The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hornets use defense to hold off Longhorns
Kirtland trying to get into rhythm after season has been paused twice
For a team like the Kirtland girls basketball team that likes to go, go, go, the last think they need is a constant stop-and-go scenario.
But the Hornets are playing through it.
Twice this season has Kirtland hit the pause button because of the novel coronavirus.
Offensive rhythm has understandably been tough to come by.
But led by a ferocious defensive effort, the Hornets topped visiting Lutheran West, 34-30, on Feb. 8 to run their record to 10-3.
There are more hurdles to come, including games with Chagrin Falls and Cuyahoga Heights on the docket this week. But Coach Brittany Zele likes what she sees as the regular season winds down.
Even with the intermittent COVID-19 stops and starts.
“What’s nice is we have a tough schedule,” Zele said, rattling off her team’s games this week. “In my opinion, you want to end on a strong schedule. This is what is going to prepare us for the tournament.
“We’ll find our flow. We’ve been inconsistent at times, but we’re gonna show up just like we did at the end of the game.”
Kirtland scored its last points of the game at the 6-minute, 5-second mark of the fourth quarter when Haley Coso hit a runner in the lane for a 34-22 lead.
The offense stalled from there.
But the defense didn’t, and that’s why the Hornets emerged victorious.
After forcing 13 turnovers in the first half alone, Kirtland ratcheted up the defense down the stretch to preserve the win.
With Lutheran West knocking on the door and only down 34-29, Coso swatted away a pass that was picked off by Corrine Greenlee and taken the other way to thwart a scoring opportunity.
Then with less than 30 seconds remaining, Coso blocked a shot by Lutheran West, got the rebound and gave her team possession again.
Any look Lutheran West got down the stretch wasn’t a good one, as Kirtland’s defense made up for the offensive drought.
“That’s what we focus on, our defense,” said Leah LaVerde, one of two seniors (Coso being the other) on the squad. “We play the full-court most of the time, which is tiring, but we have the legs and the speed to do it. That’s we we pride ourselves on, getting those steals.”
The steals are what ignited Kirtland from the get-go. LaVerde scored back-to-back baskets in the first quarter — both off Lutheran West turnovers — to open a 16-6 advantage.
The lead grew to 23-10 late in the second quarter when Coso hit a bucket, followed by a LaVerde 3-pointer.
Coso and LaVerde led Kirtland with nine each.
“It’s Leah and Haley,” Zele said with a shrug of her shoulders. “They’ve been leaders since the time I entered Kirtland. There’s a different energy about both of them.”
Lutheran West began to peck away at the Kirtland lead in the third when Hope Kiraly fueled a 9-2 run that cut the Kirtland lead to 3427 in the fourth.
But while the Hornets did not score over the final 6:05 of the game, the Longhorns were held to only three points in the final 2:45, a defensive effort that was anchored late by Coso’s big plays.
“I got an adrenaline rush at the end with the score closing in,” she said. “I just gave it everything I had — blocks, rebounds and all.”
Aside from LaVerde and Coso scoring nine each, Kirtland got seven from Reilly Greenlee and six from Macy McIntosh.
Kiraly had 17 for Lutheran West, but no one else had more than five.
“I think we did a much better job than in our first game,” said Zele of her team’s recent return from a COVID pause. “I think overall, we did a good job today.”
Prior to the game, the Hornets celebrated their two seniors with senior night festivities. Capping the night with a win was big for the home team.
“It’s super exciting,” LaVerde said. “We haven’t played together — this is only the second game with everybody, all seven of us here and healthy. It’s super exciting and super great to get everybody back on the court and obviously fun to get the win.”