ATTACKING THE HOOP … Anna Lohman drives to the bucket for a layup in the fourth quarter for Delta.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL NAGEL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
TOURNAMENT ACTION … Delta’s Addison Wyse fires from short range during last Saturday’s sectional final win over Paulding. VIEW PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
DELTA (February 21, 2026) – This one had more plot twists than a Netflix mini-series. And when it was all over, all Delta coach Kelsey Gillen could continue to say how proud she was of her kids.
That’s because Delta exorcised a demon from last season, taking advantage of 30 Paulding turnovers, to take a 42-34 win over the team that knocked Delta out of the tournament year ago in a Division V sectional title contest.
The game had all the aura of a District final match-up that ended up a sectional title game tilt as everyone avoided highly-touted Ottawa-Glandorf in the tournament draw.
“We made it tough on them,” Gillen said. “They are a good team. Our girls had such a good week of practice and after last year and when they jumped on us right away at the drawing – I’m just so proud of them.”
After a pair of Anna Lohman hoops gave Delta an early lead, Paulding responded with the next nine points.
Tori Schlatter was the main culprit, hitting 3-4 from the foul line, getting a transition layup, then dishing to Myrriah Manz for a bucket to make it 9-4.
Back-to-back hoops by Addison Wyse regained a 10-9 Delta lead with 1:24 left in the first. Addison Pease stuck a long triple to boost Paulding up 14-11 at the quarter.
Both teams struggled in the second, Delta shooting 2-12, and Paulding committing seven turnovers.
Paulding held onto their three point margin at 21-18 going into the locker room but that would quickly change starting the third quarter.
Abbey Todd’s basket and three-pointer, then a score from Keagyn Gillen in tight, boosted Delta on top 25-21. Estie Pease put Paulding ahead in a back-and-forth third when she tripled with 1:41 to go to make it 28-27.
Lohman’s score off a turnover, then her dash up the floor with ten seconds left put Delta ahead 31-29 after three.
A three-ball by Katie Manz gave Paulding a 32-31 lead with 6:38 to go but soft passing finally took its toll as Paulding (20-3) was guilty of ten fourth quarter miscues.
While Paulding was making mistakes, Wyse was making them pay off for Delta.
The lengthy junior dished twice to Todd for easy buckets, scored another on a stick back, then in essence sealed the game when she scooped on an offensive rebound and flipped a pass to Olivia Mohring for a layup to give Delta a 39-34 lead with two minutes left.
“She was able to keep her calm and keep her control today,” Gillen stated of Wyse. “She absolutely played a huge role for us today.” Paulding never scored again.
Todd led Delta (19-4) with 16 while Lohman added 12. Schlatter had 10 for Paulding.
PAULDING (34) – A. Pease 8; K. Manz 5; Schlatter 10; E. Pease 3; M. Manz 4; Dunham 4; Mead 0; Totals: 8-4-6 – 34
DELTA (42) – Lohman 12; Todd 16; Kruger 0; Martinez 1; A. Gillen 0; Mohring 2; Wyse 7; K. Gillen 4; Totals: 16-1-7 – 42
PHS 14 7 8 5 – 34
DHS 11 7 13 11 – 42