July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Fort-itude (02/19/07)
FRHS girls basketball
Fort-itude (02/19/07)
By By RAY COONEY-
CELINA, Ohio - It's the moments behind the scenes, the ones the fans often don't get to see, that make the efforts on the court that much more impressive.
When Vicki Roessner emerged from the locker room Saturday afternoon, she did so red-faced and teary-eyed into an embrace from her father and coach. They weren't tears of joy or sadness, but rather, pain.
Roessner shrugged off the agony caused by two injured ankles until after carrying Division IV No. 6 Fort Recovery to a 49-41 win over the Celina. The senior went 6-of-6 from the foul line in the final two minutes to hold off the host Bulldogs and cap a 22-point effort.
"I think the part that was neat about it was that Vicki Roessner came up and showed you that she could play," said FRHS coach Jeff Roessner. "She played a monster game. If she's not the best point guard in the county, I don't know who is."
The Indians (17-3), already missing leading scorer Holly Stein because of a foot injury, scored just five first-quarter points. But after the Tribe opened 2-of-14 (14 percent) from the field with six turnovers over the first eight minutes, Tiff Gaerke drove to the hoop to get the Fort Recovery within 12-7. The rest of the half belonged to Roessner and fellow senior Abby Niekamp.
Roessner nailed a pull-up jumper in the lane followed by a 3-pointer off a Sara Fortkamp assist to tie the game at 12. Celina pulled ahead again at 14-12, but Niekamp evened the score with two free throws.
The score was tied again at 16 before Roessner hit her third 3-pointer of the game on a pass from Niekamp, who proceeded to score seven straight points of her own.
In all, Roessner and Niekamp combined for 24 of their team's 26 first-half points, including all of them in a 19-4 run spanning just over four minutes of the second quarter.
"Even with Holly out - I know she's a great player for them - they've got a lot of experience on the floor out there," said Celina coach Brian Stetler. "Roessner had a great game today. Vicki is a great kid ... she stepped it up and did what she needed to do."
The Indians pushed their eight-point halftime lead to 39-25 after three quarters, but fell into an offensive rut again.
They lost Niekamp to her fifth foul in the midst of a 10-0 Celina run with 3:35 to play on a questionable call which brought Jeff Roessner to his feet.
He was hit with a technical foul for being out of the coach's box, and the Bulldogs made three of the four ensuing free throws to get within four points.
Fort Recovery had several other players, including senior guard Sara Fortkamp, who had to sit down in the final minute, also in foul trouble, but was still able to fight off the host Bulldogs (10-10).
Anne Koesters drove to the basket and was fouled, hitting both attempts with 3:12 remaining, and Tiff Gaerke followed with a pair of free throws 44 seconds later. Then the Indians put the game in Roessner's hands, and she calmly hit all six soul shots in the final 1:48 to compete a 14-of-16 effort by the Tribe at the line.
"Once we got that big lead they just constantly chipped away at it," said Roessner, whose team survived in part because it was successful on each of its first 12 free throws tries. "We did it with some kids that weren't used to doing it, and it's just a great experience for them. This battle-hardens you.
"You know the (first tournament game) is going to be just like this. And if we get lucky enough to play New Bremen again, it'll be just like this, and if we get lucky enough to play Knoxville or Minster (in the district finals), it's going to be like this."
Roessner and Niekamp combined for 71 percent of Fort Recovery's points. The duo shot 10-of-19 (53 percent) from the field, and Niekamp was also perfect at the foul line with a 4-for-4 effort.
Niekamp added four rebounds, two assists and a block, and Roessner also had an assist and a block.
"It takes all of them, we all know that and everybody knows that," said Jeff Roessner, " but if (Vicki Roessner and Niekamp) don't come out determined, we don't win ..."
While the Tribe was excellent from the line, the Bulldogs likely cost themselves a chance at victory. They shot 37 free throws, but made just 19 (51 percent) with 10 of the misses in the fourth quarter.
"If we make what we should be shooting, we're right there in the ball game," said Stetler. "We just didn't get it done today. That will come back to hurt you, when you get there that many times and don't convert."
Junior varsity
Fort Recovery limited the Bulldogs to five points in the second and four quarter for a 39-30 victory.
Chelsey Leuthold powered the Tribe, going 8-of-14 from the field for 18 points. She also had six rebounds and four steals.
Josie Guggenbiller went 5-of-9 for 11 points, Nicole Pottkotter had six assists and five steals and Lauren Day grabbed six rebounds.
