ZANESVILLE — “Well, it rolls like a train that’s coming’ on down the tracks.”
When Jeff Lynne and ELO sang this line from the song “Rock and Roll is King” 40 years ago, they didn’t have the Fairland Lady Dragons in mind.
But the unbeaten Lady Dragons must have been humming that song Tuesday night as their basketball train rolled down the court and routed the previously unbeaten Unioto Lady Shermans 88-61 in the Division 2 regional semi-finals.
Fairland (26-0) will now play Granville in the regional finals Friday at 7 p.m. Granville (25-2) breezed to a 42-6 win over John Glenn (19-9).
The Lady Dragons sizzled from the field and especially from behind the arc as they made 12-of-20 for 60 percent. Overall, Fairland shot 30-of-54 for 56 percent from the field and 16-of-20 from the foul line.
Tomi Hinkle scored 20 points to lead four Fairland players in double figures.
Kamryn Barnitz drilled four 3-pointers and scored 18 points, Bailey Russell scored 17 points and Bree Allen had three deep 3-pointers and scored 13 points.
Milee Smith scored 23 points and Amelia Uhrig added 10 points for Unioto.
The game went back-and-forth in the first quarter with Unioto holding its biggest lead at 17-14 on a free throw by Amari Betts but two foul shots by Kylee Bruce got Fairland within 17-16 to end quarter.
A 3-pointer by Alexis Book gave Unioto its biggest lead of 20-16 to start the second quarter. Hinkle answered with a trey and a layup by Russell tied the game at 21-all.
Smith’s 15-footer but the Lady Shermans up 23-21 but Hinkle made a layup, Russell drilled a 3-pointer, Hinkle sank a free throw and Russell’s layup gave Fairland a 29-23 lead with 3:30 left in the half.
Unioto got within 31-30 on a 3-pointer by Abbie Marshall only to have Fairland close the half with a foul shot by Hinkle and 3-pointers by Russell and Barnitz and it was 38-30.
Barnitz and Allen hit from behind the arc to start the second half and it was 44-30.
The lead went to 55-38 on a 3-point play by Hinkle. A long 3-pointer by Allen made it 58-40 and the Lady Dragons biggest lead was 63-43 on a 3-pointer by Hinkle.
Smith’s layup made it 63-45 to end the quarter.
Fairland continued to pull away from Unioto in the fourth quarter. Hinkle’s layup and two free throws each from Bruce and Hinkle open up an 80-53 cushion as the Lady Dragons drew a step closer to reaching the state tournament.
Unioto 17 13 15 16 = 61
Fairland 16 22 25 25 = 88
UNIOTO (25-1): Magnolia Holbert 1 0 1-1 3, Amaris Betts 1 0 2-4 4, Sophie Coleman 0 0 0-0 0, Addison Mohan 2 0 1-1 5, Jaelyn Himes 0 1 0-0 3, Abbie Marshall 0 1 0-0 3, Alexis Book 2 2 0-0 10, Amelia Uhrig 3 1 1-2 10, Miles Smith 10 3-4 23. Totals: 24-57 8-13 61. 3-pt goals: 5-14. Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Holbert.
FAIRLAND (26-0): Isa Taliaferro 0 0 0-0 0, Addison Godby 3 0 0-0 6, Reece Barnitz 2 0 1-1 5, Bree Allen 1 3 2-2 13, Tomi Hinkle 4 2 6-8 20, Kamryn Barnitz 3 4 0-0 18, Bailey Russell 4 2 3-4 17, Kylee Bruce 1 1 4-4 9. Totals: 30-54 16-20 88. 3-pt goals: 12-20. Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 9. Fouled out; None.
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