Andrew Grimm GOING UP — Indian Creek’s Kaydence Walker goes to the basket to attempt a layup during Friday’s Division IV Region 15 Championship game against Circleville inside Zanesville’s Winland Gymnasium. 

ZANESVILLE — When Indian Creek’s girls basketball team stepped onto the Winland Gymnasium floor in Zanesville Friday night in the Elite 8, they made history as having gone further than any Creek hoops team before. 

Unfortunately for the Redskins, however, that is where the historic run came to an end. 

Taking on Central Division champion and state No. 5 ranked Circleville in the Division IV, Region 15 Championship, Creek battled hard, but just could not get enough going offensively or enough breaks to go their way and saw their history-making season end with a 40-26 loss. 

The Redskins (21-6) led twice in the second quarter and battled hard despite being in foul trouble, but shot just 3 of 15 in the second half as the Tigers slowly but surely pulled away for good. 

“I couldn’t ask for anything more, their effort was amazing and they battled as hard as they could,” Indian Creek head coach Steve Eft said. “They battled hard the entire game, we just struggled to score. You don’t see that type of defense very often, they disrupted us … but it’s the regional final, I can’t be too upset about anything that happened. The run these girls went on was unbelievable and it’s just a really special group and they mean a lot to me. 

“It stings tonight, but we told them no one here has gotten this far before and they should be extremely proud of what they accomplished. Tonight hurts, it hurts a lot, but these girls will be able to look back on this season and this run the rest of their lives with great memories and be able to cherish it.” 

Circleville (23-4) advances to the Division IV Final Four next week in Dayton. 

Friday’s game was the end of the road for two Creek seniors who leave the program as the most decorated players in the program’s history with four OVAC titles, two district titles and back-to-back regional appearances in Riley Sadler and Gabby Taylor. 

Sadler led Creek with 12 points and six rebounds on Friday despite playing with four fouls most of the second half. Taylor dished a game-high five assists and had a steal. 

“Those two mean a lot to me, they’ve been around the program for a long time,” Eft said. “I can’t remember a day without them around. Gabby went through two knee surgeries and I don’t remember her missing a practice other than for her surgeries or PT, so the two of them put in the most time of any two girls since I’ve been here and I told the other girls it’s not an accident they helped us get to this point, those two earned it. 

“They’re special young ladies and I could not be prouder of them. They’re going to be successful at whatever they choose to do in life. Nobody has given this program more and they’re going to be really missed.” 

Things got off to a slow start early as Circleville led 6-5 after one quarter. Creek took its first lead early in the second quarter on a Gracie Wiley 3-pointer to go up 8-6. 

After the Tigers had pulled back ahead 13-11, East District Player of the Year Kaydence Walker (11 points, four rebounds, four steals) converted an and-one to make it a 14-13 Redskins lead with 24 seconds left in the opening half, but the Tigers went the other way and scored, got a rebound and scored again to lead 17-14 at the break. 

The Tigers pushed the lead to as many as nine in the third and led by seven going to the fourth quarter. In the final eight minutes the Tigers pushed the lead to as many as 18. Creek trimmed it down to 13 near the midpoint of the quarter but just could not get shots to fall to get back into it. All of Creek’s fourth quarter points came from the line as they went 0 for 8 from the floor. 

Circleville had a size advantage, led by 6-foot-2 junior center Addison Edgington (game-high 23 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks), and did a lot of their damage on second-chance points. They finished with a 23-15 advantage off the glass. Creek also turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 16 times. 

Creek’s defense was solid to give them a chance, holding the Tigers to 16 of 41 overall, 0 for 5 from 3 and forced 13 turnovers, but the offense just never fully got into rhythm. 

Creek will return three starters, including Walker, and a large number of underclassmen. 

“The bar has been raised,” Eft said. “Hopefully the younger girls take notice of the leadership we had, follow in their footsteps and continue to build on it.” 

OHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament 

Division IV Region 15 Championship 

At Zanesville High School’s Winland Gymnasium 

No. 5 Circleville 40, No. 17 Indian Creek 26 

(MaxPreps state ranking)

Circleville 6-11-10-13 — 40

Indian Creek 5-9-6-6 — 26 

CIRCLEVILLE (23-4): Cramer 1-4 0-0 2; Blakemon 4-7 0-1 8; Sims-Ross 2-6 1-2 5; Edgington 8-19 7-9 23; McConnell 1-4 0-0 2; West 0-1 0-0 0; Sims 0-0 0-0 0; Culp 0-0 0-0 0; Burckett 0-0 0-0 0; McLaughlin 0-0 0-0 0; Fountain 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 16-41, 8-12; 40. 

INDIAN CREEK (21-6): Walker 2-8 6-9 11; Taylor 0-5 0-0 0; Wiley 1-2 0-0 3; Sadler 5-8 2-2 12; Klinesmith 0-3 0-0 0; Crouch 0-0 0-0 0; Cozart 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 8-26, 8-11; 26. 

3-POINTERS: Circleville 0-5; Indian Creek 2-6 (Walker, Wiley). REBOUNDS: Circleville 23 (Edgington 10); Indian Creek 15 (Sadler 6). ASSISTS: Circleville 5 (Cramer 2, Edgington 2); Indian Creek 5 (Taylor 5). STEALS: Circleville 10 (Sims-Ross 3); Indian Creek 6 (Walker 4). BLOCKS: Circleville 3 (Edgington 2); Indian Creek 0. TURNOVERS: Circleville 13; Indian Creek 16.