Buckeye Valley’s Carlie Osborne (11) looks to get to the hoop during a game earlier this season in Delaware. The Barons improved to 11-0 in league play with Friday’s 55-22 win over Columbus Academy, securing their first league title in 17 years in the process.
Ben Stroup | The Gazette
Three area girls basketball teams put the finishing touches on league titles while another moved a win away from doing the same with solid showings Friday night.
Buckeye Valley ended a 17-year drought with a dominant 55-22 win over host Columbus Academy, clinching at least a share of the Central Buckeye League championship.
It was the latest in a long line of lopsided wins for the Barons (17-2, 11-0), who have won 10 straight games and outscored opponents 970-507 so far this season.
Not bad considering, when coach Todd Pennington took over two years ago, BV had won just 29 games in almost four years. Since, the Barons are 21-4 in their last 25 league games.
Talk about a complete 180.
Pennington said the seniors, who shined in the win — and have all season — have spearheaded the turnaround.
“I couldn’t be prouder of a group,” Pennington said of his seniors after a win late last month. “Emily (Huston), Carlie (Osborne), Molly (Meier), Hazely (Wagner) and Ella (Hazelrigg) have changed the face of this program, and I’m just grateful to be their coach. I’ve pushed them to not accept failure and be the best version of themselves everyday … whenever this team has been up against the wall, they come out swinging and play even better.”
They were never up against it in the win over the Vikings, but did play well. Hazelrigg had 14 points and nine rebounds — eight on the offensive end — Huston had a couple three-pointers on the way to a 10-point night, Wagner had nine points on the strength of three triples and Meier and Osborne chipped in four points and three steals apiece.
Olentangy and Olentangy Liberty wrapped up league titles as well.
The Braves (19-1, 9-0) handled visiting Hilliard Darby 57-38 to win an outright OCC-Cardinal Division crown.
Whitney Stafford poured in a team-best 14 points while Sydney Mobley had 10 points to go with 15 rebounds and a trio of steals — both team-bests.
Other standouts included Chayla Rankin, who had a couple threes on the way to a 10-point night; and Mia Chirpas, who had eight points in the win.
Olentangy Liberty, meanwhile, used a strong second half to wrap up its second straight OCC-Central Division championship.
Down 23-21 to host Hilliard Bradley at the half, the Patriots (15-5, 9-0) restored order with a 17-9 third before outscoring the Jaguars 14-9 in the fourth to smooth out the scoring summary.
In other action, Big Walnut (17-2, 11-1) moved a win away from clinching at least a share of the OCC-Capital Division title with a 48-36 win over host Worthington Kilboourne.
Remy Largent had a team-high 14 points while Maddy Stumpf finished with 12. Lexi Federer and Denza Allen were also steady, closing with eight points apiece.
Delaware Hayes (5-15, 3-9), Delaware Christian (8-9, 6-5) and Olentangy Berlin (13-6, 4-5) were also in action. Hayes fell to host Westerville South 71-34, DCS lost to host Fredericktown 67-42 and Berlin lost to visiting Dublin Jerome 48-33.
