LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio Ƶ Fairland played in an unfamiliar gym but found itself in familiar territory.
The Dragons (20-5) defeated Waynesville 59-46 on Wednesday in the Division V Region 20 semifinals at Lakota East High School near Cincinnati.
Fairland took control early, breaking a 4-4 tie on a layup by freshman Ava Layne. The Dragons led 15-11 after one quarter. They held the Spartans (21-5) to four points in the second quarter to take a 26-15 halftime lead.
Layne netted nine points in the third quarter as Fairland pushed its lead to 48-35. Grace CorderyƵs basket pulled Waynesville within 53-40, but it moved no closer.
Junior guard Bailey Russell led the Dragons with 17 points. Sophomore Addison Godby scored 15 and Layne netted 13. Godby grabbed 11 rebounds and made five assists and four steals.
ƵOur players showed so much grit and intensity,Ƶ Fairland coach Jon Buchanan said. ƵWe battled each defensive possession and fought for everything. The players were wonderful making adjustments during the game.Ƶ
Tori See paced the Spartans with 16 points. Maggie Stephenson chipped in 10 points.
Fairland takes on Versailles (18-8) for the region title and a Final Four berth at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Lakota East. The Tigers beat Brookeville 70-66 in double overtime Wednesday.
Versailles and Fairland played in the state semifinals in 2014 in Columbus. The Tigers rallied from a 10-point deficit to win 67-60.
ƵVersailles is big, strong and athletic,Ƶ Buchanan said. ƵThey have really good size, good guard play and play hard-nosed defense. WeƵll have to really battle to compete.Ƶ
Some usual state powers remain in the Elite Eight. In Region 19, Portsmouth (24-1) defeated Tuscarawas Valley 48-35 at Logan High School to set up a showdown with fellow Scioto County power Minford (20-5) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Logan. The Falcons topped Belmont Union Local 47-31. Tuscarawas Valley finished 19-6. Belmont Union Local closed 20-6.
In Region 18, Ottawa-Glandorf (23-0) beat Johnstown-Monroe 47-22. The Johnnies finished 21-4. Columbus Africentric (18-7) nipped Clear Fork 56-54. The Colts ended 22-3.
In Region 17, Canton South (18-7) won 39-36 over Liberty Benton (15-11). Creston Norwayne (23-3) triumphed 42-38 over Doylestown Chippewa (18-9).
FAIRLAND 15 11 22 11 Ƶ 59: Leep 0, Taliaferro 2, Layne 13, Godby 14, Cornell 0, Barnitz 5, Russell 17.
WAYNESVILLE 11 4 20 11 Ƶ 46: Berrey 8, Whitaker 2, See 16, Kolaczkowski, Cordery 6, Bunch 4, Stephenson 10.
SPRING VALLEY 57, PARKERSBURG 39: The Timberwolves (18-2), top-ranked in Class AAAA, grabbed 57 rebounds in a victory over the host Big Reds (15-7).
Emma Edwards pulled down 11 rebounds, while Allie Daniels snared 10 boards and scored 10 points. Brooklyn Ellis scored 17 points, Sophi Hutchison dropped in 13 and Dria Parker produced 10. Hutchison also grabbed nine rebounds and made eight assists.
Spring Valley led 29-22 at halftime, then used a 16-9 run in the third quarter to pull away.
Frances Guice led fifth-ranked Parkersburg with 17 points.
SPRING VALLEY 17 12 16 12 Ƶ 57: Hutchison 13, Giles 0, Ellis 17, Parker 10, Daniels 10, Davis 0, Cook 0, Robertson 0, Harris 0, Edwards 7, Jackson 0, Baisden 0.
PARKERSBURG 15 7 9 8 Ƶ 39: Flanagan 7, Medina 6, Guice 17, Lott 0, DeBord 2, Kinnison 0, Delli-Gatti 2, Butcher 2.
PORTSMOUTH 48, TUSCARAWAS VALLEY 35: The Trojans set a single-season Portsmouth record for victories in improving to 24-1 by winning in the Division V Region 19 semifinals in Logan, Ohio.
Sienna Allen, a junior, led Portsmouth with 20 points.
The Trojans advance to the Elite Eight against Minford (20-5) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Logan.
Boys basketball
CABELL MIDLAND 71, CAPITAL 45: Ayden Spence scored 26 points and snared 12 rebounds to lead the Knights (11-10) past the Cougars (4-15) in Charleston.
Marshall Summers scored 13 points for Cabell Midland. Evan Hughes pulled down 12 rebounds.
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME 46, GREEN 30: The second-seeded Titans (18-5) won a defensive battle with the Bobcats (12-12) in an Ohio Division VII Southeast District 2 semifinal at the Waverly Downtown Arena.
Notre Dame held Green to six points in the first half to take a 14-point lead. The Titans limited Bobcats leading scorer Jon Knapp to three points.
Landon Barbarits paced Notre Dame with 12 points. Brody Stapleton totaled 13 points for the Bobcats.
GREEN 2 4 16 10 Ƶ 30: Russell 0, Merrill 2, Knapp 3, Stapleton 13, Kimbler 2, Blevins 8, Smith 2.
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME 9 11 9 7 Ƶ 36: L. Barbarits 12, Bradford 2, G. Barbarits 0, Phillips 7, Boerger 6, Davis 9.
