Margaretta dominates Port Clinton, 60-9

PORT CLINTON — Thea Wybensinger had to keep her emotions in check. The Margaretta sophomore played her freshman season at Port Clinton and Friday was her first game back at The Supreme Court. Wybensinger and the Polar Bears were focused, taking care of business in a 60-9 Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division opener for both teams. Wybensinger finished with eight points including a pair of 3-pointers. "It was good," Wybensinger said. "I'm glad to be here and be back. It was nice to play with my team. We can be tough when we push the ball." Port Clinton coach Kevin Belden coached Wybensinger last year and has nothing but love for the explosive, shifty guard. "We still have a great relationship," he said. "I think the world of Thea and I think the world of her mom, Val. They're great human beings. It was a hard game to coach in. "I understand every decision that's been made. I still talk to both of them and will because it goes beyond basketball for me." Wybensinger got the start for Margaretta (4-0, 1-0 SBC Bay). She, Ashlyn Kingsborough and Ellaynah Schaefer have rotated being the fifth starter for the Polar Bears. Each has taken a turn starting alongside seniors Lillian Belak, Cassidy Lane, Ellyse Schaefer and Kenadie Saylor. "We talked about that at the beginning of the year," Margaretta coach Ray Neill said. "I gave that start back to Thea tonight with her coming back here. We are blessed to have seven or eight girls that deserve to have their name called at the beginning of the game. "Right now, we're going to run with that." The Polar Bears were ever so slightly slow out of the gate. Ellyse Schaefer scored with 5:27 to go in the first quarter for the first points of the game. That stayed until Wybensinger drilled a 3 over two minutes later. Still, with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter, it was 5-0 Margaretta. But then, the floodgates opened. Addyson Fitzthum and Lane each scored to make it 9-0. Two free throws from Ellyse Schaefer gave the Polar Bears an 11-0 edge after eight minutes. The lead reached 19-0 in the second quarter following a 3 from Ellaynah Schaefer. Port Clinton (3-1, 0-1) got on the board — and made its only field goal of the first half — on the strength of a banked in 3-pointer from Isabella Belden. "We came out and had some energy," coach Belden said. "We got some stops early and did some nice things defensively. We had a few decent looks early that didn't go in. They hit some shots and it just snowballed. Give credit to them. They're a great team." Lane and Fitzthum scored for Margaretta before a bucket from Saylor gave the Polar Bears a 30-3 lead at halftime. "As I say, come across the ocean and take care of business," Neill said. "First conference game, obviously be excited about that. Playing a team that's 3-0, be excited about that. Come try to get better today. We're blessed to have a today. How are you going to use it?" The Polar Bears didn't relent in the third quarter. Lane scored twice off of offensive rebounds before Wybensinger sent the game into a running clock with a 3. Ellaynah Schaefer made a triple and Ellyse Schaefer scored to push the advantage to 45-4 after three quarters. "We put some good things together," Neill said. "We shared the basketball well. Obviously, we played well to get to that running clock situation. But, when you get to that running clock situation, it's a tough situation to coach in, actually. I understand it, but we're trying to make sure we get our girls the work they need." Margaretta put the finishing touches on a masterful performance with the first 13 points of the fourth quarter. Kingsborough, Ellaynah Schaefer and Fitzthum combined for 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. "Margaretta is really good," coach Belden said. "That's my biggest take. We knew that coming in. I know they're playing to get better all year. I think they're a team that if they keep improving under that coaching staff, that's a team you could see down in Dayton come March. We knew it was going to be a tall task." The good news for the Redskins is it is just one game on a schedule of 22 contests. Port Clinton opened the season with wins over Danbury, Monroeville and Sandusky. "We turn around and have a game Monday against a very, very good Oak Harbor team," coach Belden said. "I reminded them that people aren't expecting much of us and we're 3-1 still. We ran into a buzzsaw tonight. The message was go home and be a little upset. We'll come back in tomorrow and shore up some things offensively." Lane and Ellyse Schaefer each scored 12 points for Margaretta. "We were coming off a rather emotional win on Tuesday," said Neill of a tough road win against Clyde. "We again go on the road and I'm happy and pleased with the job we got done tonight. We have a big game with New London on Tuesday." MARGARETTA (4-0) Lillian Belak 0 1-2 1, Thea Wybensinger 3 0-0 8, Cassidy Lane 6 0-0 12, Ellyse Schaefer 4 2-2 12, Kenadie Saylor 2 1-4 5, Ashlyn Kingsborough 2 0-0 4, Ellaynah Schaefer 3 0-0 8, Addyson Fitzthum 4 0-0 8, Alyssa Reinbolt 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 25 4-8 60 PORT CLINTON (3-1) Lillian Wagner 1 0-0 2, Elizabeth Bubb 0 0-0 0, Alana Zibert 0 3-4 3, Anaiya Parriott 0 1-2 1, Alexa Pastor 0 0-2 0, Isabella Belden 1 0-0 3, Shelby Isaac 0 0-2 0. TOTALS 2 4-10 9 Margaretta 11 19 15 15 — 60 Port Clinton 0 3 1 5 — 9 Three-point goals: Margaretta 6 (Wybensinger 2, Elly. Schaefer 2, Ella. Schaefer 2); Port Clinton 1 (Belden)