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Fort Frye advances in sectional

Fort Frye’s Makayla Liedtke (35) goes up for a jumper during a sectional girls basketball game against Shadyside Thursday in Beverly. Photo by Mike Morrison.

BEVERLY — Until Thursday night, Fort Frye freshman Kirsten Kesselring had started one game this season.

“It didn’t go so well, either,” said Cadets coach Dan Liedtke. “That’s why it’s so good for this to happen for her tonight. It was nice to see her play with such confidence.”

About an hour before the tipoff of Fort Frye’s Division IV Eastern District Sectional semifinal, Liedtke informed Kesselring that she was going to start for an ill Tanner Booth. Kesslering rewarded her coach with a strong performance in the Cadets’ scrappy 51-43 victory at Cadet Gym.

“I think playing at home helped with my nerves,” said Kesselring, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. “The team was moving the ball around really well and that helped.”

Kesselring carried a big part of the offensive load in the first half. She scored 10 points in the first quarter and added another four in the second quarter as Fort Frye (12-10) built a 32-19 halftime lead.

For the game, Kesselring made 8 of 10 shots – all but one was within five feet of the basket. Her strong showing allowed Liedtke to leave Booth on the bench to start the game. But because of fouls piling up on a thin roster, Booth played all but about four minutes.

“She is really sick and I wanted to rest her more, but we just couldn’t,” Liedtke said. “But once she gets out on the floor, Tanner is going to give you everything she’s got.”

The senior missed a few more baskets than normal, but she cleaned up on the boards with 17 rebounds.

Despite the momentum, Fort Frye struggled to start the second half and the Tigers (11-12) heated up from behind the 3-point line. Jess Cicogna, who finished with 12 points, nailed two 3-pointers, including a long-range heave at the buzzer as Shadyside cut Fort Frye’s lead to 41-33 going into the final quarter.

The Tigers continued to battle in the fourth and pulled within four points with 2:59 to play when Jaycee Mayeres made 1 of 2 from the foul line.

“That’s the thing about Shadyside,” Liedtke said. “If they start hitting 3s – and they can shoot it – they can get the momentum quick.”

But Fort Frye’s defense – while exhausted – stepped up down the stretch and didn’t allow the Tigers to score again.

Sophomore Morgan Borich scored three of her 14 points in the final frame, while senior Makayla Liedtke added 13 points, including 7 of 9 from the foul line.

Entering the game, Fort Frye had lost five of its last six games. Now the Cadets will play the winner of Bridgeport and Steubenville Central Catholic at 7 p.m. Saturday in Beverly.

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