Girls basketball: Frankie Persia helps Avon Lake hold off Magnificat

ELYRIA — Frankie Persia only scored four points Tuesday night for Avon Lake, but they were the biggest points of the night, and perhaps of her career. First, she tied the game with a drive down the lane with a minute to play. Then she put Avon Lake in front with 22 seconds left with another high-arching shot off the glass to help give the Shoregals an exciting 47-45 win over Magnificat in non-conference play between the two powerhouses. "I like that shot. It's kind of what I go to," said Persia, a sophomore who had taken only two shots. "(The Blue Streaks) were pretty big. It's good that I finally got those off. As long as my team is scoring and we're winning, that's all that matters." Avon Lake (6-1) controlled the game through three quarters, leading by as much as 40-30 with less than a minute left in the third quarter, but the Shoregals had to hang on in the final stages, as Magnificat made its run. The Blue Streaks (5-3) started the final quarter on a 12-2 spurt to take the lead, 44-42, before Persia delievered. "Frankie was incredible throughout the game," Avon Lake coach Paul Appel said. "(She) did a good job being solid with the basketball. Late in games when a team's pressuring like that, you just have to make basketball plays, and Frankie's a good basketball player. She made two plays for us in the big moment." Avon Lake committed seven turnovers in the fourth quarter as Magnificat made its move, but missing nine free throws caught up with the Blue Streaks, who were just three-of-nine in the first half before hitting five of eight in the fourth quarter. "I told our girls, it wasn't things that happened in the last minute and a half, it was things that happened in the first half," said Magnificat coach Danny Gallagher. "Missed layups, missed free throws, we've lost three games this year, all by one possession." Another big play was turned in by Avon Lake's All-Ohio candidate Olivia Miller. Miller, who scored 18 points but was plagued with foul trouble, challenged Magnificat's 6-footer, Gemma Wichman, in the final sequence and managed to not only grab the ball away from Wichman, but draw a foul in the process. She made one of her two foul shots and Magnificat failed on its final possession with just 2.2 seconds left. "I knew I had to play smart and not get a foul," said Miller, who had four fouls when she made the big defensive play. "It's big because we knew we beat them last year (38-37) and they came over wanting to beat us this year." Avon Lake's 5-11 center, Molly Milligan, had fouled out with 11 points and six rebounds, so it was up to Miller to guard Wichman, who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Contact Tim Gebhardt at 329-7135 or timothygeb@msn.com. Avon Lake 47, Magnificat 45 Magnificat (45): Izzy Wilson 2-1-5, Elle Lakios 1-3-6, Elise Laoporte 5-0-10, Lizzie Godlewski 0-0-0, Gemma Wichman 7-8-22, Eva Rivera 1-0-2, Lily Kuhlman 0-0-0, Sadie Ross 0-0-0, Moira Chambers 0-0-0. Totals 16-12-45. Avon Lake (47): Frankie Persia 2-0-4, Olivia Miller 5-6-18, Evelyn Ritt 0-0-0, Rachel Besaw 3-1-7, Molly Milligan 5-1-11, Riley Koury 1-0-2, Mariela DiTullio 2-0-5, Bri Droke 0-0-0. Totals 18-8-47. Magnificat 5 13 14 13 —45 Avon Lake 10 14 16 7 —47 Three-point goals: Magnificat 1-8 (Lakios), Avon Lake 3-5 (Miller 2, DiTullio). Field goals: Magnificat 16-37 (43 percent), Avon Lake 18-35 (51 percent). Free throws: Magnificat 12-23 (52 percent), Avon Lake 8-10 (80 percent). Rebounds: Magnificat 20 (Wichman 8), Avon Lake 26 (Miller 7). Turnovers: Magnificat 12, Avon Lake 20. Fouls: Magnificat 16, Avon Lake 18. Fouled out: Milligan. Junior varsity: Magnificat 55-18.