Sat Jul 31 2010
By Ben Wolford
Record-Courier correspondent
MANTUA — The Crestwood Red Devils led by eight, then 17, then 28.
By the end, they settled into a decisive 69-47 win over Rootstown, something the girls basketball team hadn’t done in at least four years.
Crestwood head coach Darin Cook said he never thought his growing team would come out as strong as it did — “not at the beginning of the season,” he said.
Saturday night was the season opener for both teams and a particular test for a Crestwood team that won just 7-of-20 games a year ago.
“Everyone that went out there contributed and did well,” Cook said. “All five of our starters were in double-digits (scoring). You can’t ask for much more than that.”
Senior guard Amanda Levaskevich led her team with 16 points, supported by Olivia Phillips (12), Alex Wagner (12) and Amy Loos (10).
“(Levaskevich) has been saying all week how she wanted to win this game,” Cook said. “We’ve started out with Rootstown several years in a row, probably about six or seven years now. We’ve not beaten them in four or five years.”
Rootstown called its first timeout two minutes into the first quarter when two quick 3-point baskets by Levaskevich helped lift the Red Devils to a 10-2 lead.
They led by as many as 17 in the first quarter and went into halftime up 56-28.
Rootstown saw some success after the team switched to a full-court press just before the half. They forced two turnovers, but Rovers head coach Tom Deighan said they can’t keep up a full-court defense.
“There’s only seven kids,” he said. “We need substitutes. Two kids fouled out.”
Deighan said his team lacks depth and experience this year, partly due to three starters from last season deciding not to return for this one.
“So the freshmen had to play right away, and they’re only going to get better,” Deighan said. His roster has three freshmen, five sophomores and three juniors. There are no seniors.
Haley Christani is one of the juniors. She’s a guard and does most of the ball-handling. Saturday night she scored a game-high 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, also a game high.
The Red Devils’ Wagner had a double-double with her 10 rebounds, and she scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half.
Crestwood junior guard Tyler Mae Hunter gave her team a lift at the line, making 5-of-6 free throws.
Rootstown went on a small tear at the end of the game with help from two successive 3-pointers from freshman guard Amanda Savage. The Rovers won the fourth quarter, 19-13, even with Crestwood’s starters in the game.
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