The Rootstown High School girls basketball team pose with their championship trophy after Thursday’s victory over St. Thomas Aquinas clinched at least a share of the Portage Trail Conference championship.
Special to Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Thursday became a night for champions for the Rootstown Rovers girls basketball team.

With the program’s 55-24 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas, the Rovers captured their second consecutive Portage Trail Conference title.

Rootstown junior Melanie Plecko cuts down the net after the Rovers defeated St. Thomas Aquinas, 55-24, on Thursday to clinch at least a share of the PTC championship for the 2022-23 season.
Special to Portage Sports

Thursday’s triumph clinched at a least share of the crown for Rootstown, which travels to Southeast on Feb. 8 for the chance to win the championship outright.

A win by the Pirates on Wednesday would clinch a share of the title for the Rovers and Pirates.

As for Rootstown’s lopsided league victory over the Knights (5-13, 0-7 PTC) on Thursday, it was junior Brooklynn McIntyre leading the way with 16 points and eight rebounds.

Addy Germann joined her in double figures with 11 points, including three makes from 3-point range.

In total, Rootstown (14-5, 7-0 PTC) had eight different players reaching the scoring column.

The Rovers jumped out to a 17-6 lead after the first quarter, then that advantage ballooned to 33-13 by halftime and 48-17 entering the fourth quarter.

ROOTSTOWN 55, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 24

(At Rootstown)

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (24) — Jayzelle Gibson 1 0-0 2; Londyn Frank 0 0-3 0; Ava Soehnlen 3 0-2 6; K’Lynn Carter 5 2-6 12; Perazia Smith 2 0-0 4. Totals 11 2-11 24.

ROOTSTOWN (55) — Kylie McColloch 3 0-0 6; Abby White 1 4-6 6; Lindsay Smith 1 2-2 4; Addy Germann 4 0-0 11; Kayla Nicholas 0 0-2 0; Melanie Plecko 3 1-1 7; Aubrey Kline 1 0-0 2; Porter Smith 1 1-2 3; Brooklynn McIntyre 8 0-0 16. Totals 22 8-13 55.

ST. THOMAS 6-7-4-7—24

ROOTSTOWN 17-16-15-7—55

Three-Point Goals — St. Thomas Aquinas (0). Rootstown (3): Germann 3.

Total Rebounds — Rootstown, 46-31.

Total Turnovers — St. Thomas Aquinas, 35-7.

Total Fouls — Tied, 15-15.

JV Score (2 Quarters) — Rootstown, 27-2. Leading scorers: (Root) Olivia Osborne, 16 points; (STA) Alley Newman, 2 points.