Waterford’s Kendall Sury, middle, tries to split a double team from Mogadore’s Amelia Morris (13) and Hayli Clester (5) during Friday’s Ohio Division VII state semifinal at Dover High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

DOVER – Time for Waterford and a redux in Ohio High School girls basketball for the Division VII state tournament championship game.

One year after losing to Fort Loramie in the state title game, Waterford returns to Dayton next Saturday to face that same opponent which left a bitter taste and a reason for motivation during the current quest.

Waterford continued the postseason road with a stellar first-half effort while defeating Mogadore 48-34 in a state semifinal Friday night at Dover High School. Waterford improves to 26-1 and extends its winning streak to 16 straight games. To date, the 2025 calendar year has been perfect.

In order to maintain that status, Waterford meets a Fort Loramie team which defeated Ottoville 52-40 in Friday’s other state semifinal.

“What we get is another shot,” said Waterford coach Jerry Close, who was proudly wearing his bling around the neck that was provided by the Waterford student section naming him MVP. “I don’t know where this necklace comes from, but it’s really heavy. It may be real gold.”

Waterford’s Avery Wagner, middle, receives heavy defensive pressure from Mogadore’s Julie Tompkins (1) and Kasey Bolyard (2) during Friday’s Ohio Division VII state semifinal at Dover High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Mogadore went nearly an entire second quarter without scoring as Waterford took a 23-9 lead into halftime.

“We did a nice job in that first half,” Close said. “I thought we were a little impatient early and we were settling. So once we got out of that mode and what we did defensively we played much better in the second quarter.”

With point guard Kendall Sury saddled with three personal fouls in the third quarter, combined with a fall to the floor following a hard screen in the opening moments of the fourth period, the senior turned in a mere two minutes of playing time in the second half.

“I was just playing defense then as soon as I knew it I turned around and hit their girl in the shoulder pretty hard,” saud Sury, who wore an ice pack throughout her time on the bench to curtail the headache she was suffering from. “I thought I was OK, but then I was just laying there. It just scared me a little bit.

“In all, it feels great getting back to the state final – it’s my senior year, we are not done. We still have one more game. All year, we have been thinking about what happened last year. It’s a little chip on my shoulder, so we will be playing this next game as hard as we can.”

Waterford girls basketball coach Jerry Close, left, gives Brynlee Pottmeyer (12) a hug after the Wildcats advanced to the Ohio Division VII state championship after Friday’s 48-34 win over Mogadore at Dover High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Waterford was stuck in a funk with Sury’s absence. Mogadore took advantage and put together a 10-1 surge which cut what was once a 19-point deficit to 39-28.

“We got out of sorts for a little while,” Close said. “I thought we would handle the pressure a little bit better. It is what it is.”

Mogadore limited Waterford to one shot attempt in the fourth quarter, but the likes of Brynlee Pottmeyer and Elsie Malec restored order at the free throw line. Between the two girls, they converted 10 of their last 12 free throws.

Teammate Avery Wagner scored eight of her team-high 13 points prior to halftime. The 6-foot-4 senior made her presence felt from the outset and blocked two shots in the opening period. She also finished the game with eight rebounds.

Malec also scored in double figures with 12 points on the strength of a 3-for-3 effort from three-point range.

Waterford’s Elsie Malec (3) was 3-for-3 from 3-point range and finished with 12 points as the Wildcats defeated Mogadore 48-34 during Friday’s Ohio Division VII state semifinal at Dover High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“I was pretty confident with my shot – I was 3-for-3 with my 3-pointers, so I was pretty confident,” Malec chuckled. “The state championship game is something I have been looking forward to all season. We are looking for revenge. We need to be able to handle (Fort Loramie’s) pressure and get up and down the court. Last year, we were battling injuries and sickness. This year we are a lot healthier.”

After missing her first two attempts from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, Pottmeyer was given a few words of encouragement from coach Close. The freshman then found her stride, making 7-of-8 in the final two minutes. All nine of her points occurred on foul shots.

“After those first two misses, coach told me I was having a problem about bending my knees – so I kept bending my knees and kept my head at the rim,” Pottmeyer said. “I was focused. I blocked out all the sound and really focused.”

Pottmeyer has embraced the intense environment throughout the postseason.

“I’m really lucky to have this kind of team and the experience – it’s really something,” Pottmeyer said.

Waterford’s Kendall Sury (10) applies full-court pressure on Mogadore’s Ari Tompkins (23) during Friday’s Ohio Division VII state semifinal at Dover High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Sury added seven points and a team-high four assists before leaving the game on a permanent basis at the 6:02 mark of the fourth quarter.

“Watching from the bench and not being able to do anything about it was pretty hard,” Sury said. “Hopefully, I don’t take another hit at our next game.”

The fifth individual in Waterford’s starting lineup, Avery Smithberger, was limited to three points but she controlled the boards and ended the night with a game-high 11 to go with three assists. Teammate Ava Hurley provided quality minutes off the bench and contributed four points.

Mogadore shooting never got on track in the first half, making just 13% (3-of-24) from the field. Julie Tompkins, who finished with a team-high 14 points, was responsible for all of her team’s scoring in the first half.

Several individuals started to step up in the second half, including Mogadore’s leading scorer this season, Amelia Morris, who finished with five points. Four rebounds and three assists.

“I’m just so happy for these kids,” Close said. “This is what they have been working for.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com