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Wildcats’ home away from home

WATERFORD – Waterford High plays its home basketball games at the Harry Cooper Annex inside Waterford Elementary School.

But the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus is starting to feel like a second home for the Lady Wildcats.

On Saturday at Pickerington North, Waterford defeated Fairfield Christian Academy 47-42 to clinch its fourth straight trip to the Division IV state tournament.

That’s right – four straight appearances at state for a high school basketball program, including a state championship in 2016. Thursday’s semifinal game against Minster, scheduled for a 3 p.m. tip-off, will be Waterford’s seventh game in four seasons at the Schott.

Needless to say, Waterford’s getting comfortable playing on the big stage. Especially when the Waterford/Washington County community packs the arena with green, making it feel almost like a home game for the Wildcats.

“It’s really nice to turn around and see that sea of green behind you,” said Waterford head coach Jerry Close. “It’s unbelievable how many people have followed us through the years, and also how may people we’ve picked up with the success. There’s a lot of alumni around the Columbus area who get a chance to see the girls play.”

Senior Alli Kern, who was named the Division IV Player of the Year Monday, agreed the community support helps make Columbus feel like home for Waterford.

“Our community is amazing,” she said. “Their support in every single games is tremendous.

“Every year it seems like there’s more and more support. I think the community plays a very big factor as to how we perform.”

Though the Wildcats will graduate four senior starters and seven seniors overall, Close is hoping for more trips to state in the future.

“It would be nice to make this a habit,” the coach laughed. “We’re just happy to be going back. This group of kids has been amazing. They had great leadership as freshmen and sophomores, and they’ve carried that on to now. I haven’t had to do a lot of adjusting. They’ve just gone out and played. It’s been a pretty stress-free year to be honest with you.”

Waterford’s senior class is 4-2 at the Schottenstein Center and 24-2 overall in postseason games. Kern and classmate Megan Ball, a two-time first team All-Ohioan, enter this year’s state tournament with the more experience playing on Ohio State’s floor than anybody in Ohio. In six “Final Four” games, Kern has averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while Ball has added nine points and 6.3 rebounds a contest.

Add senior sisters Hannah and Hayley Duff, all-district junior Rachael Adams, a solid bench and a sea of green to the mix and Waterford appears on track to bring home another state title.

Jordan Holland is an associate sports editor for The Marietta Times. He can be reached at (304) 485-1891 ext. 256 or jholland@mariettatimes.com

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