Patriots roll to title game

The Patriots haven’t lost back-to-back Allen County Athletic Conference tournaments since 2013 and 2014.

If Friday’s performance is any indication, they’re intent on keeping it that way.

The Jay County High School girls basketball team dismantled the visiting Southern Wells Raiders 77-28 in the ACAC tournament semifinal.

The Patriots will face Bluffton in the championship game on Saturday at 6 p.m. at South Adams High School.

“Glad to see that we’re moving on, getting an opportunity to play in the championship game of the ACAC,” said Jay County coach Sherri McIntire. “I thought we probably came and went a little bit in that game. I thought we coasted a little bit … But at the end of the day, we’re moving on, getting to play in a championship, so very pleased.”

Jay County (12-5) didn’t take long to assert its will on Friday night, blasting the Raiders (11-6) with a 13-0 opening run in the first two and a half minutes of play. The Patriot advantage ballooned to 27-8 at the end of the opening quarter as the team romped to a 49-point first half.

Turning defense into offense was a central theme for the Patriots, who generated a plethora of transition baskets by causing 21 first-half turnovers.

“Our defenses are key,” McIntire said. “If we can get out and get some turnovers and get the ball out in transition and get some of those transition baskets, I feel like that just gets us going, gets our energy where it needs to be and that’s where we’re best.”

Offensively, Hallie Schwieterman set the tone for Jay County. The junior provided 20 first-half points while orchestrating the Patriots’ scorching start.

“She’s talking to the girls and encouraging them and trying to get them in the right places, and just being a good floor leader like you want your point guard to be,” McIntire said. “And she’s doing a really nice job with that.”

With the Patriots up by 29 points at the half, Hallie Schwieterman played sparingly after the intermission, finishing with 22 points. She passed the torch to her sister Karsyn Schwieterman, who continued to bolster Jay County’s advantage with 15 of her game-high 24 points coming in the second half.

“I definitely didn’t start off great, but as we went through the game, my teammates just were picking me up and helping me gain my confidence back,” Karsyn Schwieterman said.

Karsyn Schwieterman wasn’t the only Patriot to step up in Hallie Schwieterman’s absence. A total of nine different Jay County players entered the scoring column, including all five starters and four bench players.

“I’m so proud of them to be able to step on the court and do a good job, and keep that lead and handle the ball well,” Hallie Schwieterman said. “And I’m just happy that we get the opportunity that I can go sit down on the bench the second half and not have to worry that they’re going to get back in the game.”

The reserves kept up the defensive intensity as well, as Southern Wells finished the game with 35 turnovers.

“We played man-to-man defense tonight, and we thought we could just get up and pressure their ball-handlers and get some turnovers,” McIntire said. “And I think Hallie ended up, we had her for nine steals, and Karsyn’s up there, Raylah (Newton), and really all of our guards are up there putting a lot of pressure on the ball, and I just thought we were all effective with that tonight.”

Jay County’s semifinal victory continued the team’s dominant run through the ACAC tournament, as the Patriots have now won their two tournament games by an average of 39.5 points. Jay County also seized control of both matchups early on, outscoring its opponents a combined 44-10 in the first quarter.

After having their streak of four straight ACAC tournament titles snapped last season, the Patriots are on a mission to reclaim their place as the conference’s premier program.

“We’re ready to go to the championship,” Hallie Schwieterman said. “I mean, especially with losing last year, I think people got the idea that maybe we weren’t as good as we have been in the past, but I think we’re as good, if not better, and I think that this year’s gonna be a great year for us, and we’re all out for blood. We lost our streak last year, and this year we’re just going to start right back up again.”