By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
PETTISVILLE (December 28, 2024) – When you look at the makeup of your team, it’s always good to have a coach’s kid.
Willow Mitchell, the daughter of longtime, now retired Fayette boys head coach Todd Mitchell, made keys plays at key times as she and the Eagles took down Pettisville 40-29 in a non-league contest at Pettisville.
The Eagles are now 4-6 on the season. Pettisville, who played without injured 13 ppg. scorer Olivia Miller, fell to 3-7.
“She is a coach’s kid. There is no doubt that she is one of the smartest kids on the court,” Fayette coach Travis Arkwright said of his junior guard.
“We talked earlier this week, and I have so much faith in her. I trust her with the basketball in her hands, guarding the basketball, she is going to put people in the right spots. She is like a little comfort blanket out there for us.”
Without Miller, it took the Blackbirds over six minutes to dent the scoreboard on Grace Hastings triple with 1:48 left.
By that time, Fayette had used Zoie Brown’s stick back, and consecutive steal and scores from Addison Schang and Mitchell to forge a 7-0 lead.
Mitchell’s drive with 20 seconds left maintained that seven point lead heading into the second but Madison Remington put back her own miss twice to get the Blackbirds back to a one possession game at 11-8.
Fayette answered right back when Brown got her second bucket cleaning the glass on the night, Mesa Gorsuch’s basket on a fast break dish from Mitchell and Erika Fetterman’s third chance try to boost the Eagles up 17-10 at the half.
Fayette thought they had put the game away in the third. Mitchell hit a pair from the foul line, then a corner three-ball to start a 9-0 run beginning the third. Schang’s 2/2 from the line and Fetterman’s bucket inside made it 26-10 with a minute left.
“We decided we were going to sit down and guard and make them put the basketball where we wanted it to go,” Arkwright said of the third quarter burst.
“We did a good job rebounding the ball for the most part that quarter. We were better being strong with the ball and getting the ball out to get some fast break opportunities that we made good on.”
However beginning the fourth, the Eagles got ahead of themselves, and the Blackbirds capitalized on 11 Fayette turnovers in the quarter.
Remington got her fourth putback of the night to edge Pettisville closer but Schang’s hoops off Mitchell’s steal and assist kept the lead at 31-16.
Becca Strauss’ four straight points got the Birds within 11 but Mitchell scored from Schang on the break to keep the Blackbirds from getting closer than 10 the rest of the way.
“We are still doing a lot of learning,” Arkwright added. “We are still learning where we need to be, and we are learning how to win as well.”
“We have learned that we are good enough to compete with good teams on our schedule, we have to realize that we are no one’s little brother or someone’s scout team.”
“We are here to win basketball games, and we believe we have the talent to do that. We have to show in practice and have that same mentality.”
Mitchell led all scorers with 11 on the day. Remington had 10 for Pettisville.
FAYETTE (40) – Schang 9; Simon 0; Mitchell 11; Kelsie Storrs 1; Gorsuch 4; Fetterman 4; Brown 8; Kunkle 3; Totals: 13-1-11 40
PETTISVILLE (29) – Rice 1; Strauss 8; Hastings 3; Bennett 2; G. Remington 0; Fox 0; M. Remington 10; Davis 4; Beltz 1; Totals: 9-1-8 – 29
FHS 11 6 12 11 – 40
PHS 4 6 2 17 – 29
Junior Varsity: Pettisville, 41-18