Fairview 55 Tinora 47

SHERWOOD – When Tinora and Fairview get together in any sport over the last decade, it’s been a battle, tonight would be no different.

Last season, these two programs battled it out on two separate occasions, the Lady Rams besting the Lady Apaches in a GMC regular season thriller at Tinora, while Fairview would get revenge over Tinora in the OHSAA District opener down in Bluffton.

A full house at Fairview saw the Lady Apaches waste little time in grabbing a 2-0 lead over the Lady Rams just 5 seconds into the contest on a Hayley Hammer runner in the lane. The Lady Rams would not be intimidated on a snowy Thursday just outside of Sherwood.

Tinora and Fairview would battle throughout the opening quarter, with the Lady Rams leading 12-10 after the first eight minutes.

Tinora would increase their lead to as much as 24-18 on a Nova Okuley 14 footer in the lane with just under two minutes in the half. Fairview’s Halley Hammer would nail a left corner jumper right before the halftime buzzer, cutting the Tinora lead down to 26-23 as the half ended.

Tinora’s defense would limit the combo of Allison Rhodes and Carrie Zeedyke to just five combined points. The two combined for near 30 points per contest.

Fairview’s Halley Hammer would lead the scoring with 11 first half points, nearly four above her season average.

The Lady Rams Nova Okuley would bucket nine in the initial half for Tinora. The Lady Rams would see eight players score in the opening half.

Fifth year Fairview coach Russell Zeedyke, 80-26 in his career, would make some adjustments to start the third quarter.

The Apaches immediately went down in the post to Allison Rhodes, Rhodes would bucket her first points of the game, cutting the Tinora lead to 26-25. Rhodes would go on to score eight third quarter points and 12 overall.

Fairview’s Bethany Singer would tie the game 28-28 with her only points of the game at the 6:19 mark in the quarter.

The Apaches would grab the lead for good with just over three minutes remaining in the third on a Kelly Crites bucket, 34-32. Fairview would end the quarter leading 38-35.

The key play to end the quarter was Tinora’s Addison Lee collecting her fourth foul on a charge call. Lee made the bucket, cutting the lead to 34-33, but the foul eliminated the bucket as the quarter ended.

The fourth quarter was the Carrie Zeedyke show for the Apaches. The senior who recently bucketed her 1000 career point would score nine points in the second half,

After neither team would score in the first three minutes to start the final quarter, Fairview would explode for 17 points over the last five minutes, most from the line.

With the Apaches leading 40-37 with just over four minutes remaining, Kelly Crites would start the free throw train, hitting two free throws, giving Fairview a 42-37 lead.

On the next Tinora Possession, which seemed like déjà vu, Addison Lee would drive and score, only to see her collect her fifth foul, fouling out and taking the basket off the scoreboard at the four minute mark.

Fairview’s next possession would see Allison Rhodes score and draw a foul, giving the Lady Apaches a 44-37 lead. On the Rhodes missed free throw, Fairview’s Kelly Crites would grab the offensive rebound and bucket her 13 point, giving Fairview a 46-37 lead.

Zeedyke would bucket 12 points in the final two minutes, all from the charity stripe, giving the Apaches a 55-47 win in a thriller.

Tinora’s Nova Okuley would bucket a game high, and a season high 21 points in the loss.