Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Valley Christian’s Kristen Gill blocks a shot by Heartland Christian’s Lexi Rice during their game Wednesday night.

YOUNGSTOWN — After missing so many games earlier in the year, the Valley Christian girls basketball team just wants to play.

Taking the floor as the ninth seed in a Division IV sectional, the Eagles welcomed 17th- seeded Heartland Christian on a cold Wednesday night.

“You place yourself on the bracket, so a lot of teams place themselves and they want a bye,” Eagles coach Aaron Agresta said. “I actually want to play, so I tried to get one of those games in the first round where you’re playing instead of getting a bye.

“So, it just keeps your momentum going. You don’t have a lot of sitting time, because even the last few days with snow days. we’ve been sitting a bunch. Just to get out and play and start in a fast way is good.”

After taking an early lead, and playing solid defense, the Eagles flew past the visiting Lions 68-23, limiting Heartland to only nine field goals over the course of the contest.

The Lions only led twice, the second time coming after junior Madi Matthews netted a pair of free throws to create a 5-4 lead. Valley Christian senior Dezyrae Dean responded right back with a layup, and her team never looked back. Fellow senior Kristen Gill drove inside through a group of defenders with time expiring and hit on a layup to make it 14-7 after the first eight minutes.

Senior Olivia Kitchen went to work right away in the second quarter with a jumper on the right end of the key, which was then followed up by another layup under the basket by Gill. Moments later, Kitchen swished a three straight through the net off the top of the arc, then Gill recorded another layup following a steal.

Defense, it was the name of the game all evening for Valley Christian, which limited their opponent to only three points in the second quarter, all by Matthews to take a 31-10 lead into the locker room.

Dean, who ended with 14 points, felt that creating turnovers was the biggest key to success.

“We hustle very well, and we got to our man very well,” she said. “It was a very important part of the game. I think this gives us a boost, so we won’t be as nervous going into the other games, and it just gives us a confidence boost.”

Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Valley Christian’s DiAndra Tensley shoots. The host Eagles won the Division IV sectional game

Gill was also a force, with her game-high 26 points many coming as a result of that solid defense.

“It gives us a lot of momentum, the first tournament game is always important,” she said. “We need to win, so that’s what we need to do, in order to get to the championship. Teammates (worked well), I wouldn’t have the passes, assists, I wouldn’t do that without them.”

Heartland ended its campaign with a record of 6-17, but first-year coach Justin Rahim felt that many of the issues throughout the season showed Wednesday evening.

“Overall, the problem that’s been killing us all year was lack of hustle and offensive rebounds,” he said. “That’s something we’ve been talking about for the past four months, and I was hoping that it would change game by game 23.

“But, it didn’t, so I thought that when we were able to get stops and contest good shots, we just couldn’t get the rebound and they capitalized on offensive rebounds.”

The Lions graduate one senior, Jullia Reynolds, who didn’t play due to an injury.

“I enjoyed her,” Rahim said. “She didn’t play last year, she came back and played this year and gave us some good, valuable minutes. I wish she would have been able to play tonight, but she wasn’t able to, and I wish her the best in her future endeavours.”

Matthews led the Lions with 15.

Meanwhile, Valley Chrisitan (10-3) will play at Bristol on Saturday, against a Panthers team that’s won seven out of its last 10 games, and features talented forward Belle Zirzow.

Agresta looks forward to the challenge.

“I just know that they’re a good team, they’ve played a good schedule this year, just got to go study them,” he said. “There is no time off. We get back to work tomorrow.”

“I’ve got two days of work here, and then we’ll get back. There is no rest. You’ve just got to respect everyone at this point. Everyone is good going forward.”