A senior moment

FORT RECOVERY — The teams from Delphos have been part of the Indians’ two most exciting finishes of the season.
Nearly two months ago, Olivia Schwieterman hit a free throw with no time left on the clock to lift the Tribe to a one-point victory over Jefferson. On Thursday, in her final game at Fort Site Fieldhouse, Holly Brunswick played the role of hero against St. John’s.
The Fort Recovery senior hit a left-handed lay-up with 3.6 seconds to go in overtime, pushing the Indians to a 45-44 victory over the Blue Jays.
“It’s crazy, especially because I was off the whole entire night on every single shot,” said Brunswick, whose team earned its ninth straight victory, secured a second-place finish in the Midwest Athletic Conference and completed its best regular season in 20 years. “That’s the only shot that counts, really, if you think about it. It’s awesome.”
Both teams struggled to score in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Fort Recovery decided to hold the ball for the last shot after Jessica Recker of the Blue Jays had a 3-point try go in and out. The Indians took the ball with 1:16 to go, and kept control despite St. John’s putting on some defensive pressure beginning at the 45-second mark.
Following a timeout with 12 seconds left, the Tribe put the game in Brunswick’s hands.
The senior got the ball at the top of the key with eight seconds remaining, took a couple of dribbles and then saw her path. She drove down the left side of the lane, laid the ball off the glass with her left hand and watched it fall through the net with 3.6 seconds left.
Brunswick said she was happy to get the call with the game on the line, even though she was just 2-of-11 from the field at the time.
“That’s what you want to hear your coach say is they want the ball in your hands,” she said. “When they gave it to me, I saw the lane, and I was like, ‘This is it.’
“Right after it went in, I wished the game was over right then, but I knew we had to keep playing.”
And she did just that.
Following a Blue Jays’ timeout, Courtney Grothouse tried to make a long pass to give her team a chance at a game-winning shot. But Brunswick charged up from the opposite free-throw line, intercepted the pass and fought off several St. John’s players for the ball as the final seconds ticked away.
“Holly’s a great player. We all know that,” said FRHS coach Doug Bihn of the senior, who shared the team high of 10 points with her sister Kendra. “She’s a great kid. She’s been fun to coach. I’m happy for the kid, because she hit a great shot, made a great move in a big-time game on senior night to win the game for us.”
The victory gave Fort Recovery an 18-2 record for the season — it went 8-1 in the MAC — for its best mark since the Indians won their second straight state championship in 1991. The team lost the opening game of the season, when they were missing several players, by three points to Memorial (St. Marys) and fell by two on a last-second shot to Division IV No. 5 Minster (18-2, 9-0 MAC).
Fort Recovery jumped out to an 8-0 lead Thursday, but the Blue Jays (14-5, 6-2 MAC) bounced back with an 8-0 run of their own late in the opening quarter to close the gap. Neither team had more than a four-point lead over the final 31 minutes of the game, which was tied five times in the second half and overtime.
St. John’s led 41-39 in the fourth quarter before Holly Brunswick hit a lay-up to tie the score with 1:36 remaining. After a miss by the Blue Jays, FRHS held for the final shot of regulation.
Kylie Kahlig drove and was fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity as the teams went to overtime.
Olivia Thien buried a 3-pointer to give the Tribe the advantage in the extra session, but Recker (14 points) hit her fourth 3-pointer to pull St. John’s even. Neither team scored again until Brunswick’s game-winning lay-in.
“We knew this was going to be this type of game. They’re a great team,” said Bihn, whose team won by four at Celina on Tuesday. “It was a great tournament atmosphere for us in both games this week. … We came away with two big wins.”
Nicole Dilworth followed the Brunswick sisters with seven points for the Indians, and also dished out four assists. Olivia Schwieterman hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points, and Thien grabbed seven rebounds.
Becca Saine led the Blue Jays with 15 points, and Courtney Grothouse joined her and Recker in double figures with 10. Tiffany Geiser grabbed 11 rebounds.
Despite the loss, St. John’s coach Dan Grothouse was happy with his team’s effort.
“This group came out and they played their rear ends off,” said Grothouse, whose team lost starting forward Shelby Reindel last week to a knee injury. “I’m so proud of them. It’s unfortunate we didn’t get a win down here, but I think they proved to themselves that they can play. Fort Recovery is obviously one of the top teams in four conference, and in Division III.”

Junior varsity
Fort Recovery took control in the second quarter and rolled to a 38-23 victory over the Blue Jays.
Chelsea Pottkotter turned in team highs of 14 points and six rebounds for the Tribe, which outscored St. John’s 16-5 in the second quarter. Melissa Lochtefeld added 10 points.
The Indians finished the season at 17-3.
Mallory LacLennan totaled six points to pace the Blue Jays.[[In-content Ad]]