Elyria vs. Avon girls basketball: Eagles run past Pioneers for senior night win

It was a special night at Avon for more than one reason on Jan. 25. The Eagles’ girls basketball team celebrated senior day with their four seniors, and cruised to a 61-20 victory over visiting Elyria.

The four seniors — Anna Fitch, Brooke Laub, Era Bengu and Elena Agostin — were honored with a short ceremony before warmups, and started the game together along with junior Madigan O’Leary.

Avon coach Maggie Ferrando didn’t get much time to be with this group in her first season with the Eagles, but they appear to have left their mark.

“I couldn’t have a better four seniors for my first year here at Avon,” said Ferrando. “I’m super impressed with them, they’re just such respectful kids. They work hard for me every single day, they’ve been very good leaders. Those four have been four of the best that I’ve had in my career.”

PHOTOS: Avon vs. Elyria girls basketball, Jan. 25, 2023

Fitch and Laub attempted three combined shots and didn't score. Agostin scored four points, including the game's first points with a steal and layup. The senior scorer tonight was Bengu, she had 19 points to lead all scorers.

"It's the last everything this year, so we're playing with our hearts out and going for everything," said Bengu. "For us four seniors, we've been close since fourth or fifth grade since we've been playing together. It's been so great how long that we've stuck together for."

The Eagles took a bit to get going, the turnovers piled up in the first quarter. Bengu scored consecutive baskets to give Avon a 7-2 lead, but the Pioneers responded with five straight points from Hayli Hendrix and Hannah Miller to tie it.

Fortunately for Avon, its defense was also turning over Elyria, setting up easy fast break buckets. The Eagles have played their best basketball doing so this season, and finished the first quarter on a 14-0 run to go up 21-7, and put it out of reach from there.

Free throws from Makenzie Ptacek gave Avon the lead for good, and back-to-back transition layups off of steals from Molly Drenik extended the lead to six. Leading by 10, Abby Owens provided a spark off of the bench with two layups off of steals.

"We have to tighten up our turnovers, sometimes we get a little loose with our passes there," said Ferrando. "But overall, we did a great job. I'm really proud of them."

Avon's turnover issues went away as the game progressed, but the same can't be said for Elyria. The Eagles' pressure was causing issues, and the lead exploded up to 26 at the half. Trailing, 23-7, T'Asia Easley scored the Pioneers' only field goal in the second quarter with a layup. To end the half, Avon went on a 13-0 run.

Drenik was in control of the boards with a couple of putbacks, Bengu scored through traffic with an and-one, and Ptacek finished off the first half with a layup off of another steal.

"Here's the thing, when you turn the ball over, you're going to find ways to turn the ball over," said Elyria coach Anthony Brown. "You have to be composed, you have to see what the defense is giving you and you have to expose the areas of the zone press. We did a couple times, but then the pressure got intense and we got sped up."

It was Bengu's game, and she started the second half off with a bang on a corner 3-pointer. The running clock came into play late in the third quarter, and the Eagles were winning, 52-17, heading into the fourth. Bengu scored her final points in the fourth on a layup and free throw, starting what was a 9-0 run to close the game out.

Behind Bengu's 19 points, Drenik had 10 points and nine rebounds. Miller led Elyria with eight points. Both teams return home for SWC action at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 28, as Avon hosts North Ridgeville and Elyria hosts Olmsted Falls.