Central girls stun Ferry with huge fourth quarter
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MARTINS FERRY -- By no way was it a masterpiece, but Catholic Central girls basketball coach Jess Looman will take it.
It being a 41-36 victory over Martins Ferry Tuesday night in Tolbert Gymnasium high atop the Purple City.
"We will definitely take a win. We play hard game-in and game-out," Looman said. "Our record doesn't show it, but every game we've played this season we've been in."
The Crusaders (5-13) escaped Belmont County by scoring the final five points to snap a 36-all deadlock. Ellen Rohde broke the tie with a layup after successfully securing a loose ball, and Katie Zatta knocked down three late free throws to seal the deal.
"Katie is one of our better free-throw shooters," Looman said of her junior floor leader.
Central led 13-8 after one quarter, 21-16 at the half and 25-24 after three despite a dozen turnovers in the third stanza.
"I told them at halftime that we had to come out and play a good third quarter. But, unfortunately, we didn't do that," Looman said. "However, we were able to get some steps on the defensive end in the fourth quarter. We played a good three quarters and that was good enough to win."
The game was knotted three times in the fourth quarter, the final coming on a Maria Clark basket that allowed Martins Ferry (10-10) to draw even at 36.
"We don't play hard, especially at home. I don't know why we don't play hard at home," Martins Ferry head coach Dave Reasbeck said. "We played hard on the road, but we don't play hard at home. When you only score 36 points at home and don't get any loose balls, you don't deserve to win."
Zatta led the Crusaders with 11 points, two more than Kaylee Kirkpatrick contributed off the bench, including five in the fourth quarter. Clara Symington added six.
Allarah Jones paced Martins Ferry with a game-best 12. Clark chipped in 10.
Rohde pulled down a game-leading dozen rebounds, as the visitors also claimed a 42-29 advantage off the glass. Zatta added nine and every starter had at least five. Kirkpatrick landed four.
Jones grabbed nine boards and Clark had six.
Martins Ferry had 10 turnovers, 10 less than Central.
The Purple Riders close out the regular season Friday when Barnesville visits, while the Crusaders host East Liverpool on Thursday.
Catholic Central 41, Martins Ferry 36
Central 13 8 4 16 -- 41
Ferry 8 8 8 12 -- 36
CATHOLIC CENTRAL (5-13): Zatta 3 3-4 11; Symington 2 2-2 6; Green 2 0-1 5; Rhode 2 0-2 4; Grimm 2 0-0 5; Kirkpatrick 3 3-5 9; DeChristopher 0 1-2 1; Kerker 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 14, 9-16: 36.
MARTINS FERRY (10-10): Clark 3 3-4 10; Lude 2 0-0 5; E. McFarland 2 0-0 5; Pollock 0 2-2 2; Jones 4 4-5 12; Agnew 1 0-0 2; L. McFarland 0 0-0 0; Marchbank 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12, 9-11: 36.
3-POINT GOALS: Catholic Central 4 (Zatta 2, Green, Grimm); Martins Ferry 3 (Clark, Lude, E. McFarland).