Maumee girls earn sectional title with thrilling win

Taylor Smith had a game-high 19 points in Maumee's Division III sectional final win. / Pride of the Panthers

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

For the first time in 19 years, the Maumee girls basketball got to cut down some nets.

Lucy Porter hit a pair of free throws with four seconds left in the game, completing a rally from an early deficit and giving the Panthers a 51-49 win over visiting Rogers in a Division III sectional final on Thursday at Maumee.

Maumee went down early, trailing 11-0 before hitting its first basket, and 16-3 at the end of the first quarter.

The rally started in the second quarter, when Reign Hurt hit back-to-back 3-pointers, with Porter and Taryn Pyle adding 3s of their own. The Panthers trimmed the Rams lead to 26-20 by halftime.

Taylor Smith scored eight of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of 3s. Porter went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the fourth, including the pair to lift Maumee to the win.

Hurt had 10 points for Maumee, including three 3s, and Porter had nine points.

Jorgeann Clark had 17 points, with four 3-pointers, to lead Rogers.

The Panthers move on to their first district tournament since 2006, when they beat Napoleon in the sectional final.

This year’s district tournament is hosted by Northwood. No. 3 seed Maumee will face fifth-seeded Central Catholic in the second game on Wednesday, February 19, with tipoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m.

On the other side of the district bracket, top-seeded Notre Dame Academy beat Springfield, 83-12, and St. Ursula Academy beat Scott, 46-27.

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com