EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated at 8:12 p.m.
CRESTON — Steamrolling foes has become routine for the Loudonville girls basketball team.
So, Saturday afternoon’s 61-44 victory over Mogadore in the Division IV Norwayne District championship game was merely another example of the Redbirds following this season’s script.
Coach Tyler Bates’ bunch shot out to a big first-quarter surge, which proved key in a game that was otherwise played fairly evenly.
“After 2-0, we led from start to finish,” Bates said. “Today was a physical game. I was proud of our girls for coming out and winning the first quarter.
“We did just enough the rest of the way.”
The win was extra sweet for Bates, who earned his 200th coaching victory in this contest. This is his 11th season at Loudonville, with a 200-68 record.
The Mid-Buckeye Conference champion Redbirds improved to 24-2 overall, and earned a date to Thursday’s 6 p.m. Massillon Perry regional vs. Lakeside Danbury (24-2). The Lakers beat New London 42-27, finishing the Wildcats’ campaign at 18-5.
The seventh-ranked ‘Birds unleashed their pressure defense from the opening tip, and it proved to be too much for the Wildcats early as Loudonville raced to a 21-7 lead in the first eight minutes.
Mogadore steadied the ship after that, though, and outscored the Redbirds 15-12 in the second quarter to pull within 33-22 at halftime.
The third period proved to be a stalemate, with top-seeded Loudonville maintaining a 44-33 advantage.
The Birds controlled the fourth quarter, to the tune of a 17-11 scoring margin to coast into the Sweet 16.
Ms. Basketball candidate Corri Vermilya led the way. The senior standout pumped in a game-high 23 points and 13 rebounds. Her teammates provided a balanced scoring effort in support, with eight ‘Birds in the scorebook.
Sophia Spangler netted 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, while Jenna Guilliams had nine points and four rebounds. Freshman Mya Vermilya added nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
The ninth-seeded Wildcats got 19 points from Brook McIntyre and 12 from Amelia Morris. Mogadore finished the season with a 13-12 record.
This marked Loudonville’s third district championship, having won titles in 1992, 2021 and 2024. The 1992 team finished as Division III state runner-up.