Audrey Harner and Alyssa Mastin each totaled eight points and five rebounds for Celina.[[In-content Ad]]
When Vicki Roessner emerged from the locker room Saturday afternoon, she did so red-faced and teary-eyed into an embrace from her father and coach. They weren't tears of joy or sadness, but rather, pain.
Roessner shrugged off the agony caused by two injured ankles until after carrying Division IV No. 6 Fort Recovery to a 49-41 win over the Celina. The senior went 6-of-6 from the foul line in the final two minutes to hold off the host Bulldogs and cap a 22-point effort.
"I think the part that was neat about it was that Vicki Roessner came up and showed you that she could play," said FRHS coach Jeff Roessner. "She played a monster game. If she's not the best point guard in the county, I don't know who is."
The Indians (17-3), already missing leading scorer Holly Stein because of a foot injury, scored just five first-quarter points. But after the Tribe opened 2-of-14 (14 percent) from the field with six turnovers over the first eight minutes, Tiff Gaerke drove to the hoop to get the Fort Recovery within 12-7. The rest of the half belonged to Roessner and fellow senior Abby Niekamp.
Roessner nailed a pull-up jumper in the lane followed by a 3-pointer off a Sara Fortkamp assist to tie the game at 12. Celina pulled ahead again at 14-12, but Niekamp evened the score with two free throws.
The score was tied again at 16 before Roessner hit her third 3-pointer of the game on a pass from Niekamp, who proceeded to score seven straight points of her own.
In all, Roessner and Niekamp combined for 24 of their team's 26 first-half points, including all of them in a 19-4 run spanning just over four minutes of the second quarter.
"Even with Holly out - I know she's a great player for them - they've got a lot of experience on the floor out there," said Celina coach Brian Stetler. "Roessner had a great game today. Vicki is a great kid ... she stepped it up and did what she needed to do."
The Indians pushed their eight-point halftime lead to 39-25 after three quarters, but fell into an offensive rut again.
They lost Niekamp to her fifth foul in the midst of a 10-0 Celina run with 3:35 to play on a questionable call which brought Jeff Roessner to his feet.
He was hit with a technical foul for being out of the coach's box, and the Bulldogs made three of the four ensuing free throws to get within four points.
Fort Recovery had several other players, including senior guard Sara Fortkamp, who had to sit down in the final minute, also in foul trouble, but was still able to fight off the host Bulldogs (10-10).
Anne Koesters drove to the basket and was fouled, hitting both attempts with 3:12 remaining, and Tiff Gaerke followed with a pair of free throws 44 seconds later. Then the Indians put the game in Roessner's hands, and she calmly hit all six soul shots in the final 1:48 to compete a 14-of-16 effort by the Tribe at the line.
"Once we got that big lead they just constantly chipped away at it," said Roessner, whose team survived in part because it was successful on each of its first 12 free throws tries. "We did it with some kids that weren't used to doing it, and it's just a great experience for them. This battle-hardens you.
"You know the (first tournament game) is going to be just like this. And if we get lucky enough to play New Bremen again, it'll be just like this, and if we get lucky enough to play Knoxville or Minster (in the district finals), it's going to be like this."
Roessner and Niekamp combined for 71 percent of Fort Recovery's points. The duo shot 10-of-19 (53 percent) from the field, and Niekamp was also perfect at the foul line with a 4-for-4 effort.
Niekamp added four rebounds, two assists and a block, and Roessner also had an assist and a block.
"It takes all of them, we all know that and everybody knows that," said Jeff Roessner, " but if (Vicki Roessner and Niekamp) don't come out determined, we don't win ..."
While the Tribe was excellent from the line, the Bulldogs likely cost themselves a chance at victory. They shot 37 free throws, but made just 19 (51 percent) with 10 of the misses in the fourth quarter.
"If we make what we should be shooting, we're right there in the ball game," said Stetler. "We just didn't get it done today. That will come back to hurt you, when you get there that many times and don't convert."
Junior varsity
Fort Recovery limited the Bulldogs to five points in the second and four quarter for a 39-30 victory.
Chelsey Leuthold powered the Tribe, going 8-of-14 from the field for 18 points. She also had six rebounds and four steals.
Josie Guggenbiller went 5-of-9 for 11 points, Nicole Pottkotter had six assists and five steals and Lauren Day grabbed six rebounds.
Audrey Harner and Alyssa Mastin each totaled eight points and five rebounds for Celina.[[In-content Ad]]
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