After trailing by double figures midway in the 2nd period, the Lady Panthers battled back going on a 18-4 run that was a key to their District Semi-Final win Thursday night at Ross Southeastern High School.

Marietta scored the 1st 7 points in the contest & held Miami Trace without a field goal in the first 4 minutes of the game & the Lady Tigers led 14-8 after the first period.

After extending the lead to 19-8, the Lady Panthers turn the game around in their favor with a 18-4 run taking All Ohioan Erica Dawson out of her game with a rotating man to man defense & allowing no one else on the Marietta team to pick up the slack & Panthers use it to take a 26-23 halftime lead.

Miami Trace jumped up the lead more with a quick 6-0 run to start the 2nd half & despite two separate runs in the 4th period Marietta never could get closer than 6 point final margin.

The Lady Panthers were led by Ariana Mabra with 16 points (8-8 from free throw line), Abby Schwenk had 15 points & Dee McKay added 11 points.

Miami Trace shot 28% from the field but was 21 of 35 from the charity stripe, They turn the ball over only 13 times.

Marietta was led by Dawson 20 points as the Lady Tigers shot 23% from the field, was 11 of 15 from the free throw line & had 14 turnovers.

Miami Trace (19-4) has now won 9 games in a row & will take on Fairfield Union next Tuesday night at 6:15pm at the Convo at Ohio University in the Upper Bracket District Championship game. That contest will air on Buckeye Country & I Heart Radio.

Fairfield Union beat Mid State rival Logan Elm 48-38 in the 2nd game of the District Semi-Finals on Thursday night.

The Lady Falcons were tied after the 1st quarter at 12 each but outscored the Lady Braves 16-2 in the 2nd quarter & were never challenged in the 2nd half.

Courtney Bernard had 15 points to lead the Falcons. Kyleigh Wyatt had 14 points & scored her 1000 point in her career on a three pointer in the 3rd quarter.

Nikki Young had 9 points to lead the Lady Braves in scoring.

Miami Trace & Fairfield Union are no strangers in tournament play. Last year Miami Trace beat the Falcons 35-19 in the sectional finals & the Panthers won their match ups in the districts in 2005 & 2006.