BOWER SINKS RAIDERS AT THE BUZZER
CANFIELD, OH
– With just seconds left on the clock, Austintown Fitch’s Kaelyn Bower delivered an unforgettable moment, banking in a deep three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Lady Falcons over South Range, 36-35.
Fitch found itself up by two with 35 seconds to play, but South Range responded with back-to-back buckets courtesy of Ceci Foster and Sophia Lucente, flipping the lead to 35-33 in favor of the home team. With time slipping away, the Lady Falcons had to go the full length of the court on an inbound with just 4.2 seconds left. That’s when Bower sprinted down the sideline, hauled in a long pass, and launched a desperation three as time expired. The shot found its mark, banking off the glass and into the net, sealing a dramatic victory for Fitch.
Bower, who finished with six points, had already made an impact late in the game, sinking two clutch free throws to give Fitch the lead before South Range’s late surge.
Leading the charge offensively for the Lady Falcons was senior Rachel Spalding, who poured in a team-high 14 points. Her twin sister, Elizabeth Spalding, added seven, followed by Bower’s six. Senior Samantha Severn chipped in with four, while juniors Amiya Harris and Jeweliana Farmer rounded out the scoring with three and two points, respectively.
The win extends Fitch’s winning streak to three games, closing out the regular season at an even 11-11. The Lady Falcons now shift their focus to the OHSAA postseason, where they will host Euclid on Wednesday, February 19, with tipoff set for 7:00 p.m.
