, 7:30 p.m., at Miami.
—Lauren Heaton
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