Saturday, March 13, 1999Badin gets a boost from ailing senior
Fiehrer rallies Rams in regional
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
Enquirer contributorVANDALIA — Out of the sick bed and into the regional championship game.
Absent from practice Thursday because of bronchitis, Kerri Fiehrer came off the bench Friday to lead Hamilton Badin to a 46-34 victory over Little Miami in the Division II Regional semifinals at Vandalia Butler.
A senior guard, Fiehrer expertly ran the Ram offense, scoring nine points and dishing out seven assists as the Rams rallied.
The victory advances Badin into today's 7:30 p.m. championship game against Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, a 38-27 winner over Columbus Bexley.
Chaminade finished runner-up to Pickerington last year in Division I while Badin is the defending Division II state champions.
“I guess one of us will stay home and the other will go back to Columbus,” Badin coach Dan Purcell said. “C-J is a pretty good team and they have more starters back than we do. It will be a tough game.”
It appeared the Rams would have little trouble with Little Miami, taking a quick 6-0 lead. But Little Miami scored seven unanswered points for a 7-6 lead.
That's when Fiehrer entered the game and the Ram offense came alive, pulling out to a 10-9 advantage at the quarter break.
Fiehrer opened the second quarter with a three-point field goal. Then the Ram defense turned the game around, holding Little Miami scoreless for 9:49 in the second and third quarters.
Badin outscored the Panthers 14-0 in that span to take a 29-14 lead.
Knee surgery ended Fiehrer's season last year, which is her motivation for this season.
“I didn't feel that good but I knew I had to play,” an exhausted Fiehrer said.
“We win ugly but these kids know how to win,” Purcell said.
Lisa Knapp led Badin with a game-high 14 points.
LITTLE MIAMI (34) — Gentry 2 1 5, Chamberlain 0 2 2, Horn 0 1 1, Back 2 2 6, Richardson 1 2 4, Balser 4 2 11, Smiley 0 2 2, Journeay 1 0 3. Totals: 10 12-22 34.
HAMILTON BADIN (46) — Bennett 0 2 2, Fiehrer 3 2 9, Larkin 1 0 2, Hinkel 0 4 4, Kuhl 0 2 2, Morner 0 2 2, Knapp 5 2 14, Wolf 5 1 11. Totals: 14 15-23 46.
Little Miami ....... 9 4 7 15—34
Hamilton Badin ....... 10 14 11 11—46
Three-point field goals: Balser, Journeay. B--Fiehrer, Knapp 2.
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