STRYKER SENIOR … Grace Froelich drives the middle of the Big Green defense during a Division VII regional final at Bluffton University.
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH DELL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
REGIONAL FINAL … Stryker’s Khloe Goebel puts up a shot in the first half. Goebel paced the Lady Panthers with 13 points. VIEW 128 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
BLUFFTON (March 8, 2026) – Where to begin. Hollywood would have a hard time writing a script with all the twists and turns in the Stryker versus Ottoville Division VII regional final.
In the end, it was the Ottoville Big Green who dominated after play resumed following a nearly 24-hour break for a 44-39 win to earn a return trip to the state final four.
What caused a 24-hour break in a basketball game? The combination of packed stands, unseasonably warm temperatures outside, and the air conditioning in the facility not being on led to the contest being suspended with 5:44 to go due to condensation on the floor resulting in unsafe playing conditions.
The OHSAA then made the decision, a decision that will be debated for years to come, to have the teams return on Sunday to play the final 5:44.
Did we mention that after the air conditioning was turned on and the gym cleared, there were two more regional finals played on the same floor with fans in attendance?
Why not postpone one of those games until Sunday and finish this game later on Saturday? That’s the million dollar question.
“It was slippery throughout the second half and was continuing to get worse. My girls wanted to play, and felt comfortable making adjustments, but that wasn’t listened to,” Stryker head coach Conner Ruffer told reporters after the decision was made to come back Sunday.
When play did resume on Sunday, it was all Ottoville. Brooklyn Koester drained a three, Kendall Schnipke was 2-for-2 at the line, and Kate Turnwald buried a triple to give the Big Green the lead for good at 39-37 with 2:15 to play.
Ottoville then closed the game out at the charity stripe as Koester went 4-for-6 and Schnipke split a pair to push the lead to 44-37.
Stryker would turn the ball over 12 times in the fourth and made just one shot from the field after the game resumed.
Ottoville outscored Stryker 19-4 in the quarter and 13-2 after play resumed.
Up until the stoppage, the Lady Panthers were in control. Freshman Khloe Goebel led the hot start with eight first-quarter points as Stryker led 11-9 going to the second.
The Lady Panthers maintained the lead through the quarter as they would stretch the lead to 18-12 at the 5:35 mark after a top of the key triple by Anna Donovan.
The Stryker lead was 19-16 to start the second half and Aubrey Clemens scored on a baseline drive to open the third quarter to make it 21-16.
The Lady Panthers engineered a 10-4 run to close the third and grab a double-digit lead. Abby Oberlin connected on a trey from the top of the key to start the surge.
After a Koester bucket for Ottoville, Grace Froelich scored on an offensive rebound and then a layup, and Goebel drilled a three-pointer from the right corner to give the Lady Panthers a 35-25 lead heading to the fourth.
The Big Green started to make its move in the opening two minutes of the fourth. A Schnipke free throw and a Koester layup after a steal made it 37-28.
Goebel answered for Stryker with a bucket and Koester knocked down a shot from beyond the arc for Ottoville to make it 37-31 before the stoppage.
Ottoville finished 14-for-32 shooting for 43 percent while Stryker hit 14-for-40 for 35 percent.
The Big Green (23-4) held a decided edge at the foul line by going 12-for-21, including 8-for-12 in the fourth quarter. The Lady Panthers (22-5) were 5-for-6 for the game and did not attempt a free throw in the final frame.
Koester had a game-high 23 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, and Goebel tallied 13 to front Stryker.
“Just very proud of our girls and thankful for the community they have. Our girls were ready to go yesterday and played their hearts out,” said Ruffer after the game.
“I think the situation was greatly mishandled with having us drive an hour and 15 minutes the next day to play 5:44.
“If other games were able to play after us, then we should have had the opportunity to finish yesterday as well.
“Our girls have had a tremendous season and have nothing to be down about. A great group of girls who love one another and play as a team, and who have brought a whole community together. Very, very proud of them.”
OTTOVILLE (44) – Turnwald 5; Koester 23; V. Hilvers 0; Schnipke 9; Horstman 2; Suever 1; Wertenberger 4; Totals: 10-4-12 – 44
STRYKER (39) – Froelich 8; Donovan 5; Oberlin 4; Ruffer 5; R. Creighton 0; Clemens 4; Goebel 13; Totals: 8-6-5 – 39
OHS 9 7 9 19 – 44
SHS 11 8 16 4 – 39