Girls district basketball: Wadsworth rolls over Euclid

WADSWORTH — Mila Polczak apparently has a flair for the dramatic. After playing on the junior varsity as a freshman and sophomore and electing not to play as a junior, Polczak scored the first points of her varsity career in her final game on Coach Dave Sladky Court. It was one of many highlights Wednesday night, as the top-seeded Wadsworth girls basketball team downed 18th-seeded Euclid 80-22 in a Division I, Northeast 2 District semifinal. The Grizzlies (21-2) advanced to play 13th-seeded Perrysburg (11-12), a 57-35 winner over No. 12 Brunswick (11-12), in a district final Saturday at 4 p.m. at Wooster High. Euclid, which had just seven players in uniform, ended its season 3-20. The popular Polczak's first varsity points came when she hit a 3-pointer from the wing off a Natalie Gill pass with 2:31 to play. It came after she missed a pair of 3-pointers and passed up a few others earlier in the fourth quarter. "I felt very loved by my teammates," Polczak said. "They were encouraging me all season in practice and in games. It was really special for my senior year." The ninth player in a Wadsworth rotation that often goes that deep, Polczak's three was greeted by an eruption of cheers from the players on the bench. "It was very meaningful and it meant a lot," she said of her teammates' reaction. "I've made a lot of memories on this court. It was really great to end it on a great note." The Grizzlies, whose seniors got on their hands and knees and kissed the court following their final home game, were led by 21 points from small forward Lauren Decker, who had 11 in the first 1:25 of the game, 14 in the first period and 18 in the first half as her team raced to a 13-0 advantage at the outset and led 33-7, 55-14 and 69-16 at the quarter breaks. In a game where a running clock was employed for the entire second half, resulting in an 8 p.m. finish, Wadsworth also got 15 points from power forward Natalie Maddox, 12 points and three assists from point guard Natalie Moser, three 3-pointers and nine points from reserve Analise Lucey and seven points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench from freshman LyndiGray Tetzel. Tetzel, the daughter of the former Charbea Haller, who starred in basketball at Chippewa and Northern Illinois, led all players in assists and tied two Panthers for game-high honors on the boards. "This has been everything to me," said Tetzel, who lives in Doylestown but open enrolled at Wadsworth. "I had a lot of friends here before I came and I just really wanted to play for Coach (Andrew) Booth and (assistants Mark) Postak and the (father-and-son Mike) Schmeltzers and everyone. I felt they would help me get a lot better." The Grizzlies, who forced 14 turnovers in the first quarter, 24 in the first half and 35 for the game, stopped pressing midway through the second period or they might have scored 100 points, given that they shot .552 from the field (32-for-58) and made nine 3-pointers. The Panthers, who played hard throughout, got 10 points and a pair of 3-pointers from Joi Washingon, four points and five boards from center Delilah Simmons, two points and three assists from Leshawn Hamilton and five rebounds from Hannah Robertson. The highlight of the game, though, was Polczak's 3-pointer, which was a fitting reward after she decided to rejoin the program as a senior. "It was definitely the people and the coaches," she said when asked why she came back. "They were very supportive no matter what. "I try to bring energy and cheer everybody on, and I try to be a positive leader. When I do play, I give it my all to make the team better. Next up for the Grizzlies is Perrysburg. "We take it one game at a time, but I think we'll make it all the way," Tetzel said. "I really hope we do, because it will be special for all our seniors." Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Wadsworth 80, Euclid 22 Division I, Northeast 2 District Semifinal EUCLID 7 7 2 6 — 22 WADSWORTH 33 22 14 11 — 80 Euclid — Joi Washington 4-0-10, Hannah Robertson 0-0-0, Delilah Simmons 1-1-4, Kyndall Robinson 2-0-4, Leshawn Hamilton 1-0-2, Mariya Williams 0-0-0, Paris Simmons 1-0-2. TOTALS: 9-1-22. Wadsworth — Lauren Decker 8-3-21, Natalie Maddox 7-0-15, Marah Minor 0-0-0, Julia Maddox 2-0-5, Natalie Moser 5-1-12, Leah Blake 0-0-0, Analise Lucey 3-0-9, Tenley Mendel 1-0-2, Mila Polczak 1-0-3, Natalie Gill 1-2-4, LyndiGray Tetzel 3-1-7, Marissa Rankin 0-0-0, Lucy Roesink 1-0-2, Kennedy Hewit 0-0-0. TOTALS: 31-7-80. 3-point goals — Washington 2, D. Simmons, Lucey 3, Decker 2, J. Maddox, N. Maddox, Moser, Polczak. Rebounds — Euclid 14 (D. Simmons, Robertson 5), Washington 25 (Tetzel 5). Assists — Euclid 5 (Hamilton 3), Wadsworth 18 (Tetzel 4). Records — Euclid (3-20), Wadsworth (21-2).