ROOTSTOWN, OH- The girls high school basketball season in Portage County kicked off on Friday night in Rootstown as the Rovers hosted the Garfield G-MEN. The Rovers were coming off of a 22 win season a year ago but were without standout Nadia Lough who is recovering from knee surgery. Garfield is looking to bounce back after a 4 win season a year ago. Standout G-MEN guard Mandy Cardinal returns this season from her devastating knee injury a year ago.
Garfield got on the board first on a Cardinal bucket to jump up 2-0. Rootstown would answer on a Kelsey Bittecuffer three ball at the other end and it was all Rovers the rest of the 1st quarter. A Colbie Curall block at the other end led to a runout resulting in a Sasha Nichols layup putting the Rovers up 5-2. After Kolby Fresch split a pair of free throws for Garfield, the Rovers would go on a 12-0 run to close the opening quarter and take a 19-3 lead.
The scoring run for Rootstown continued into the 2nd quarter as it stretched to 19-0 after a Bittecuffer basket before Riley Grace stopped the bleeding with two free throws for Garfield. It was a 29-6 Rootstown lead with just over 4:00 to play in the first half when Addy Germann and Sasha Nichols hit back to back three's. That was followed by two points from Southeast transfer Elliott Smallfield for a 10-0 Rovers run that put them up by 31 points. After an Annie Rado bucket for the G-MEN, the Rovers closed the half on another 10-0 run to take a 48-8 lead into halftime. It was a half of turnovers for the G-MEN caused by the aggressive on the ball pressure of the Rovers. It was a first half of runs for Rootstown who had runs of 19-0, 10-0 and 10-0.
Elliott Smallwood goes up for a jump shot in the 1st quarter for Rootstown
The second half was a running clock with the Rovers up by 40 to start the 3rd. Rootstown would outscore the G-MEN 17-8 in the 2nd half to close out the 65-16 opening night win.
Kelsey Bittecuffer led the scoring attack for Rootstown dropping in 17 points. Sasha Nichols joined her in double figures with 10 while Elliott Smallfield dropped in 9 points in her Rover debut. Riley Grace led Garfield with 6 points.
Rootstown will host Columbia on Tuesday while the G-MEN are idle until 12/9 when they host Hubbard.