St. Edward huge first quarter run, paralyzed Warren Harding. The Eagles (18-7) led 13-3 after one and cruised to a 66-44 victory at CSU’s Wolstein Center.

By BRYANT K. KIZER

Contributing Reporter

Sometimes being a repeat offender can be a good thing.

Twinsburg and Hathaway Brown defended their state titles yesterday in Columbus.

The Tigers of Twinsburg retained their Division I state title by beating Kettering Fairmont 54-45. Twinsburg defeated them last year to pick up their first state title crown.

The Tigers, who have not lost to an Ohio team in two years, jumped out to a 15-3 first quarter lead and won 57-51. Fairmont (24-4) scored the first two points of the game. Then the Tigers (25-3) defense shut them down for the rest of the quarter.

However, the Tigers could not put it into cruise control, because the Firebirds tried to chip away for the rest of the game.

The Tigers, who have been anchored most of the season behind seniors Ashley Morrissette and Malina Howard, held their ground. Morrissette led with 22 points. She also had eight rebounds. Howard, a Maryland recruit, had 14 points and nine rebounds.

For Hathaway Brown they won their fourth consecutive Division II title. They beat West Holmes 53-41. The Blazers were led by junior Vanessa Smith with 19 points and nine rebounds. She was the only Blazer in double-figures in the scoring column.

Nia Marshall’s jumper at the two minute mark in the second quarter gave the Blazers their first lead at 21-19. They never trailed again. The Blazers ended the half on a 13-0 run and led 28-19.

Smith’s jumper gave the Blazers (22-5) a 30-19 lead with seven minutes to go in the third. West Holmes (24-4) went on a run themselves. The Knights 10-2 run closed the gap at 33-24 with two minutes to go in the third. However, the Blazers closed out the quarter with an 8-0 run, and led 41-29.

The Blazers kept their double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter.

Columbus Africentric defeated Anna 70-68 in overtime for its third state title in the last five years and first in Division III. The Nubians won Division IV championships 2007 and 2009.

Africentric unranked in the final state poll, finished 24-4.  Anna No 1 in the state all season had riding a 50 game winning streak, which was 10th on the all-time state list, complete the year 27-1.

In the boys, St. Peter Chanel, St. Edward going to state

St. Peter Chanel beat Berkshire 44-33 to advance to the D-III final four in Columbus. The Firebirds (22-3) started the Canton Regional by beating Springfield (21-2) 55-37 last Wednesday. The Firebirds, from Bedford, will take on Cincinnati Summit Country Day this Thursday.

St. Edward huge first quarter run, paralyzed Warren Harding. The Eagles (18-7) led 13-3 after one and cruised to a 66-44 victory at CSU’s Wolstein Center. The Eagles will take on Toledo Whitmer (22-2), this Friday, in D-I. The Eagles were led by senior Myles Hamilton with 21 points. Hamilton also had seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Whitmer ousted Medina (10-16) 51-39.

Up and coming games:

State Title at Columbus

Division I – St. Edward (18-7) vs. Toledo Whitmer (23-2) – Friday at 5:15 p.m. Game 2 – Pickerington Central (24-2) vs. Fairfield (20-5) – 8:30 p.m.

D-II - Lake Catholic (22-2) vs. Dayton Dunbar (26-0) – Friday at 10:45 a.m. Game 2- St. Clairsville (23-2) vs. Elida (23-3) – 2 p.m.

D-III – St. Peter Chanel (22-3) vs. Cin. Summit County Day (23-1) – Thursday at 5:15 p.m. Game 2- Ottawa-Glandorf (18-6) vs. Portsmouth (22-2) – 8:30 p.m.

D-IV – Jackson Center (25-0) vs. Cols Africentric (21-3) – Thursday at 10:45 a.m. Game 2 – Berlin Hiland (24-1) vs. Arlington (22-3) – 2 p.m.