But FHS guard Davinee Harris knew how to keep things in perspective.
“We still need to focus on our game, not anyone else’s,” Harris said.
“We need to keep pushing, executing on offense and defense and doing the things we need to work on.”
The Trojans did just that … and more on Monday.
Findlay scored the last 11 points of the first quarter to open a 24-4 lead, posted a 16-0 shutout in period two, and cruised to a 69-9 win over the Eagles in a Northern Lakes League cross-over game at the FHS Gymnasium.
“I feel bad for them,” FHS coach Brian Rosendale said of a young Clay team (two seniors) that is 2-15 and averaging a tad over 30 points a game.
“But I can’t tell our girls not to play hard. These are tough games to play sometimes, but everybody got in, everybody saw the floor, and a lot of people scored. That’s a good thing.”
Findlay’s defense set the stage for a second straight rout. After building a 54-0 halftime lead in Saturday’s 77-11 win over Springfield, the Trojans’ trapping press, 1-2-2 zone and man-to-man pressure kept another opponent under wraps.
The cost of Findlay’s aggressive defensive play was fouls. Clay did convert 4-of-10 free throws in the first half, but the Eagles did not score their first field goal of the game until Roan Hayden hit a 3-pointer 45 seconds into the second half. Aleah Simon would add a basket later in the period, but Findlay pitched a shutout the rest of the way.
On the flip side, Findlay was rolling.
Harris led the way, scoring 19 of her game-high 21 points in the first half. When the Trojans went a bit cold to open the second period, the sophomore guard hit a baseline jumper, converted an and-one 3-point play off an Oregon Clay turnover, then scored in transition off a Ryan Boes steal.
Harris, who spearheads Findlay's up-tempo attack, hit period-ending 3-pointers in both the first and second quarters that gave the Trojans 24-4 and 40-4 leads. She also passed up open looks that resulted in 3-pointers by Boes and Maggie Crates.
“My teammates find me up a lot. That gives me lots of confidence,” Harris said.
“I also want to make sure my teammates are getting their looks. I can get the ball to anyone on the floor and they can score. When we’re executing like that, it makes us all better.”
Upper classmen Mihaya Saito (8), Boes (6) and Sienna Robinson (6) combined for 20 points on Senior Night. Crates and Abanna Dotson added seven points each for the Trojans, who will be facing a much stiffer test on Thursday when they travel to Anthony Wayne to face a team that is 14-3 overall, 7-0 in NLL-Buckeye Division games and ranked No. 6 in the Division II state poll.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the league,” Rosendale said.
“Hopefully we come ready to play, and hopefully our defense carries us a little bit.”
CLAY (2-15)
Simon 1-0—2, Cousino 1-0—3, McGilvray 0-2—2, Gibbs 0-1—1, Gladieux 0-1—1. TOTALS: 2-4—9.
FINDLAY (11-6)
Crates 3-0—7, Boes 2-0—6, Mangas 1-1—3, Saito 3-1—8, Harris 9-1—21, Stechchulte 2-0—4, Robinson 3-0—6, Dotson 3-0—7, Rood 1-0—3, Watkins 0-4—4. TOTALS: 27-7—69.
Clay 4 0 5 0—9
Findlay 24 16 18 11—69
3-POINT GOALS: Oregon Clay 1 (Cousino); Findlay 8 (Harris 2, Boes 2, Crates, Saito, Rood, Dotson).