Girls basketball: Vermilion loses star player in 50-44 loss to Bellevue

VERMILION — After a 50-44 loss to Bellevue with first place in the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division on the line Monday night, Vermilion might have bigger issues than a hard-fought defeat. Tthe Sailors (8-3, 4-1) might be without one of their best players for 12 games over the next 27 days. Junior guard Molly Plas suffered a possible high-ankle sprain just 20 seconds into the second half after being knocked into the scorer's table during a scramble for a loose ball. She spent the rest of the game with ice on her elevated ankle. Vermilion coach Jason Sockel has called Plas his best 'on-the-ball' defender and he didn't like having to pay without her for a half, especially when his roster is short on varsity experience. "When she came out with foul trouble in the first half and they got up a little bit, I put her back in and she, for some reason, calms things down," Sockel said. "She can shoot the basketball so people have to be aware of where she is on the floor. Defensively, she's just unbelievable on the basketball. "(Bellevue's) Cory Santoro is a phenomenal basketball player and (Molly) held her own. We've got five girls left. We played the last 12 or 13 minutes with five girls." Santoro, a senior guard, scored 17 of her game-high 32 points in the second half. The game started when Bellevue (10-1, 5-0) worked the ball to Santoro for an open 3-pointer on the game's first possession. The Sailors rallied to take a 12-10 lead after the first quarter despite turning the ball over nine times. "In the beginning I think we were a little too excited or maybe a little bit nervous," Vermilion senior Camryn Colahan said. "We've played intense games before so I don't think it was the intensity. I think we just had to get our feet under us a little bit. Once we calmed down, we got things going." The Sailors led 22-19 at halftime and 33-32 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Redmen opened the final period on a 9-2 run and never trailed again. Vermilion pulled within a basket at 42-40 on a pair of Morgan Potts free throws, but Bellevue closed out the game from the line. Potts, who should see increased minutes with Plas' injury, scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter. "We talked to Morgan at halftime," Sockel said. "We told her she was doing a great job of breaking people down off the dribble, but she was a little afraid to shoot the basketball when she got inside. We asked her to be confident and finish off the play that she started. "It's a 'next-man-up' mentality, especially when you only have five or six girls." Senior Gabby Turner only scored three points for Bellevue but she had nine rebounds — a number of them in critical situations, including two off missed Redmen free throws in the fourth quarter. "I think we wanted it a little more in the fourth quarter," Bellevue coach Kory Santoro said. "I think the first three quarters they outplayed us. I thought (Turner) had a lot of timely rebounds. We're not a big rebounding team because we get so many steals, but Gabby did a nice job with key rebounds in key situations." Junior Marianna Plas led the Sailors with 19 points and four steals. She added five rebounds. Vermilion will host Edison on Wednesday before traveling to Bellevue for the rematch Thursday. "They know how to win and we're learning how to win," Sockel said. "I think they closed it out better than we did. It's easy to look at a play here or there that could have made a difference, but we just have to learn how to finish four quarters." Contact Mike Perry at 329-7135 or macsportstalk@gmail.com. Bellevue 50, Vermilion 44 BELLEVUE (50): Emma Bollinger 5-0-11, Brynn Vogel 0-2-2, Cory Santoro 10-9-32, Marley Ruffing 1-0-2, Gabby Turner 1-1-3. Totals 17-12-50. VERMILION (44): Audrey Peterson 2-0-4, Marianna Plas 7-4-19, Hallie Habermehl 2-0-5, Molly Plas 1-0-3, Camryn Colahan 1-3-6, Kaitlin Colahan 0-0-0, Morgan Potts 1-0-3. Totals 15-9-44. Bellevue 10 9 13 18 — 50 Vermilion 12 10 11 11 — 44 Three-point goals: Bellevue 4-17 (Santoro 3, Bellinger), Vermilion 5-13 (Mar. Plas, Habermehl, Molly Plas, Colahan, Potts). Field goals: Bellevue 17-46 (36.9 percent), Vermilion 15-38 (39.4 percent); Free throws: Bellevue 12-18 (66.7 percent), Vermilion 9-12 (75 percent); Rebounds: Bellevue 26 (9), Vermilion 30 (Colahan 9). Turnovers: Bellevue 18, Vermilion 27. Total fouls: Bellevue 18, Vermilion 17. Fouled out: Bollinger. Junior varsity: Bellevue, 31-15