GOING TO THE HOOP … Delta’s Anna Lohman drives between Wauseon defenders last Thursday. Lohman registered a game-high 20 points in the win.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL NAGEL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
GETTING BY THE DEFENSE … Wauseon guard Aizlynn Coronado tries to dribble out of trouble during last Thursday’s NWOAL game at Delta.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
DELTA (January 29, 2026) – After holding an 18-point lead in the third quarter, Delta was in danger of losing the whole thing midway through the fourth.
Ahead by just seven with four minutes left in the game, Ellie Martinez and Addison Wyse came up with huge plays to blow the game open again, allowing the Panthers to roll to a 56-40 triumph to keep them undefeated in league play.
“They have been working for this moment to stay undefeated in the league,” Panther coach Kelsey Gillen said of her team. “Thankfully, they were able to answer every time Wauseon battled back.”
“Every league game is tough. It means a lot to our girls right now. It’s checking one goal off at a time. They want to be out there competing for a league title.
“When we had our coaches’ poll at the beginning of the season, we were still put lower (than some other teams), and these girls use that as fuel to come back and battle.”
Anna Lohman’s three early baskets for Delta were offset by a trio by Abby Kissel, one of which was a triple, to create a 14-14 deadlock with 5:31 left in the half.
For the next 5:30, Wauseon went scoreless, committing six turnovers. The Panthers converted that defense into offense in the fashion of a 16-0 burst to open a big lead.
A Wyse drive was followed by Lohman’s swipe-and-dish to Abbey Todd for a layup to make it 19-14.
Lohman, still in the mood of giving, hit Olivia Mohring for a layup, then opened a barrage of Panther three-pointers with a bomb from deep to push the margin to 24-14.
Wyse followed with a three-pointer off an out-of-bounds play and then found McKenzie Kruger for a third straight triple that gave Delta a 30-14 lead.
A Mia Barajas free throw with one second left in the second stopped the run, making the score 30-15 at the half, but Lohman’s triple from the corner to start the third put the Panthers on top 33-15.
After going without a field goal for almost six minutes, the Indians began to chip away, holding Delta scoreless for over four minutes.
Ella Tule got inside twice for hoops, and Aizlynn Coronado went 2-2 from the line before scoring on a sweet up-and-under move from beneath the rim that got Wauseon back within single-digits at 33-24.
Another Lohman steal-and-feed to Todd boosted the Panthers back to a 36-24 lead with 2:23 left in the third, but Wauseon wasn’t done just yet.
Marin Leatherman’s runner and a last-second score by Tule got the Indians even closer at 39-32 going into the fourth.
Coronado bobbed and weaved through the lane at the 4:55 mark to keep the Indians within 43-36. That was the last field goal Wauseon would score.
On the next possession, Wyse dropped a great pass to Martinez, who banked one in. Lohman followed up with another swipe and a score of her own to give Delta a 47-36 advantage.
Wyse blocked a shot and got the rebound, leading to a second Martinez score to give Delta total control at 49-37 with 3:17 left on the clock.
“They can step up when that pressure is on,” Gillen expressed of Martinez and Wyse. “Ellie makes great cuts; she reads the ball well.
“Her size is her biggest weakness, but she plays to the best of her ability every time she is out there. She is a hustle player and doesn’t let her size hold her down.”
“Addison is a great too. She has moments of battling through when she gets frustrated, as does any kid. She has grown so much to be able to calm herself down in those moments and make something happen for our team.”
The Panthers regained their largest bulge at 56-38, when Elaina Hilyard stuck a corner three-ball with 1:08 on the scoreboard clock.
Lohman led all scorers with 20 on the night. Coronado paced Wauseon (10-7, 2-3 NWOAL) with 12.
Both teams were careless with the basketball as Delta forced 27 Wauseon turnovers while committing 22 of their own.
The foul line was a struggle for both teams as well. Wauseon went to the stripe 28 times but converted just 15. Delta (16-2, 5-0 NWOAL) was only 6-14 for the game.
WAUSEON (40) – Kissel 9; Leatherman 8; Coronado 12; Sanford 2; Hamilton 0; Tule 8; Barajas 1; Totals: 11-1-15 – 40
DELTA (56) – Maynhart 0; Lohman 20; Todd 7; Kruger 3; Martinez 8; A. Gillen 0; Mohring 2; Wyse 8; K. Gillen 5; Hilyard 3; Totals: 16-6-6 – 56
WHS 8 7 17 8 – 40
DHS 11 19 9 17 – 56