Sidney’s Lexee Brewer drives as Centerville’s Leona Ciarlariello defends during a Division I district semifinal on Thursday at Vandalia-Butler’s Student Activity Center. Clark is one of four seniors the squad will lose to graduation.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Sidney’s Allie Stockton shoots as Centerville’s Emily Grim, left, and Leona Ciarlariello defends during a Division I district semifinal on Thursday at Vandalia-Butler’s Student Activity Center. Stockton, a senior guard, finished with 11 points. Stockton, who signed with Findlay in November, will graduate third on the program’s career scoring list.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Sidney’s Regan Clark shoots as Centerville’s Bella Keeton defends during a Division I district semifinal on Thursday at Vandalia-Butler’s Student Activity Center. Clark is one of four seniors the squad will lose to graduation.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Jordan Scully is helped off the ground by her teammates while they celebrate after Scully hit a 3-pointer to tie it 42-42 with six seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Yellow Jackets’ prevented Centerville from getting a good shot before the fourth quarter buzzer, but lost 51-49 in overtime.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
VANDALIA — Sidney didn’t get the district final berth it wanted but proved its fortitude on Thursday to any who questioned if it could play with one of the Dayton area’s largest and most consistent programs.
Late mistakes cost Sidney in a 51-49 overtime loss to Centerville in a Division I district semifinal at Vandalia-Butler’s Student Activity Center. But it seemed highly unlikely for most of the game there would be a dramatic finish, as Centerville was in control and led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter.
Sidney fought off collapsing against the Elks’ pressure, though, and rallied in the last half of the fourth quarter, even taking a brief lead.
When Centerville retook the lead, the Yellow Jackets again answered, as sophomore guard Jordan Scully made a 3-pointer with about six seconds left to send it to overtime.
Sidney was unable to come up with needed points in overtime, and the Elks were able to.
“It doesn’t go your way sometimes. But this group fights, more than any group I’ve ever had. They didn’t quit,” Sidney coach Jamal Foster said. “They didn’t give up. That’s how fourth quarter comebacks happen. They hit big shots. Remarkable shot by Jordan Scully to send it to overtime.”
The Elks, which have advanced to district finals four of the last five years, suffocated Sidney’s offense for most of the game. The Yellow Jackets had their lowest scoring total of the season through three quarters and trailed 31-22 heading into the fourth.
Centerville had been successful and limiting Sidney’s penetration looks and had largely prevented the squad from grabbing many offensive rebounds.
“That’s a tough group,” Foster said of Centerville. “Their inside players work hard. They did a good job of sealing and getting second chance opportunities. …We didn’t want to give them second chance opportunities, and we wanted to make sure that we crashed with all five players on the offensive end. They did a good job of sealing us off and not letting us score twice.”
But the Yellow Jackets bulldozed their way into the paint late, made a few shots and drew fouls, while also turning up the pressure defensively and forcing turnovers.
Sophomore guard Larkyn Vordemark scored six points in the fourth quarter and seniors Allie Stockton and Regan Clark each scored four to help the squad rally.
“They were ready when their number was called,” Foster said. “… I’ve seen them make big plays before, but in this type of game, it says something that they were able to stay locked in.”
Clark’s last basket pulled Sidney within 38-37 with 41 seconds left, then senior guard Lexee Brewer stole the ball away from Centerville’s Kendal George and passed to a nearby Stockton, who threw the ball down to Vordemark.
Vordemark drove inside and made a basket with about 30 seconds left to give Sidney a 39-38 lead.
Stockton fouled Emily Grim near halfcourt shortly later, who made a pair of free throws to give the Elks a 40-39 lead.
The Yellow Jackets quickly worked the ball to Vordemark after the free throws, who put up a shot under strong pressure from Anna Grim. Vordemark missed, and Brewer was called for a foul diving on the ground trying to wrestle the rebound away from Kaitlyn Palomino.
Palomino made two free throws to give Centerville a 42-39 lead, but Scully made a 3 from just to the right of the top of the key to tie it 42-42. The Yellow Jackets prevented the Elks from getting a good shot off before the buzzer.
“We’ve been down. It’s not really being down, it’s how you play when you’re down,” Foster said. “This team has never quit all season. When things haven’t went our way, when they have, whether we’re up or we’re down. They have not quit.
“It wasn’t a good day to start. But to see what they did in the fourth quarter is a testament to what they’ve done all season and the job that the coaches do.”
Scully made a basket in the post to give Sidney a 46-44 lead in overtime, but Emily Grim made two free throws after being fouled, then Sidney came up empty on its next possession, and Palomino made a jumper to give Centerville a 48-46 lead.
Sidney missed another shot, and Clark was called for her fifth foul going for an offensive rebound. Grim made two more free throws to push the difference to four points.
Sophomore forward Kelis McNeal drew a foul and split a pair of free throws to cut the gap to 50-47, but Sidney was forced to foul George with about 10 seconds left. She split a pair to push the gap back to four points.
The Yellow Jackets missed a 3-point shot with under five seconds left, and junior guard Kimora Johnson made a put-back right before the buzzer to cut the final gap to two points.
The Yellow Jackets finish 19-5, their fourth consecutive outstanding season after winning two games in two seasons between 2017 and 2019. They have won least 15 games each of the last four years and Miami Valley League Valley Division titles each of the last four years. In addition, they’ve won overall MVL titles and have advanced to district semifinals each of the last two years.
Stockton and Brewer are among four seniors Sidney will lose to graduation; they are both four-year starters. The duo entered high school just as Foster took over coaching the program.
Stockton, a Findlay signee, finishes with 1,490 career points, good for third in program history. She was recently named Miami Valley League player of the year after averaging 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists per game.
Brewer, who returned to the court this year after suffering a serious season-ending knee injury five games into her junior season, was named second team all-MVL after averaging 4.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.5 steals and two rebounds per game.
Stockton was a first team all-MVL selection all four years; Brewer was also a second team selection as a freshman and first team selection as a sophomore.
“They came in when the program was at its bottom and helped turn it around and make it something that people talk about,” Foster said. “Immeasurable talent, dedication and effort throughout the years. I love them; I love them with everything I’ve got.”
Sidney will also lose Clark (who has signed with Rochester University in Michigan) to graduation, along with senior Lexis Wilson.
Scully led Sidney with 13 points while Stockton scored 11 and Vordemark finished with 10.
Centerville unofficially had a 30-28 rebounding edge. The Elks committed 23 turnovers, while the Yellow Jackets committed 13.
The Elks made 15-of-21 free throws while Sidney made 15-of-24.
While Foster said the group of four seniors will be hard to replace, Sidney has a strong cast set to return. Aside from Scully and Vordemark, the squad also looks to return Johnson and junior guard Kiara Hudgins, McNeal and several other players.
“They work hard, and though we lose a lot, some of these girls are ready to step up, and I think that they will,” Foster said. “We’ll attack the offseason. They’ll step up into big roles these seniors are leaving. Kiara coming back and getting more time to be healthy will be huge.”
Sidney scored the last four points of the first quarter to cut Centerville’s lead to 13-9, but the Elks quickly pushed their lead to 21-12 early in the second.
The Yellow Jackets held Centerville scoreless over the last four minutes of the second, but only managed three foul shots themselves in that time, which cut the gap to 21-15 at halftime.
Centerville scored the first eight points of the third quarter.
“We left a lot of points on the board early,” Foster said. “We really couldn’t get into the dribble drive in the paint the way we wanted to. There was a lot of stuff that we didn’t feel was things they did, but things we didn’t do ourselves.
“They did a great job on us defensively, but we left a lot of points out there in the first half. We just needed to be so much better.”
