BOTKINS — Botkins had a disappointing end to a season opener but is aiming not to have a disappointing end to the season. If the Trojans’ last two games are any indication, that shouldn’t be a worry.
Botkins cruised to a 53-28 win over Waynesfield-Goshen in a nonconference game on Thursday at The Coliseum to improve to 2-1.
It’s the Trojans’ second consecutive lopsided win. They beat Mechanicsburg 61-31 last Saturday at home.
Botkins was tied 16-16 at halftime in a season opener against Shelby County Athletic League rival Anna on Nov. 27 but was outscored 11-4 in the third quarter in a 40-28 loss.
“We’re just trying to take it one game at a time and keep the ball rolling in the right direction,” Botkins coach Phil Groves said. “… We had a good preseason with scrimmages against Versailles and Wapak and played some elite competition. I think that’s got the girls ready to start the season.
Freshman guard Carmen Heuker led Botkins with 15 points on Thursday while Makenna Maurer scored 12 and Grace Homan added eight. They’re among several players that have led the team in scoring so far this year.
“It’s been a great problem for us to have,” Groves said. “We don’t have one person an opponent can key on. It’s a team effort every game. Maurer played two quarters of JV and three quarters of varsity and came out and led us. It’s a different person contributing every night, and that’s pretty special.”
Botkins led 11-3 by the end of the first quarter on Thursday and largely overwhelmed the Tigers (0-5). Though the Trojans’ offense went cold for spurts, Waynesfield-Goshen’s never found a rhythm until late in the fourth quarter. Botkins’ defense flustered the Tigers’ ballhandlers and prevented any penetration.
“Defensively, we really did a good job tonight,” Groves said. “We came out with intensity, and we wanted to establish that early. Our girls did a good job with that. Offensively in the first half, we struggled and shot close to 20 percent. Second half we were better and got it over 40 percent. It’s nice to be able to rely on your defense to keep you where you need to be.”
The Trojans led by 16 points at halftime and quickly extended the lead to 20 early in the third quarter. Homan hit a basket with eight seconds left to push the lead to 43-12 heading into the fourth quarter.
Botkins jumped out to a big early lead. Heuker scored shortly after the game started on a basket off the glass, then Homan followed with a shot off the glass and Janell Greve made a free throw to put the Trojans ahead 5-0 with 5:38 left in the first quarter.
After Waynesfield-Goshen’s Peyton Spencer made a basket to cut the lead to three points, Makenna Maurer made consecutive 3-pointers to put Botkins ahead 8-2 with 2:57 left.
Neither team made a field goal for the next eight minutes, but Botkins’ shooting picked up at the end of the second.
Heuker made a basket with 2:49 left in the second and then made a pair of free throws 30 seconds later to push the lead to 17-3. Jill Greve and Sydney Meyer made consecutive baskets to push the lead to 21-3, and Meyer made another on a put-back at the buzzer to increase the lead to 21-5 at halftime.
Botkins will return to action on Saturday at Fairlawn.
