Delta beats Oran again

~ The Bobcats improved to 8-0 against the Eagles in the last two seasons.

OAK RIDGE -- Delta and Oran have become quite familiar with each other in girls basketball, meeting for the eighth time in the past two seasons Thursday in the Class 1 District 2 championship game.

The Bobcats have won the previous seven meetings, and Thursday's matchup was no different as Delta won its sixth straight district title with a 41-26 triumph.

Delta coach Randy White said the Bobcats' keys to success against the Eagles have not changed much during the last two years.

"Teams that win normally don't change much," White said. "The teams aren't winning are making the changes."

The game plan for Delta was to pressure the ball and control the boards. Delta excelled in both of those areas, especially in the opening half.

A close game early in the first turned into a 15-5 lead for Delta, as the Bobcats scored the final seven points of the quarter. Delta held Oran to just four points in the second quarter, and despite scoring eight points -- all on free throws -- Delta led 23-9 at the half.

"I thought defensively we really did a good job," White said.

Oran's offense continued to struggle in the third. The Eagles had just two field goals and seven points in the quarter. Leading scorer Tiffany Glastetter, who averages 13 points a game, had just one field goal and five points through three quarters.

"When we got the ball down there and tried to make a move we either lost it, got a jump [ball] or missed the shot, one of those three," Oran coach Larry Boshell said. "Their inside defense is really good. I think that had a lot to do with it, but we missed some opportunities.

"We couldn't get the break we needed to get rolling," he added. "They had a lot to do with that. We had been hitting some outside shots recently, but tonight they didn't fall."

Glastetter led Oran with 11 points. No other player had more than six points for the Eagles.

Kaci Menz led the Bobcats with 20 points and Shea Smith had nine.

Next for the Bobcats is Scott County Central. The teams will meet Tuesday at Central Junior High in a sectional game for the third straight year.

The Eagles will have to wait until next year, when they will likely play Delta in the district championship once again.

"They've got everyone back next year and we have most everyone back," Boshell said. "Hopefully, we're ready to roll."

Delta 41, Oran 26

Oran 5 4 7 10 -- 26

Delta 15 8 9 9 -- 41

ORAN (26) -- Hanna Seyer 4, Erica Michelsen 6, Wendy Eftink 2, Jodi Urhahn 3, Tiffany Glastetter 11. FG 10, FT 4-10, F 20 (3-pointers: Seyer 1, Urhahn 1. Fouled out: Eftink)

DELTA (41) -- Tiffany Amelunke 3, Alison Burger 2, Shea Smith 9, Ashley Deprow 3, Kaci Menz 20, Sarah Keys 2. FG 14, FT 11-21, F 15 (3-pointers: Menz 2. Fouled out: none)