Lady Oaks get state finals berth

Published 2:48 am Friday, March 20, 2009

COLUMBUS (AP) — Breanna Butler scored 18 points to lead Oak Hill to a 47-43 win over defending champion Versailles in a Division III semifinal on Thursday.

Oak Hill seeks its first title on Saturday against South Euclid Regina.

The Oaks (25-1) trailed by five entering the fourth, but Lakin Caudill made two foul shots with 1:09 left to give Oak Hill a 43-41 lead.

Email newsletter signup

Taylor Hale added two more 11 seconds later and Mikie Strite put in a pair of free throws with 22.3 seconds left to put the game away.

Emily Frey scored 20 points for Versailles (18-9), which committed 25 turnovers.

South Euclid Regina 59,

Liberty Benton 30

COLUMBUS (AP) — Therany Dunnigan scored 17 points to help undefeated South Euclid Regina beat Findlay Liberty Benton 59-30 in a Division III semifinal on Thursday.

Jackie Cook scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Tay’ler Mingo also had 11 points for Regina (26-0), which seeks its sixth state title on Saturday.

The Royals had trouble shaking Liberty Benton (23-2) in the first half.

But Mingo, the AP’s Div. III player of the year, drove the lane for a basket seconds before halftime to make it 30-23. She opened the third quarter with a layup to further expand the Royals’ lead, and Regina went on to outscore Liberty Benton 29-5 in the second half.

Caite Craft led Liberty Benton with 11 points in the school’s state tournament debut.