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McDonald falls to Bristol in district final

Staff photo / Brian Yauger. McDonald’s Lucy Wolford drives past a Bristol defender Saturday night in the Grand Valley District title game.

ORWELL — It’s been a wall Bristol has been trying to get through for a while.

For the last few years, the Panthers haven’t been able to get through the district stage of the tournament, but that all changed Saturday.

In a 48-33 victory over the defending state runners up in McDonald, Bristol cleared that hurdle and is on its way to the Division IV Massillon Regional at Perry High School.

For Panthers coach John King, it’s been a long time coming.

“It’s amazing, just a roller coaster of emotions,” King said. “I’m happy for the girls, happy for our community. For me, it’s been 20 years since I won a district finals championship. My goal as a coach was that I always just wanted to make it into March. We would always get here, February 27, February 28, February 26, wherever it fell.

“Two years ago we were in the district finals and ran into a very good Cornerstone team and we didn’t make it. We could never get over that hump to March. To finally accomplish it, brings a lot of joy and emotions to me. It was hard not to tear up there because it was something I really strived to do as a coach.”

The Blue Devils didn’t make it easy on Bristol one bit. McDonald took an early lead and once Bristol took the lead, the Blue Devils stayed on the Panthers’ heels the entire time.

So much so that when Bristol made its final subs in the waning seconds, King was anxious about pulling his starters.

Those starters continued to shine for the Panthers with seniors Belle Zirzow and Alexis Shafer each putting up 12 points.

Brooklyn Swiger tacked on 10 more.

“It feels so amazing,” Swiger said. “This is what we’ve been working for our whole lives. We work so hard over every season. Every summer we put in the work and it’s really special to do this together.”

No one can deny that the Panthers left it all on the floor Saturday.

Zirzow, who played most of the game with a double-bandaged chin after colliding with the hardwood is a prime example of that.

“We’ve worked really hard this whole week and this whole year just waiting for this moment,” she said. “We came into this game with a bunch of confidence and saying how we have to play as hard as we can and leave everything on the court. And that’s what we did tonight.”

Despite the loss, Blue Devils coach Tony Matisi was all smiles. Coming off their state finals appearance, McDonald had a lot of question marks.

To make it as far as they did was an uphill battle, and the longtime coach is over the moon at what his group accomplished.

“How were we here? I am so proud,” Matisi said. “Our hearts are so big. I tried to tell them, ‘We’re not basketball players, we’re not athletes, but if they measured our hearts, we’d all be six-foot-nine out there and it’s been like that all year.

“They just don’t quit. They worked so hard. We won 15 games and they worked for everything they got.”

McDonald graduates a handful of seniors including Lea Gabrelcik and Lucia Wolford. Wolford, who has been a captain since her sophomore year, is leaving a big pair of shoes to fill.

“She’s going to be so hard to replace,” Matisi said. “Totally has everybody’s back, all the captains. Three-year captain since she was a sophomore, that’s how highly thought of she was the last couple of years.”

The Panthers have the late game in the regional doubleheader, with an 8 p.m. start time. Their opponent? Dalton.

The Bulldogs took down Loudonville 63-43 in the Norwayne District finals.

byauger@tribtoday.com

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