Margaretta falls to powerhouse Columbus Academy

MANSFIELD — Margaretta wasn't going down like that. Embarrassed in the first half and trailing by 13 points in the third quarter, the Polar Bears went all in. Margaretta scored more points in the third than it did the entire first half and even took a pair of leads. But No. 5 Columbus Academy bounced back with another big run, this time finishing off the No. 9 Polar Bears 64-47 in a Division V regional semifinal Wednesday at Mansfield Senior High School. "I was proud of our guys to come out in the third quarter and give it our best shot," Margaretta coach Steve Keller said. "We just couldn't sustain it. But with that being said, (Columbus Academy) made shots late third and early fourth that really created some separation again. Give them credit. They had to do (it) and they did." Margaretta finishes the season with a record of 24-2. The 24 wins ties a school record set last year when the Polar Bears lost in a regional final. "This team did a lot," Keller said. "We had the longest winning streak in program history at 18 games and we set the school record for a defensive average. They were really exciting to watch. That's what we want. We want a brand of basketball that is fun and exciting. We really played together." The Polar Bears made just 5 of 20 shots in the first half and trailed 28-15 at halftime. Nolan Wiley got the offense going with a four-point play to start the second half before Julian Washington hit a 3. Then, buckets from Tyson Bailey and Kale Bailey brought Margaretta within 30-26. The Polar Bears kept going as Tyson Bailey scored again and another triple from Washington gave Margaretta its first lead at 31-30 with 1:49 to go in the third quarter. The Vikings (26-0) responded with a 3 on the other end from Theo Fulkenhain, but Washington tied the game at 33 with two free throws. After an empty possession by Columbus Academy, Washington's 3-pointer with 24 seconds to go in the third quarter gave Margaretta a 36-33 lead. A stop at the end of the third would've been huge for the Polar Bears, but instead Jack Seymore hit a triple at the buzzer to tie the game at 36. Seymore barely saw the floor during the game and the 3-pointer was his only score of the night. "Big momentum and he brought that kid in cold," Keller said. "He hadn't played all game, but he was a shooter on our scouting report. He's in there for a purpose." The Vikings carried that momentum into the fourth quarter as Fulkenhain opened the scoring with a three-point play. Kale Bailey answered for the Polar Bears on the other end, but Fulkenhain hit a triple and Jason Singleton tallied a three-point play. After a Margaretta turnover, Gabe Davis-Ray threw down one of Columbus Academy's massive two-handed dunks. Another empty Polar Bears possession led to Singleton scoring for a 49-38 lead with 4:47 to play. Margaretta got within nine on two free throws by Washington, but Columbus Academy pumped in 28 points in the final eight minutes. "We played like we have played all year," said Keller of getting back into the game in the third quarter. "This is nothing against our guys, but we just did not play well in a big environment for three of four quarters. I think a lot of it had to do with just what they do. They're just so disruptive on the defensive end. They have such length." After making 7 of 10 shots in the third quarter, the Polar Bears made just 4 of 13 in the fourth quarter and committed four turnovers. "When you get to this level, you have to make some shots," Keller said. "When you get to this level, you have to be able to defensive rebound. They hurt us, especially in the first half there." The Vikings jumped out to a 6-0 lead more than five minutes in. After missing their first eight shots, the Polar Bears got consecutive buckets from Tyson Bailey. Columbus Academy led 10-6 after one quarter and was up 18-11 midway through the second quarter. Margaretta missed on a 3-pointer that would have cut the deficit to four points, but instead, the Vikings capitalized. Consecutive 3s by Caden Ivery pushed Columbus Academy ahead 24-11. It was the only two triples the Vikings made in the first half, but aided Columbus Academy's 13-point lead at the break. "Quite honestly, we prepared for everything they were going to show us," Keller said. "We just don't have the type of player that they do. Meaning, we couldn't simulate their length. We couldn't simulate their size. That's honestly the biggest thing. We played not to lose in the first half." Washington finished with 25 points while Tyson Bailey added 12 points and five rebounds. Judah Keller snagged a team-high seven rebounds. All three return next season for Margaretta, which gained more and more support as the tournament wore on. The Polar Bears filled the entire home side of Pete Henry Gym and spilled over into the upper balcony. "Our fans in Castalia and the Margaretta school district are amazing," Keller said. "They are very rare these days. They brought three spirit buses to our games and tonight, everyone was wearing black. It's so special. I thank the community and everybody that has been sharing this with us." Wiley, Tate Bailey and Ben Coffman are seniors for the Polar Bears, who have gone 48-6 over the last two seasons. "They're wonderful and they bought in," Keller said. "They really, really worked their butts off to be in the position we are in. I can't believe they're seniors to be honest. They're tremendous young men." MARGARETTA (24-2)Julian Washington 7 7-7 25, Nolan Wiley 1 1-1 4, Judah Keller 1 0-0 2, Tyson Bailey 5 2-2 12, Kale Bailey 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 16 10-10 47 COLUMBUS ACADEMY (26-0)Caden Ivery 5 2-2 14, Theo Faulkenhain 4 3-3 14, Jason Singleton 6 3-5 15, Anderson Davis 4 2-2 10, MJ Jackson 2 0-0 4, Harmon Gouhin 1 0-0 2, Jack Seymore 1 0-0 3, Gabe Davis-Ray 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 24 10-12 64 Margaretta 6 9 21 11 — 47Columbus Academy 10 18 8 28 — 64 Three-point goals: Margaretta 5 (Washington 4, Wiley); Columbus Academy 6 (Fulkenhain 3, Ivery 2, Seymore)