Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

LOGAN — The West Lafayette Ridgewood Lady Generals’ talented two were too much for the Lynchburg Clay Lady Mustangs.

Audrey Tingle — the East District Co-Player of the Year — scored 25 points and third team honoree Kaitlyn Finton had 24 points as the Lady Generals beat the Lady Mustangs 74-54 on Wednesday in the Division III regional semifinals at Logan High School.

Ridgewood (20-7) will now play Ironton at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in the regional championship game at Logan. The winner advances to the state tournament at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, at the Ohio State University Schottenstein Center.

The Lady Generals took a 7-1 lead before Lynchburg tie the game at 19 on a basket by Hannah Binkley with 5:17 left in the half.

But Ridgewood scored seven unanswered points to end the half and it was 35-24 at intermission.

Lynchburg came out the second half and cut the deficit to 39-35 with 5:33 on the clock and pulled within 41-40at the 3:54 mark.

But Tingle hit a 3-pointer out of a timeout and then got a steal that she converted into a 3-point play and it was 47-40.

A triple by Autumn Brown put the Lady Generals up by 10 and it was 56-42 at the end of the quarter.

A reverse layup by Finton pushed the lead to 66-50 with 2:41 left and the outcome was settled.

Morgan McDorman added 10 points for Ridgewood. Tingle had nine assists and six rebounds while Finton grabbed nine rebounds.

McKayla Binkley scored 20 points for the Lady Mustangs (25-2).

Ridgewood has now beaten the Associated Press No. 2 team (Lynchburg-Clay) and No.3 team (Sugarcreek Garaway) in consecutive games.

The Lady Generals have not won a tournament game by less than 17 points and by as many as 37.

Ridgewood 15 20 21 18 = 74

Lynch. Clay 13 11 18 12 = 54

WEST LAFAYETTE RIDGEWOOD (20-7): Audrey Tingle 3 4 7-8 25, Autumn Brown 2 1 0-0 7, Eliza Haynes 3 0 0-0 6, Erin Buchanan 1 0 0-0 2, Morgan McDorman 2 1 3-7 10, Kaitlyn Finton 9 1 3-4 24. Totals: 27-55 13-19 74. 3-point goals: 7-15. Rebounds: 43 (Finton 9, Tingle 6, Brown 5, Haynes 5, Dorman 5). Assists: 20 (Tingle 9, Brown 5, Haynes 3). Turnovers: 21. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

LYNCHBURG-CLAY (25-2): Ali Little 5 0 0-0 10, Lexi Weitz 1 0 1-2 3, Peyton Scott 5 0 2-2 12, Vanessa Theil 0 0 1-2 1, Madison Wills 0 0 0-0 0, Hannah Binkley 3 0 2-2 8, McKayla Binkley 5 2 4-7 20. Totals: 21-59 10-15 54. 3-point goals: 2-16. Rebounds: 27 (Little 11). Assists: 4. Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: H. Binkley.