PEDRO – When the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers click together, it sounds more like a cat purring.

Thursday, February 15, 2001

PEDRO – When the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers click together, it sounds more like a cat purring.

After watching a big lead dwindle to seven, Ironton exploded to outscore the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates 30-10 over the final 15 minutes of the game and romp to a 56-29 win Wednesday in the Division III sectional tournament.

"That’s this team," Ironton coach Kevin Richardson said. "When we get all five playing together, we get those kind of runs. Even though we won tonight, we still didn’t play our best basketball."

Ironton will face Fairland at 2:45 p.m. Saturday in the sectional finals. In two previous meetings this season, Fairland has won both games including 48-47 last Saturday.

Fairland beat Coal Grove 56-34 in the first game.

Jessica Ensor had 16 points and Courtney Doughman 15 to lead Ironton (14-5). Candace Ferguson had 14 rebounds and five steals.

Emily Hehl had 13 points to lead Wheelersburg, 5-16.

"Hehl had 13 points, but the rest of the team only had 13," Richardson said. "We expected a tough game. Wheelersburg plays a tough schedule."

Ensor scored 10 points the first quarter as Ironton took a 19-10 lead.

"I knew coming into the game they’d play box-and-one on me. I overcame that early, but they stopped my penetration so I had to go outside," said Ensor.

The second quarter consisted of missed shots and turnovers as the scoring slowed. Ironton had a 23-11 lead midway through the quarter, but Wheelersburg closed to within 26-17 at the break.

Wheelersburg came out the second half and used two foul shots by Hehl to cut the Ironton lead to 26-19 at the 6:41 mark.

Richardson called a timeout and Ironton responded with a 9-0 run to lead 35-21. Sarah Herman said the players got some words of wisdom from their coach, but also did a little soul searching.

"It was a little of both. We knew what we had to do, and when coach Richardson says something to us, we know we better listen," said Herman.

Doughman’s 18-footer made it 37-23, but Amy Conn’s 3-pointer ended the quarter at 37-26.

The Lady Tigers took over to start the fourth quarter by outscoring Wheelersburg 16-1 over the first six minutes to lead 53-27. Ashley Hannon had seven points in the run including a 3-pointer.

Wheelersburg 10 7 9 3 – 29

Ironton 19 7 11 19 – 56

WHEELERSBURG (5-16): Jenny Royse 1 1 0-0 5, Ashley Clevenger 0 0 1-2 1, Emily Hehl 5 0 3-4 13, Amy Conn 0 1 0-0 3, Sara Henry 0 0 0-0 0, Brooke Emnett 0 0 0-0 0, Carrie Bolin 0 0 1-4 1, Emily Mershon 1 0 0-0 2, Michelle Thomas 0 0 0-0 0, Maggie Howe 2 0 0-2 4, Danielle Thomas 0 0 0-0 0, Jessica Seeley 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 9 2 5-12 29. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (14-5): Noelle Mains 1 0 2-4 4, Sarah Herman 2 0 1-4 5, Jessica Ensor 7 0 2-2 16, Courtney Doughman 6 1 0-0 15, Candace Ferguson 3 0 0- 6, Ashley Hannon 2 1 0-0 7, Carly Isaac 0 0 0-0 0, Rachel McClellan 0 0 1-2 1,Brittany Walker, Christina Norris 1 0 0-0 2. Totals 22 (2) 6-12 56. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 33 (Ferguson 14, Ensor 9). Assists: 13 (Mains 7, Ensor 3). Steals: 23 (Ferguson 5, Mains 5, Ensor 5).