NEWARK — The Newark Catholic girls basketball team did not stay down for long after early-season losses coach Dani Adams called “disheartening.”
The Green Wave now are embracing the opportunities in front of them. Junior Avery Yehle made four foul shots during the final 20 seconds to secure a 49-43 victory against visiting Waterford on Dec. 30.
“It was definitely stressful, but I just tried to keep my nerves down,” said Yehle, a defensive specialist who has been thrust into a new role as a primary ball-handler and got the call from Adams to take the clutch free throws.
“It means a lot that they trust me with the ball and trust me at the free-throw line with that amount of pressure,” Yehle added.
NC (3-6) picked up its second consecutive victory, earning a win in a clash of rebuilding small-school powers. NC previously edged Bishop Ready 31-30 in overtime on Dec. 20.
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The Green Wave led 43-30 early in the fourth quarter before Waterford (5-6), the reigning Division VII state champion which graduated its top three players, came charging back on the strength of 10 points from sophomore Brynnlee Pottmeyer. The NC lead was just 45-43 when Yehle iced the victory, making all four of her free throws, sandwiching a Waterford turnover.
“We are in a unique position where we lost four starters and we have a lot of kids in new positions,” Adams said. “After the first couple games, we went into practice and talked about sideline out of bounds plays and late-game situations. I told them to stay patient because it would take some time. They have been working hard. We only have 11 kids, and they go at each other all day in practice.”
Junior Leah Caudill, NC’s top returning player from its Division VI district championship team, continues to flex her muscles inside. She scored 9 of her 17 points in the third quarter and grabbed 10 rebounds, following a 17-point, 17-rebound double-double against Ready.
Sydney Gummer, the lone senior, got NC started early, opening the game with a 3-pointer. She scored all 7 of her points in the first quarter and has been one of Licking County’s breakout players.
“I knew Syd had the potential last year, but we were just so huge,” Adams said. “It was hard to find her a position to fit into. She will do anything you ask her to do. She wants to win more than anybody.”
Junior Leah Cox hit a 3 from the right wing in each of the game’s first two quarters. Classmate Emma Cecil beat the third-quarter buzzer, banking in a 3 from the left wing after Caudill started the break with one of her four blocks at the defensive end.
“It’s so nice to finally have some success. We are a new group of girls and obviously started out slow, but the way we have been playing recently we have finally figured out how to play as a team,” said Yehle, who added five assists and three steals to her 11 points. “Everyone has stepped into their role. Nobody complains. We all just do what Dani asks us to.”
NC will start 2026 with a busy week, visiting Danville on Jan. 5 before resuming Licking County League play at Mount Vernon on Jan. 6, and Heath visits on Jan. 9. The Green Wave visit Fisher Catholic on Jan. 12 for what could be a preview of a Division VII district tournament game.
“This definitely changes our confidence,” Gummer said. “These couple wins really brought us back up and look at the capability that we actually have. It makes us excited for the season.”
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