The Franklin Heights Falcons will challenge the Buckeye Valley Barons at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Franklin Heights has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the match with four straight losses, while Buckeye Valley will come in with seven straight wins.
Last Tuesday, Franklin Heights ended up a good deal behind Worthington Christian and lost 39-25.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Kelia Wilson, who posted six points along with seven rebounds and four steals. Riley Hambel was another key player, putting up two points and five steals.
Even though they lost, Franklin Heights smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in nine consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Buckeye Valley took their contest on Thursday with ease, bagging a 56-21 victory over Columbus Academy. The Barons have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won eight matchups by 20 points or more this season.
Franklin Heights better keep an eye on Ella Hazelrigg. She was instrumental in Buckeye Valley's win, almost dropping a double-double on 22 points and nine boards. What's more, Hazelrigg also racked up three assists, the most she's had since back in January of 2024. Another player making a difference was MJ Cress, who went 5 for 6 on her way to 10 points.
Buckeye Valley pushed their record up to 16-2 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. The wins came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 27.7 points per game. As for Franklin Heights, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-13.
Franklin Heights took a serious blow against Buckeye Valley in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, falling 53-24. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Hazelrigg, who dropped a double-double on 31 points and ten rebounds. Now that Franklin Heights knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
