Trojans come up short in first-ever state title game

Using a second quarter scoring run, the Oregon-Davis Bobcats held off the Trojans of Oakland City Wood Memorial, 54-46, to win the Class A state championship, its first state championship in any sport. Junior Shadoe Besing hit a long three-pointer to give Wood a 12-11 lead as the horn sounded to end the first quarter. Oregon-Davis then outscored the Trojans 25-4 in the second quarter to take a 36-16 lead into halftime. Freshman guard Gabrielle Minix scored 10 straight points for the Bobcats in the quarter. Wood Memorial cut the lead to eight by the end of the 3rd quarter by holding Oregon-Davis to 2 of 13 shooting from the field. Free throws also helped keep Wood in the game as they hit 14 of 19 in the second half. The Trojans defense held the Bobcats scoreless for over seven minutes in the second half which allowed them to pull within four at 43-39 with 4:10 remaining. Oregon-Davis scored on three consecutive breakaway lay ups to extend the lead back to 10 points. Oregon-Davis, coached by Terry Minix in his 14th year, finished the season 25-3, winning their final 19 games. They were led by Minix with 19 points. Senior Amber Boyle added 9 points, junior Sarah Conkey and Gabrielles sophomore sister, Aubrey chipped in with 8 points each. Johnnie Bartley, in his ninth year as the coach of the Trojans, led Wood Memorial to a 19-9 record. Wood had two scorers in double figures. Senior Kaiti Cochran had 17 and Besing added 13. The Trojans also had a pair of players with double figures in rebounds. Junior Keely Wilhite collected 14 in the contest and Cochran finished with 13. Trojan senior Kaiti Cochran set a Class A state record for blocks with 10. She finished the game with a triple-double adding 17 points and 13 rebounds. Courtesy IHSAA.org