AYERSVILLE – Normally when any Tinora team travels across the river to play at Ayersville High School, they head back home with a tough loss.

The Tinora faithful, most who made the trip over to The Hanger to watch the Tinora Lady Rams take on the Bluffton Lady Pirates in the OHSAA Sectional opener, certainly had that exact thought after watching the first 16 minutes.

In the first quarter, about the only thing going the Lady Rams way was getting Bluffton in foul trouble. The Lady Pirates were whistles for 7 team fouls in the first 6:50 of the contest.

Bluffton’s Riley Eachus was the only player for either team with a hot hand in the initial quarter, Eachus came out blazing with nine points on thee made three pointers in the first quarter as Bluffton ended the quarter with an 11-7 lead.

Eachus remained on fire for the Lady Pirates in the second stanza, she would end the first half with a game high 17 points on five made three pointers. Bluffton would limit the Lady Rams to just two points in the quarter, taking a 21-9 lead to the locker room.

Sidenote in the second quarter, after a fifth three pointer by Eachus, Tinora coach Andrew Thiel asked for a timeout with 65 seconds in the opening half. After that timeout, Eachus would bucket just four additional points

Tinora’s leading scorer was senior, Liv Mueller who earlier was named to the second team all GMC team.

Tinora’s Liv Mueller would start the Lady Rams outburst with a runner in the lane, cutting the Bluffton lead to 21-11 with 7:35 remaining in the quarter.

Bluffton would increase their lead in the third quarter to as many as 12 on Grady free throws.

Tinora’s Mueller would continue to get hot as she nailed a left corner three to cut the Bluffton lead to 23-15 at the 5:45 mark.

Karli Okuley’s steal by the Lady Rams would lead to a Nova Okuley three from the left wing would cut the lead down to just five, 23-18, 5:06 remained in the third stanza.

After a Bluffton timeout, the Lady Rams continued both offense and defensive pressure, led by Addison Lee.

Mueller would nail another three on Tinora’s next possession, giving the Lady Pirate lead down to 23-21 with 4:01 remaining.

Eachus would finally get in the books in the third quarter with her 19th point, putting Bluffton back up 28-24 with 1:30 remaining in the third.

Nova Okuley and the Lady Rams would battle back yet again,

Karli Okuley would score her only points of the game on a deep three from the left corner, cutting the deficit to 28-27 with just under a minute remaining in the third quarter.

Tinora would tie the game at 28-28 on a Julia Durfey free throw with 30 seconds remaining, that’s how the third quarter would end. The Lady Rams would bucket 19 third quarter points.

The fourth quarter would be a battle to the end.

The Lady Rams would see their first lead of the contest on Dakota Sines two free throws, the Lady Rams led 32-30 with 5:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Bluffton would regain the lead at 34-32 on a Riley Eachus drive with 4:40 to go.

Dakota Sines would continue to be a force, scoring her sixth point, tying the game at 34-34 with just over four minutes remaining.

Addison Lee’s drive and score would give the Lady Rams a lead they would never relinquish, 36-34, with 3:10 remaining.

The Lady Rams tough defense would allow just one more point to Bluffton over the final three minutes.

Tinora Mueller would add her 14 and 15 points from the line o give her Lady Rams a 38-34 lead.

Addison Lee would add a steal and score at the 2:01 mark, giving the Lady Tams a 40-34 lead. Tinora would never look back as they would go on to a thrilling 42-35 win.

Tinora’s Addison Lee and Dakota Sines would supply a much-needed defensive spark in the key third and fourth quarters.

TINORA 7-2-19-14=42
BLUFFTON 11-10-7-7=35

Tinora scoring: D Sines 7, Harr 0, Lee 10, M Nagel 0, K Okuley 3, Mueller 15, Durfey 1, N Okuley 6

Bluffton scoring: Fleece 0, Eachus 21Giesige, Scoles 8, Hehaffie 2, Grandey 4

Tinora improves to 13-10 and will play GMC foe Fairview on Saturday, 2/18 at 2:30 pm in the second game at Ayersville.

Bluffton sees their season end at 13-9. Best wished to seniors Riley Eachus, Kendal Giesige, Samantha Scoles, and Julia Mehaffie.

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game award would go to three Lady Rams. Addison Lee, Liv Mueller, and Dakota Sines. Congratulations ladies!

This is the first win for the Lady Rams in the OHSAA tournament since the 2016-17 season.