POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) – Poland’s after its second District crown in the past three years.

The Bulldogs must get by Marlington on Saturday. The Lady Dukes have won six of their last seven games after topping West Branch for the third time this season on Wednesday in the District Semifinal round.

The winner will play against either Perry or Salem in the Regionals next week.

High School Girls’ Basketball Game of the Week
Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 7 pm (LIVE on MyYTV)
Marlington (19-3) at Poland (21-2)

*Live streamed on WKBN.com, tape delayed on MyYTV at 10 pm

Team Statistics
Scoring Offense: Poland, 54.9; Marlington, 53.0
Scoring Defense: Poland, 35.2; Marlington, 36.6

Game Notes:

  • Marlington is no stranger to the area. The Lady Dukes are 6-2 this season against teams from the tri-county area (only losses came against Salem).
  • Chelsea Evanich paced the Dukes with 21 points and 6 rebounds in Marlington’s 58-53 District Semifinal win over West Branch. In the Dukes’ three wins this season over the Warriors, Evanich averaged 14.7 points and hauled down 7.7 boards.
  • Evanich has accumulated six double-doubles in her last 12 games.
  • Maria Warner has scored 10 points or more in just two games this season. However, she’s had 13 games this year with five or more assists.
  • Poland is back in the District Championship game for the third straight year. The Bulldogs won the District title in 2019 (Poland 65 Ursuline 51).
  • Poland is 16-0 this year when scoring 50 points or more.
  • Freshman Mary Brant sent this past Wednesday’s game against West Geauga to overtime on a wild, three-point buzzer-beater. The Bulldogs advanced to the District Final by topping the Wolverines, 78-67. Jackie Grisdale led Poland with 31 points (11-15 FT) as she connected on four shots from beyond the arc. Connie Cougras and Morgan Kluchar each scored 12 points apiece.
  • Before their District Semifinal game against West Geauga, only one opponent this year had scored over 50 points in a single game against the Lady Bulldogs (Girard, 52).

Division II Northeast 2 District Field
Sectional Semifinal
Jefferson 50 Painesville Harvey 28
Cardinal Mooney 41 East 19
West Geauga 54 Southeast 47
West Branch 67 Chaney 9
Sectional Championship
Poland 53 Jefferson 35
West Geauga 41 Cardinal Mooney 37
Marlington 56 Girard 39
West Branch 54 Alliance 11
District Semifinal
Poland 78 West Geauga 67 (OT)
Marlington 58 West Branch 53
District Championship (Saturday at 7 pm)
Marlington vs. Poland