Frontier’s Kelsey Dye (5) goes up to pass as Waterford’s Cira Ponchak (2) and Gracie Hartline (4) defend during Wednesday’s game at the Harry Cooper Annex. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

WATERFORD — Rebuilding year or not, anytime that you can go into the Harry W. Cooper Annex and come away with a win over the Waterford Wildcat girls basketball team you have feel like you have accomplished something pretty special.

Wednesday night the Frontier Cougars did just that as they grinded out a 29-25 win over the defending state champion Wildcats.

“It was a great atmosphere here tonight and we have the utmost respect for Waterford and Coach (Jerry) Close and all they have accomplished,” said Frontier head coach Mike Cisler. “To come over here you know what you are up against so this is a huge win for our girls.”

The Cougars used a strong second quarter to build a lead and then survived Waterford’s third quarter run to notch their third consecutive win and improve to 4-2 on the season.

The Wildcats built an early 6-2 lead thanks to a pair of two-pointers by sophomore Brynlee Pottmeyer and one by junior Ava Hurley

Frontier’s Ella Cisler (23) makes a move in the paint as Waterford’s Ava Hurley defends during Wednesday’s game at the Harry Cooper Annex. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Frontier managed to cut the lead to one (8-7) on buckets by seniors Kelsey Dye and Anna Bowersock.

The Cougars played great defense all night long as they made things extremely hard on the young Wildcats but the second quarter was outstanding as they blanked the Cats for the entire eight minutes.

“I was really proud of the way we played tonight and I thought our girls did a really good job defensively,” said Cisler. “To hold them scoreless for an entire quarter is hard to do.”

While the defense was holding Waterford at bay the Cougar offense did just enough to build a little cushion heading into the intermission.

Bowersock made a free throw to tie the game early in the quarter and then put her team in front for the first time with back-to-back buckets, the latter a three-pointer coming with an assist from Dye.

Freshman Addison Edgar accounted for the only other points of the quarter with a rebound put-back bucket sending the Cougars to the break with a 15-8 advantage.

The Cougars had to be expecting a run at some point by a Jerry Close-coached Wildcat team and it wouldn’t take the white and green long to make their charge.

Pottmeyer and junior Gracie Hartline both made one-of-two at the charity stripe to begin the quarter for Waterford to close the lead to five.

A pair of Cougar turnovers led to buckets by Hurley and Hartline and just like that the Wildcats had cut that lead to a single point.

The game had the feeling that if the Wildcats ever got even or pulled in front the momentum from the home crowd would likely spur them on a win but the pesky Cougars had completely different plans.

An inside basket by sophomore Willow Smitley and an offensive rebound put back up and in by Dye shoved the lead back out to five.

The Wildcats continued to mount the pressure on the Cougars and a steal and basket at the other end by sophomore Hensley Wagner cut the lead to 23-21 heading to the fourth quarter.

A Bowersock bucket opened the final quarter but the Wildcats made it a brand new ball game with three minutes to play with two-pointers by Pottmeyer and Malec.

Bowersock led all scorers with 14 points but none would bigger than her jumper from the top of the key which put the Cougars back in front with a minute and a half to play in the game.

The Wildcats came up empty on several shot attempts to take the lead in the closing minute and they were forced to foul Dye with just over 10 seconds to play in the game.

Dye calmly stepped to the line and made both free throws to make it a two-possession game and pretty much seal the deal for the Cougars.

Waterford went 0-for 13 in the game from behind the arc and a last second attempt by Pottmeyer was off the mark as the Cougars secured the win.

Bowersock also led the Cougars in rebounds with eight while Dye finished the game with 11 points and six steals.

Cisler had high praise for the two seniors.

“(Anna) Bowersock and Kelsey Dye are the two main cogs of the wheel and they make us go,” said Cisler. “They both work so hard and are always around the ball and really good girls too so I was proud of them and happy to see them lead us to such a big win.”

Waterford was paced by Pottmeyer with seven points and Hurley with six as they slipped to 4-3 on the season.

The Wildcats will play Martins Ferry on Friday at the ECO center in Belmont while the Cougars are right back in action Thursday at Magnolia.